Community Stories

Stories of living with mental illness:

Stories of living with mental illness:

Welcome! In these videos, meet a group of individuals who either live with mental illness or care for someone who does. They share helpful personal insights and remind the world that a diagnosis does not define a person.

Length: 0:34

Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type

Cody describes his diagnosis as a combination of symptoms from different disorders.

Length: 1:17

Meeting New People: Should I Tell Them?

What to disclose to a new acquaintance is each individual’s personal decision. Cody describes his process and what
works for him.

Length: 1:11

Early Signs of My Mental Illness, or Just Afraid of the Dark?

Cody explains that for most of his childhood it was assumed that his fears and paranoia were fairly normal behavior, and how articulating symptoms as a child can be difficult.

Length: 1:03

Accept Help When it's Offered

Cody has learned that getting help for a mental illness can be more than talking about it, you need to accept the help when it’s offered.

Length: 0:42

A Sibling Caregiver: Just be Someone Who Cares About Him

Ali shares what it means to her to be a sibling caregiver to an adult diagnosed with schizophrenia, and how sometimes it’s the simple things that matter.

Length: 1:53

Responding to Her Signs of Depression

Rebecca talks about Danielle’s symptoms of depression and how she responds by being there and listening.

Length: 1:49

Listen and Let Them Know They Matter

Rebecca offers insights into supporting a loved one with depression – listen for cues and show them they matter through caring gestures.

Length: 1:34

Helpful Things to Say to Someone With Depression

When offering support to
someone with depression,
Rebecca is thoughtful about
her choice of words.

Length: 0:44

My Experience on How Medication and Therapy Work Together

One therapist provided Janet with an analogy that she has never forgotten - about how medication and therapy work together.

Length: 1:19

My Diagnosis was a Relief

While not surprised, Janet was relieved to have the diagnosis "depression" for her symptoms.