despite

despite hope for living a happy and healthy life despite mental illness

42x Everything I did, I repeated forty-two times.

I knew it wasn’t normal,but I just couldn’t stop.

I was told by doctors that my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder was too severe to treat. I lost hope, courage and the will to live.

menial tasks hand washing opening doors washing dishes doing laundry getting dressed exercising checking email doing homework brushing hair walking sitting down brushing teeth shutting doors ordering books chewing food

My name is Elizabeth McIngvale.

I am 25 years-old.

It has been thirteen years since I was diagnosed with OCD. Yes, I have OCD, but I am continuing to live my life despite my disorder.

daughter

non-profit founder Peace of Mind Foundation

Licensed Master Social Worker

advocate

sister

It has been a really

uphill battle

While at Yale University,

I kind of found myself

losing my grip.

Eventually, my main struggle became bipolar disorder.

I would go days without sleeping, I couldn’t concentrate in classes, and I had racing thoughts.

Today, my husband understands how to fight with me against my disorder, not against me as Robyn.

My daughter has without a doubt been

my biggest anchor.

Bipolar disorder is no longer ruling my life.

It’s not defining my life.

I am a wife.

I am a psychologist.

And I am a mother.

I live despite my past and for my future.

Asperger’s

PTSD

narcolepsy

OCD

depression

People with these disorders are

Right? crazy, agoraphobia

anorexia

bipolar disorder

schizophrenia

ADD

wrong.

As seen, people may live healthy, happy, and productive lives

despite mental illness.

Information was appropriated from: Elizabeth McIngvale ocfoundation.org peaceofmind.com

Robyn Mandelberg WebMD Bipolar tv