Living with mental illness has required me to learn how to manage both extremes of my own mind. I live with PTSD and Bipolar II Disorder, conditions that have shaped my experiences and ultimately my professional goals. During periods of hypomania, I am highly productive and driven, often pushing myself beyond healthy limits. The depressive lows that follow have been far more dangerous, particularly when combined with a lack of appropriate support and intervention. During one severe depressive episode, I attempted to take my own life. Rather than being met with a coordinated mental health response, the crisis escalated into a punitive one. The absence of effective crisis intervention systems resulted in a violent felony charge and a period of confinement instead of immediate treatment and stabilization. Had appropriate mental health resources and de-escalation systems been in place, my life may have taken a very different path at that moment. That experience forced me to confront not only my own need for structured mental health care but also the broader consequences of how society responds to individuals in crisis. Surviving the attempt marked the beginning of recovery, but confinement exposed how often mental illness is misunderstood, criminalized, or ignored until harm occurs. The personal, emotional, and financial costs were profound, and they made it clear that willpower alone is not a substitute for systems designed to protect vulnerable people. Overcoming my mental health challenges has been a deliberate and ongoing process. I have engaged in treatment, built structure into my daily life, and learned to recognize early warning signs before they escalate. Managing Bipolar II has meant learning when to slow down as much as when to push forward. Living with PTSD has required consistent work around regulation, accountability, and self-awareness. Progress has not meant the absence of symptoms, but the presence of tools, support, and responsibility. Even during confinement, I sought ways to support others who were struggling. I helped others know when to reach out for mental health care, and supported participation in educational programs. These moments reinforced my belief that care, education, and human connection are powerful stabilizing forces, especially when formal systems fail to respond appropriately. After my release, I encountered a different kind of confinement. Because my mental health crisis had been criminalized rather than treated, I found myself pushed to the margins of society. I was denied even basic employment, not because of a lack of ability or willingness, but because of the label that followed me. Experiencing this exclusion made it clear that punishment often continues long after confinement ends, especially for those whose primary need was care rather than incarceration. Today, I am pursuing a degree in psychology and am actively involved in research aimed at improving mental health response training. I am also planning to pursue a master’s degree in Organizational Behavior Management to better understand how institutions implement change at scale. I will be participating in a research project with a local police department focused on developing a mental health response curriculum. Being this close to the work means everything to me. It represents a chance to help build the systems that were missing when I needed them most. Raising awareness for mental health challenges requires more than empathy alone. It requires education, accountability, and organizational change. By combining lived experience with academic training, I hope to help create responses that prioritize de-escalation, treatment, and dignity over punishment. Entering the mental health profession is how I intend to transform personal crisis into lasting impact and help ensure fewer people experience the same failures I did.