Comparing Herschel Walker's Mental Disorders, Suicide Attempts with Mine

Herschel Walker has announced he has dissociative identity disorder (D.I.D.), formally known as multiple personality disorder. According to ABC news, he has just released a book, "Breaking Free". Walker explains that he has suffered for a long time and, at one point, was playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun. He has contributed some of his success to the disorder. It is a controversial disorder; some believe it is made up, just to get away with one's mistakes. Others have seen the disassociation in patients like Walker.

I have to give Walker credit for coming out and publicly sharing his story. It shows that even with a successful life of fame and fortune, mental illness can rear its ugly head. Mental Illness knows no boundaries and doesn't care who you are or what you have done in life. It is an equal opportunity disorder.

I also have been suicidal in the past. I suffer from bipolar disorder, severe depression, post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. I have been this way my whole life. I did not realize it until a few years ago when life's stresses became too much on me, and I sunk really low really fast. I couldn't do anything but sleep. I felt worthless and trapped. I felt so bad for decisions I made. I came to the point that I would rather die than suffer like I was. I attempted suicide two times over the course of a year and still did not seek help.

It wasn't until the following year and after my third attempt that I realized that something was not right. Walker came to the same conclusion after sitting at the kitchen table with a gun to his head. I started to see a therapist, and realized how low I had become. She recommended I go to the mental ward. I did and was put on medicine: Lexapro and Seroquel. I had nearly lost my family because of this. My wife stood by my side to a point at which she did not know what to do. Only a couple of months out of the hospital it became apparent that the meds were not working, actually they were making me worse. I crashed again and attempted suicide.