Although my mental illness was not dealt with until I was twenty-five, it was always part of me.  Growing up as a child with mental problems was confusing and hard. a Knowing you are different but not knowing why diminished my self-confidence.  Wondering why you have the right answer in your head but something else comes out your mouth.  School was a challenge.  Later in life, we discovered we were smart.  Being intelligent help me through life.  At twenty-five I began to break down. I remember the first time I went to the mental ward at the hospital and the many times after that.

My mom, my two brothers, and my two sisters lived with my grandparents in their two-bedroom house.  For a while, my two uncles lived there too.  So many bad things happen in that house.  I didn't understand why the abuse and why I was different. In hindsight, my mental illness protected me.  I learned this as I went through years of therapy.