Confessions of an Honor Roll Manic Depressive | Valeria Hernandez | TEDxUF
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety. These illnesses might sound scary, but who experiences them? Anyone, including high-functioning individuals who may seem the least likely to live with these, says University of Florida student activist Valeria Hernandez. Together, she urges, we can break the stigmas associated with mental health conditions to reveal that success and mental illness are not mutually exclusive. Valeria Hernandez is a fourth-year psychology and family, youth, and community sciences dual degree student at the University of Florida and an advocate for mental health. As an advocate, Valeria has worked to spread awareness of mental health issues on school campuses and to increase mental health preventative care resources for students in primary and secondary education. Her goal is to diminish the stigmas associated with mental health conditions and allow those suffering from these stigmas to feel comfortable validating their experiences and seeking the help they need to improve their quality of life. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
THATS MY SISTER!!! so beyond proud forever.
THATS MY SISTER!!!!! (like my biological sister)
okay
Ok ?
You go girl!!! I bet you are PROUD
You must be so proud of her!
"Why do you always draw sad things? Why are you always sad?"
I have been told this so many times in my life, and I have been made fun of for it as well, yet I never received any help for it. I was never offered any, nor was I given the opportunity to ask for help. I cried. Thank you Valeria.
hey i hope you are doing better, im sorry to hear that.
Today is the day I traditionally celebrate not being locked away in a psych ward. On April 23, 1969, I was taken to a locked ward for a month. Many of the other patients just stayed a few days. A month before, I was on top of the world ready to graduate with honors and become a biology teacher. There were lots of jobs then. My girl and I planned to marry. I had made the college wrestling team and been an officer in two fraternities. My professors said I had a lot of potential.
Following my release, my life became a void. My girl left. Since I had a minor accident in a parking lot, my parents would not allow me to drive. I could not work in the garden which I had loved because my meds made me super sensitive to the sun.
I tried to go back to college after summer, but I had to drop out again. I just went to my parent’s house and sat in a chair every day. I could not imagine ever being able to teach or to hold down any job. I used to love to read, but I could not concentrate enough to comprehend what I was reading. My close friends all graduated and went on to their careers. My best friend went away to Georgetown Law School. I was all alone. With my meds and my days of just sitting in a chair, I gained 100 pounds. The wrester’s body was gone.
I worried about being locked away-in the 60’s they were still sending people like me away for years, decades. I believed my life at 22 was over. I imagine many who have been diagnosed bipolar have felt and thought the same things. So, I want to share how my life turned out in the end. I’m 75 with a bad heart-not sure how long I have left to spread any hope.
Psychiatrists had a hard time getting my meds to work for very long. But, after a few years, I stopped drinking and the meds had me stabilized. Gradually, my life began to change. It turned out to be better than most lives.
So far, I’ve been married for 51 years. I was able to watch my son grow up and support him in his activities-football, track, basketball, class play. I was at his college graduation and wedding. He became a fine man, a Boy Scout leader and an elder in the church. I was able to support his two sons as they did various activities: football, baseball, and competitive Frisbee. I was there when they both received their Eagle rank. I was in the audience when my grandson got on stage and sang a song by himself for the 6th grade talent show.
Over the years I felt useful by doing much volunteer work. I helped with Boy Scouts, built hiking trails, and did taxes for people through AARP’s tax assistance program. I feel good to have set up a teen center in the town where I taught. In 2020, I was given the Marquis Who’s Who Humanitarian award for my contributions to society.
My wife and I enjoy traveling. We have been to some neat places like Stonehenge, the Grand Canyon, Devil’s Tower, and the Badlands of South Dakota. We took our grandsons to Disney World twice.
Rather than just sitting in a chair every day, I’ve chased my hobbies: reading (read 1000 books in 6 years after my retirement), gardening, jogging (ran marathons), baking cookies, writing, and astronomy. NASA allowed me to use their satellites to take pictures of solar system bodies.
I have written this to give people hope; back when I was first diagnosed I wish I could have read something like this. At the time, I was just facing a long miserable life.
Thank you. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. As a PhD student it’s my first time struggling with school. One worry I have had is whether I am now doomed to not succeed in research and academia. Thank you for teaching me that mental illness and success are not mutually exclusive.
