The bulk of my experience is on the physical trauma side, but I had plenty of mental trauma that came with it. In this section, I want to try and get specific with mental traumas that were not triggered by physically damaging events. When researching for this project, I found the writings of this extraordinary person who has endured intense mental traumas and found her way through the darkness. Her story shines a bright light for us all to heed.
According to her website, Carrie Cantwell is an illustrator, surface designer, and educator in Atlanta, Georgia. Still, I would add an extraordinary example of strength and courage in the face of challenges that would cripple most in similar experiences.
She lost her father to bipolar depression and was later diagnosed with it herself. Instead of just allowing herself to drown in the diagnosis and tragedy of the premature loss of her father, she focused on not adding to the tragedy by succumbing to the challenges.
I wasn’t permitted to reprint her stories here, but I can list some links to the parts of her story that are out there and to her memoir that details this journey wonderfully.
I hope you enjoy and appreciate her story as much as I do.
https://www.bphope.com/blog/steps-restful-sleep-hygiene-mood-management-bipolar/
Daddy Issues: A Memoir
Paperback – September 5, 2021