By Theresa San Luis “Story” Teller
Unlike a broken arm in a sling or a fresh open wound to the skin, the disrepair of one’s brain with mental illness may not be so visible to others. Many may not believe it exists because it is not so visible; or a person may be unaware that their thought processes are dysfunctional without communicating them; or, the stigma of mental illness blocks a person from seeking help. All are factors that make recovery difficult. With mental illness, life is difficult and stressful.
Persevering through mental illness requires strength beyond the imagination of others who don’t deal with it on a daily basis. Strength may not be apparent or obvious because of those struggles. Mental illness is tough, and I commend those that face it bravely and endure to keep on trucking along on a daily basis. You are not alone.
I felt alone more than 20 years ago as a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame. I saw Dr. Nasr, a psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with schizoaffective disorder which is a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar symptoms. I later was diagnosed with anxiety with OCD and delusions as well. I still struggle to this day.
I am not alone today. It took years of troubleshooting and finding proper support. I have a husband, and twin daughters. I have a church family as a pastor’s wife. My family is supportive and I’ve maintained valuable relationships along the way.
I want to encourage you to consider that recovery is a real possibility and being diagnosed with mental illness is not a death sentence. I’ve lived with mental illness and earned two bachelor’s degrees and two master’s degrees. What drives me is to live my best life as a stigma fighting role model. I had no role models at age 20, but hope to share my story of finding hope. I am currently co-authoring a book with 3-time Emmy Award winning reporter Art Holliday about my mental health journey called “My Brain Makes Me Proud: How I Beat Schizoaffective Disorder.” I hope you can join alongside my journey to beat the stigma of mental illness. Our manuscript is in process.
Every day is a new day to work toward a better life and progress. Find your voice, your inner strength and reach out. It just may touch someone.
Theresa can be reached at tsanluisnd@gmail.com
My Brain Makes Me Proud 