I have bipolar and schizophrenia in my biological family.
TLDR; I dealt with bipolar & schizophrenia in my biological family. This girl I went to highschool with dealt with her diagnosis, recorded her journey, and it helped greatly with coping and managing.
My story:
I struggled for a long time, understanding my mother & sisters behaviours after they passed. I got really scared that I would follow their same path, like dying young. I always had stomach problems, always felt tired & weak, then I found out I was celiac.
Once I cut out gluten, my brain came back. I just wasn't that reactive, or upset, like my life was ending. I just felt clear-minded? It was odd, but also a huge breath of fresh air.
Then, I started researching mentall illness, bipolar, and schizophrenia. (My sister was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and was in-n-out of hospital mental divisions for years).
There just so happened to be a girl I went to school with, who got diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder, and kept posting YouTube videos about her journey.
For years, I followed her story to try and understand my mom & sister's experiences. I saw the pain, all the challenges, for someone going through the medical/psychiatric system.
Anyways, I wanted to share this. In case it may help someone, or their family, or friends, to help manage their diagnosis. Whatever it may be, medication, or diet. Whatever helps us get through life, is worth looking into.