How I Faced My Mental Illness with Faith and Now Work to End the Stigma
Written by Sarah Fox
Last year I had to do one of the hardest things in my life. I had to accept an untimely diagnosis which changed my life forever. On January 4th, 2021, I had a severe manic episode which led to my hospitalization. I was frantic, speaking rapidly, and I had a lot of energy after getting two hours of sleep per night. Although I felt like I could conquer the world at the time, my family members knew that something was wrong.
When life throws you a curveball, sometimes you have to hold on tight to that bat and swing it with all your might.
After being released from the hospital, I got diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and had to face a new reality. I had to not only navigate having a mental illness, I also had to get used to a new level of functionality. To say that it was difficult to receive that diagnosis would be the understatement of the year. I was terrified and disappointed when the doctor gave me the news. I didn’t know what to think and I knew my life would never be the same.
I immediately began to think of potential reactions to this revelation. What would my family think of me? Would my friends still accept me for who I am? What would this mean for future opportunities? Would future employers not want to hire me if they found out? Even as I write this article, I’m wondering what the general response will be. With all these thoughts racing inside my mind, I realized life requires us to do some difficult things. When life throws you a curveball, sometimes you have to hold on tight to that bat and swing it with all your might. I want to share four steps I took to confront the stigma surrounding mental illness and how I use my faith as guidance for healing. I pray these four steps will also help you to face hard things in your own life.
Be open to accepting your current situation
After receiving my diagnosis, I knew there was nothing left to do but accept the fact. Although this seems like a simple solution, it wasn’t my initial course of action. I spent weeks trying to find a different reason for my manic episode. I thought I was misdiagnosed or that my mental breakdown was a result of stress. Even if these scenarios were true, it didn’t change the fact that there was something going wrong on a deeper level.
After getting a second opinion and hearing the same conclusion, I knew I had to accept the diagnosis and learn more about it. Accepting your reality, especially if it’s not what you expected, is a very hard thing to do. I learned acceptance is often the first step to beginning your healing journey. This step will take a while to process, and it often requires you to brace yourself for more hard truths along the way. Once my season of denial was over, I asked God to help me to engage in radical acceptance in order to help me move forward.
Be vulnerable with your trusted community
I wish I could say that this step came immediately after the first one, but I would be remiss if I told you that. Having a trusted community is a very important part of your healing journey. This community will help you create a safe space for you to share your story with others. I was scared to tell my closest friends because I thought they would judge me or label me as a “crazy person.” I thought I would be shunned by family members because I no longer lived up to their expectations of perfection.
With all these fears, I relied on God to help me be vulnerable with the people who I trusted. I was surprised at the overwhelming responses of love and support. My friends were so understanding, and they even gave me some extra resources to help me navigate this new journey. If I didn’t let them know, they couldn’t give me what I needed. I also found out I had some friends who were dealing with the same situation and our relationship deepened as a result of my honesty. Vulnerability is very difficult, especially when you’re used to suppressing your emotions or dealing with everything by yourself. The Bible says, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9) We are not meant to go through life on our own. We need a community to help us thrive and encourage us during the dark times.
Have honest conversations about mental health
Getting a life changing diagnosis was something that transformed my outlook on mental health. I went from thinking mental health issues were something outside of my expertise to becoming a mental health advocate and creating a podcast where people can have honest conversations about mental health issues. Now, I know that everyone’s comfort level is different. I’m not encouraging you to share your story with the world if you’re not ready. You can start small by doing research and raising awareness about these issues with others.
To those who want to help your friend or loved one who is struggling with a mental illness, I encourage you to ask questions and learn from that person. Ending the stigma starts when you have those hard conversations and when you work to change your perspective on mental health issues. To those struggling with a mental illness, I encourage you to reach out to the people that you trust and let them know if you’re struggling and what your triggers are. Doing so would help them understand that having a mental illness doesn’t make you defective. It means you’re a human being who is simply going through a tough time.
Know that your diagnosis is not indicative of your character
Having a mental illness is almost like having a physical illness. Just as you take antibiotics to help with a cold, you also take antidepressants to mitigate depression. The last step I had to take in ending the stigma is to realize that my diagnosis does not define me. This was a difficult lesson for me to learn because I believed I was worthless due to my bipolar disorder. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Although I have a mental illness, that does not make me a burden. I am loved, I am seen, and I am known by God. Nothing, not even a diagnosis can change that.
Once I realized my worth wasn’t tied to my bipolar disorder, I began to work on helping others know their worth as well. Creating the “Rough Edges Podcast” not only gave me the platform to educate others about mental health issues, it also helped me to empower those who are struggling to value themselves. None of that would’ve been possible without me knowing my identity in Christ. If you are feeling jaded and are questioning your worth in light of having a mental illness, I want to encourage you that you are more than your diagnosis and your life has meaning beyond your mental illness.
Living with a mental illness is a very challenging thing to do. Although there is some uncertainty when it comes to finding a good treatment plan, it’s possible to thrive while having mental health issues. You are stronger than you think and more capable than you know. Working to end the stigma starts with you. By having open conversations, trusting your community, and learning to value yourself, you can begin to thrive in your healing journey. You can do hard things and you can conquer this illness.
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