Press Hit: Dawn Montgomery Writes Letter in Tribute to Bebe Moore Campbell

As we acknowledge July being Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, XI Magazine Online had the opportunity to chat with gorgeous model and client, Dawn Montgomery. Dawn battles mental illness and has been since she was in high school. Click more to read a touching letter Dawn wrote to Bebe Moore Campbell, in her honor:

“Here I am. National Mental Health Awareness Month was in May and I am still at a loss for words. Some people in our community do not realize that they have mental illness and the number of mental illness cases continues to rise at an alarming rate every day. According to Mental Health America, most African-Americans with Bipolar Disorder are undiagnosed and untreated. Thanks to you, we have the opportunity to celebrate National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month during the month of July. You have inspired my life in so many ways and I would like to share my story with you. I have utilized my voice in sharing my battle with Bipolar Disorder on many of the social networking websites that have become very popular in this day and time. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder my sophomore year in high school and it was a traumatic experience. I embraced the knowledge of my condition at that time, but my peers could not. I dealt with a lot of harsh criticism but I was able to finish high school and move on to the next phase of my life. Your book, “Sometimes my Mommy gets Angry”, was published a year after I graduated from high school, but I did not get a chance to read it until after my uncle had passed away from AIDS during the fall semester of my freshman year of college. His death was very traumatic for me and your book helped me realize that I must talk more about the disorder in my community to help spread the word about mental illnesses. After my uncle’s death, I had a very difficult time coping and I became suicidal. This was not the first time, but it was the most significant. I was an out-of-state student, at a historically black college, and I had NO ONE to really talk too. Just because I was one of the most recognizable faces on campus did not mean that someone always wanted to lend an ear. It was then that I tried to take my own life. This was my seventh attempt on my life, and I was admitted into a mental ward. I was placed under a 72-hour hold and I was lucky and blessed that my family supported me throughout my commitment. Your book, “72 Hour Hold”, is my LIFE! I was the character Trina Whitmore when I first went into my 72-hour hold and my mother was character Keri Whitmore. My mother never denied my disorder and she tried to help me as best as she could. In the Black community, it is still taboo for someone to even mention the words Mental Illness, Depression, Schizophrenia, or Bipolar Disorder. WHY? If I had of known who I could have really talked to or trusted on campus, I would have spoken up. My 72-hour hold showed me that I did not need to be in a place that did not allow me to use my talents nor my voice. I was hiding behind traumatic experiences, my brain’s chemical imbalance, and shame. There was no need for that. When I finally dealt with that chapter of my life, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She helped me fight against the negative stigmas of having a mental disorder and she allowed me to embrace myself more. I did not want to lose her. She was my saving grace. She also helped my mother understand the disorder and she helped me fight. Then, it was my turn to return the favor. I took two years out from school to care for my grandmother in her fight against breast cancer. When she eventually died from it, however, I felt like I failed her. Fortunately, I believe that God showed me otherwise. One month after my grandmother’s death, I found out that I was pregnant with my son. He gave me a reason to live and another reason to give Bipolar Disorder a face and a voice. My son was born in June 2005 and Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast where we lived in August 2005. There I was, yet again facing another traumatic experience, but I had a newborn son to take care of. I fought so many negative feelings, so many suicidal thoughts and I pulled myself together for him. My life has truly been a testament of what God has for me and neither man nor I can deny it. Even though there have been many ups and downs, I have been blessed to have the most amazing support system of family and close friends that truly care about my well-being. We made it through that tragedy together and I went back to school. According to Mental Health of America, one of the reasons why African-Americans are not receiving help for Bipolar Disorder and other mental illnesses is our reliance on family and religious community. I must admit that I also looked first to family and church during my bipolar episodes, but I realized that was not enough. I had to seek counseling, therapy options, and participate in research studies in order for me to receive consistent treatment for my disorder. At this point in my life, I see how my openness about my battle with Bipolar Disorder has helped many people – sufferers and supporters alike. Through blog posts, updated status messages and random articles I have given a new face and voice to the disorder and I pray more people hear me. Your life’s work is what I dream of accomplishing in my lifetime and I pray that God guides my path. You left us in November 2006 and almost four years later I find myself re-reading all of your mental illness themed books regularly. Your words remind me of how powerful one’s story can be and how I can really affect change if I just speak up. I am still going through treatment and I have learned more about myself through my battle with this disorder.

Thank you Mrs. Bebe Moore Campbell. I owe this chapter in my life to you.

Sincerely,

Dawn Montgomery

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