INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana mom with an incredible story of overcoming mental illness is sharing her story and putting a face to bipolar disorder.
Amanda Price is a well-respected co-worker and a VP of marketing and revenue growth where she works.
At first glance, you'd never know inside she deals with daily mental battles.
"It can absolutely affect any single person. Mental health can be hereditary, it can be genetic, it can be environmental, it can be situational," said Price. "Not only are we going through the normal day-to-day anxieties and strifes, but we're going through a mental battle in our head with depression, anxiety, agitation."
Price has been diagnosed as being bipolar type one. Experts say it impacts around 1-3% of the U.S. population.
Six and half years ago, after giving birth to her son, Price went manic and had mania and depression episodes simultaneously.
"Something just did not feel right. I asked her to order every test she could, I was talking really quickly in (a) rapid cycle," Price said.
It was then she got help. Price said she was given an emergency psych evaluation, where she blacked out before receiving her diagnosis.
"It was very confusing. I don't think I quite grasped the concept. I went home, sat in a dark room and I swallowed the three pills that she gave me to begin my journey to healing," she said.
Price said she's currently on a mood stabilizer, an atypical antipsychotic and anxiety medication.
Kimble Richarson, a mental health counselor with Community Health Network, helps patients just like Price. She said there's help out there for those who need it.
"This can happen to anybody. It's not a moral failure, It's not a weakness. It's a disease and disorder like any other physical disorder," Richarson said.
Price says she was never alone during her journey, adding she always had a support system to help her. She is now a voice for those who live with mental health disorders.
"It's not something to be feared. It's not something to be afraid of. We are not people to be feared; we are people to be celebrated," Price said.
Price wants to remind everyone that being bipolar, like any other mental health disorder, doesn't have a look. It can impact anyone and you can get help.
If you need help or are in a crisis mental health situation you can call 211.
Community Health Network also has a helpline which can be reached at 317-621-5700.
More resources for mental health are available here:
- https://www.in.gov/fssa/dmha/apply-for-services/mental-health-services/
- https://bewellindiana.com
- https://www.namiindiana.org/resources
- https://mhai.net
-
Game 5: Thunder win 120-109 for a 3-2 NBA Finals lead over Pacers
The Oklahoma City Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.Grace Care Center filling summertime hunger gaps for families
Money can be tight in the summertime, especially for families who are just trying to put food on the table.Pacers' Haliburton appears to aggravate lower leg injury in Game 5 of NBA Finals
Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton briefly left Game 5 of the NBA Finals for treatment after apparently aggravating an injury to his lower right leg, grabbing at it in obvious discomfort more than once.A tale of two farms: Indiana's 2025 strawberry season
Strawberries are tiny berries, but a lot of hard work goes into producing them in Indiana. Hail can destroy berries quickly, and too much rain can destroy a crop.