Hello My Name Is Bipolar

My name is Justin Bailey, and for the past 15 years Mental Illness has been a part of my everyday life. From the moment I wake up in the morning, to my dreams at night, It impacts every second of everyday.
Some of us are able to find a means of therapy right away, and have the tools and resources to cope and overcome. Most of us do not.
Mental Illness impacts everyone in one way, shape, or form. Impacting not just us, but also the people in our lives that we care about the most. As life's pressure and stresses continue to mount, Mental Illness impacts more and more people every day.
For many men like myself, Mental Illness is a 'stigma' or sign of weakness that is just so hard to admit. For as strong as the male in society is 'supposed to be', it can be downright debilitative stopping us dead in our tracks. For most of us the biggest challenge is admitting that we have a problem, and asking for help to fix it.
I am not a Doctor, a Licensed Clinician, nor a Therapist. I am in no position to provide medical advice. However my story comes directly from the perspective of the inflicted. What it's like getting into the head of the one experiencing it on a daily basis.
Whether it was getting shot at a mass shooting, the shit-show that was my rehab, crazy stories of rideshare driving and my lawsuit and win therein...I've put myself through a lot - probably more than I should have.
My purpose for sharing my story is to help anyone that can relate understand that there is a way out. If I can help people from experiencing the pain that I had gone through, or help shorten the duration therein - then my purpose has been fulfilled.