Your Diagnosis Does Not Define You

I’ve been diagnosed, at one point or another, with depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD. It’s an annoying characterization of myself because my medical ‘diagnosis’ does not define me. Yet it has also been incredibly helpful to me as it explains certain behaviors and reactions, and gives me the tools I need to research and manage them. But let me be clear. What I ‘have’ does not equate to who I am. As despite the challenges, we can all thrive. I can say this now, as I’m in a new chapter in my life with success under my belt. My first consumer product turned into a 35 million dollar retail brand, and raised more than a million dollars for charities. I have presented at the UN, World Bank, and more. I sit on several global advisory boards, helped get mental health added to the sustainable development goals, helped create a youth mental health movement, and shared my story around the world. So I come with experience and wisdom to share. I’m grateful to say I been off medication for some time, another feat I never thought I would accomplish as managing my moods on my own didn’t seem within reach. As you can imagine, the combination of anxiety, PTSD, depression and ADHD is not easy to handle as many of them actually create havoc on the other. Even one alone can debilitate a person making the entrepreneurial journey virtually impossible. And it is not to say medication is bad. It has saved many, many lives. Including my own. I just prefer to work...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Addiction ADHD and ADD Anxiety and Panic Creativity Depression Habits Happiness iFred Inspiration & Hope Mental Health and Wellness Motivation and Inspiration Personal Professional PTSD Recovery Stigma Diagnosis Entrepren Source Type: blogs