Part 4/9:
Jackie describes the duality of managing bipolar II and alcoholism. While addiction was easier for her to accept, mental illness felt more shameful. She recalls that the media and society often romanticize substance abuse, yet the stigma attached to mental illness remains pervasive. The struggle for acceptance is compounded by the arduous paths toward diagnosis and treatment, which can often lead to misdiagnoses, mismanagement, and ongoing suffering.