MEET THE LABELED CREATOR

For many years, I lived my life as a loud, boisterous character, the kind you might only find in movies. My life was a cinematic whirlwind: a mother struggling with addiction, an absentee father, and being raised by my grandmother in North Philadelphia. It had all the ingredients of a compelling Tyler Perry play. Add in manic depression and bipolar disorder, and it’s almost Oscar-worthy—Well, that's if my blackness wasn’t too egregious. 

At the age of 21, I began to show signs of mental illness, but I couldn't comprehend what was happening or why. Lacking knowledge and guidance, I convinced myself it was spiritual warfare. I hadn’t been to church in a while, so I thought God was dealing with me. It seemed logical at the time. Besides the fact that God doesn't work that way, it was clear that my unresolved emotional trauma had caught up with me but I was ill-equipped to handle it. So I did what any black woman with emotional baggage did...I went back to church. I prayed, sang, and shouted the depression away. That worked for a while or so I thought. What? having sex with strangers I met at CVS isn't normal? Oh, who knew?

It would take 12 more years before I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Disorder and manic depression.

Those 12 years were spent unmedicated, spiraling out of control. My drinking escalated, drug habits formed and worsened, and risky behaviors threatened to destroy me. Unlike my hidden struggles, my impending mental breakdown was far from discreet.

Receiving a mental illness diagnosis unleashes a torrent of emotions: desperation, contempt, confusion, sadness, and anger. Articulating these feelings to loved ones is daunting, and loneliness becomes the prevailing sensation. It is a very lonely place where no one can reach you, or share the burden. Your very foundation is crippled and you are defenseless. I needed support, I needed understanding, love, empathy and to know that I was not alone. I needed to hear "it will be ok" and "you're going to be alright" most of all I wanted to be assured that I wasn't crazy. While I had a loving family and caring friends, it took some time for them to learn how to support me. It took a long time for me to understand how I wanted to be supported. 

I created LABELED to remove the guesswork, stigma, and challenge of supporting your loved one with their mental health journey. I created LABELED to be a resource of education, knowledge, and understanding for those struggling with mental illness. I created LABELED to be a support system, a village of shared and connected interest. 

I created LABELED because for 12 years I didn't have it. 

I created LABELED for me. 

More importantly, I created LABELED...for you!