I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 13. During this time I used to self harm, cut, and starve myself to be thin which led to anorexia nervosa. At the age of 14 I became familiar with the idea of ‘suicide’ from a movie and ever since then I’ve always enjoyed researching and reading stories about suicide. Eventually I started to become obsessed with suicide and made my first attempt at the age of 15 and experienced my first hospitalization in 2008. I refused to get help and take my medication. So I decided to stop on my own without my psychiatrist consent and ignored my mental illness.

Fast forward to 2014, my mental illness crept back up on me when my best friend for 10 years took her life on March 2014.  I fell into a deep dark depression and made several suicidal threats which led me to the second hospitalization in April 2014. I started back on medication however stopped after I was discharged because I was unsatisfied with my life. May 2014 I attempted suicide for the fourth time in my life which led me to the hospital because I stopped breathing for a couple of seconds and onto my third hospitalization.

June 2014, the depression I was diagnosed with at age 13 now is Major Depressive Disorder (formally known as clinical depression). In addition to depression, I have also been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, and a not specified anxiety and bipolar disorder.

After spending a month in a psychiatric hospital, I became one with my mental illness and became very open about my illness. This openness is the reason why I published my blog, http://phoenixtherebirthofmylife.wordpress.com, in June 2014.

My goal is to raise mental illness awareness, stop the stigma, and help save a precious life.  My mental health is just as important as my intellectual health, physical heath, spiritual health, and emotional health.

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My name is Stacey I am 21 year old University student in the United States of America. My major is Chemical Engineering with a minor in Theater Performance. During my spare time I blog about my mental health story and struggle at http://phoenixtherebirthofmylife.wordpress.com. Phoenix is my alias and pseudonym for my blog. In the future, I want to be a mental health advocate motivational speaker and a University professor.