My bipolar disorder has psychotic episodes. I went to jail and while on bail I had another episode. They finally had me hospitalised and seen by a psychiatrist. I begged for help before it got bad but it’s like you have to be really bad before anyone will help you. That’s in Australia. To all those coping with bipolar well done it’s hard work
I’ve just recently been diagnosed with a bipolar mood disorder and I have to say thank you for sharing your story. I can see myself in your words and your actions, and the representation is really validating.
I hope you keep speaking publicly, it is inspiring me to do the same!
Beautiful. Your vulnerability connects with us in incredible ways. Thank you for sharing your story and how we can actively work to change the status quo.
I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder few months ago. I have been in a mental institution and put on antidepressants. In my quest to be regarded normal I stopped taking medication. I have attempted suicide multiple times. Recently, my mood disorder has worsened. There had been some days that I have extremely high energy and I would go out and dance and get drunk just to spend the next five days literally very low to the point I wouldn't even leave my bed or take a shower for days. I wouldn't resonate or identify with the extremely outgoing and sociable person and I would be ashamed and beat myself up for days. For the past two months my daily thoughts were that of suicide, resigning from work and going away to a place very far away from everyone that knows me. In my mind I saw how I would build 2 meter high wall boundaries around my house and stay indoors as much as possible, away from any social interaction. The only thing that kept me going is the thought of my children. Last week, I called my psychologist. She made me understand that mental illness is an illness just like other illnesses and that I should not be ashamed of it. She made me understand that i need treatment in order to feel normal - since I believed not taking medication would make me normal. Listening to Valeria's story made me realize that I need to accept myself, be educated about my condition and stay on the medication. I have an appointment scheduled to see a psychiatrist as some of my symptoms are very similar to bipolar disorder. Thank you for sharing your story. It helped me talk about mine.
You are incredible Valeria! I am so happy you are still here with us.
I start each day by looking out the window and then listening to "It's a beautiful morning" by The Rascals. I live in the PNW and, as a native Californian, I would get reallly down and not want to get out of bed or talk to people. Now I have reduced that to a couple of days, and so far only twice this winter season. I cannot change my brain chemistry but I can avoid things that don't work for me. I have made some dietary changes that seem to be helping. I also felt that when I was down in the dumps, as the saying goes, I wrote the best things, discovering the angst that was in my soul. Now I take that writing skill to a new level and am not so self-absorbed in how I'm feeling. Great Talk! Important Message!
Awesome...thank you for all your contributions to this vital topic...I have bipolar I...in therapy y taking meds diligently since 2008...I have been healing y doing so much better...it is normal...we have alot to offer the world...God bless everyone...peace❤🕊
Spot on keep going doing amazing things I feel your pain I have bipolar manic depression I also have hypoxia brain injury I died 26minutes spent weeks months in coma rehab hospital learning talk walk again been a recovery massive discovery never ever give up on yourself many will never yourselves keep going doing amazing things stay strong stay positive stay safe sending luck hugs prayers most of all love from headway Nottingham UK you got this speak out dont suffer in silence nothing to be ashamed off its mental health and it stinks but you are the winner not mental health x
Strong. This gave me goosebumps
Amazing talk thank you! I’ll be donating soon.
I needed this girl! So good!
This is very good
Thank you for sharing. It really helps to see a someone shares and see the positive outcome if on reaches out for help. I sought help and was seen that same day was because of suicide ideation otherwise I would have been placed on a list to be seen in a future opening.
this is a good tedtalk but why is there so much coughing 😭
lol
Well Done.
I was diagnosed seven months ago. And just 2 days ago I got nominated to the Honors Society at my college :) yay
im starting to think i have BPAD and i got told that it gets transmited through blood too and my family history has it and that really boosted my suspicion and ive googled a lot and im rather sure i have it but i have no idea how to bring it up to my parents and im worried how they would react.
I dont know if they would get mad at me for feeling like that because they have given me everything or if they would be open and accepting so i dont know what im going to do
This reminds me of when I was in AA.Step one: My name is none of your business and I am powerless over my bipolar disorder and my life has become unmanageable! My higher power is the drug companies and my psychiatrist is my sponsor! No disrespect intended! I have had a few psychiatric labels in my time and was a member of the forensic group for over ten years! The DSM 5 is the equivalent of AA's Big Book!
Wow, love this🤍
Best wishes for your life
The " cure " of fraction of those who " suffer " from manic Depression is that being accepted as they accept how the rules are?
Great job
THATS MY SISTER!!! In Christ
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