My name is Jay*.  I am 15 years old.  

I also have mental illness.  Bi polar depression and schizophrenia.  Was diagnosed with it at age 11 but may have had it longer than that.

I see a therapist twice a week after school.  I take medicines to help me with my moods and my manic episodes.  Sometimes I hear voices in my head; the voices tell me to do bad things.  I have to fight every day to keep them in check; sometimes it gets so bad I end up cutting myself and I then end up in the hospital until they can get things taken care of.

People think I'm faking my problems, but to tell you the truth, I'm not.  I don't want to be crazy; I want to have a normal life like any other fifteen year old.  I tend to hang out by myself; crowds freak me out.  I don't have many friends at school; they see me as that crazy kid and treat me like a loser.  School is getting so bad I am seriously thinking of quitting or at least have Mom homeschool me.

When my mental illness isn't wreaking havoc with me, I am like any other fifteen-year-old kid.  I love to draw or read manga (Japanese-style comics), play basketball, roller blade, skateboard, swim, and play baseball in the summer, go snowboarding or snow skiing in the winter,  and read anything I can get my hands on.  I'm a voracious reader.  I also love to write stories; I dabble mostly in science fiction, horror, or fantasy.

I have one brother.  I call him a mustelid.  He's a pain in my ass.  He's younger; Gavin is ten and a pest.  I wish he were never born; he is spoied and at times I can't stand him.  I wish Mom and Dad could ship him to Alaska so he can live with the polar bears.

Anywho, my illness has robbed my life.  I wish I ddin't have to deal with mental illness; it's a bother and it's costing my Mom and Dad money, money that they don't have.  Mom and Dad have to work two jobs each just so they can keep ahead of the bills that I run up due to treatments or hospital stays (or medications).

Well, I hate to go, but the damn voices are starting again.  Got to get my mind busy and start writing before the voices drive me crazy and tell me to do stupid shit.  UGH!  I hate this mental crap!!  I wish it would just go away, forever and ever!!

*Not teenager's real name; name changed for privacy purposes.