By: Christine Marie Frey
One of the most important things to remember in life is that everybody needs help sometimes. When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I refused any help that came my way. I didn’t want help from my parents, my teachers, or even my friends. I wanted help from a teenager who could understand what I was going through. I needed somebody who fought similar battles that I did to say there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I had a hard time just believing what my parents or teachers or friends would say because they didn’t truly understand the things that happened in my mind.
I researched for months trying to find reading material from a teenager like me, who could explain how they managed and coped in everyday life. I tried finding videos on YouTube and mental health related music from a teenager like me with messages that I could hear and feel less crazy. Sadly, I could not find anything that fit for me.
That was when Brain XP was born. Brain XP is the brand I am building, which stands for Brain Expanded. Every single person living with a mental disorder has Brain XP because our brains ARE truly E X P A N D E D! Our brains function in a completely unique and special way that others people’s brains do not. We are especially creative, insightful, empathetic and the list goes on. Brain XP is a community for people with mental health struggles (especially teens) and all of the supporters for those people.
I could not find that certain voice I was searching for, so I had to step up and BE that voice. I want to be the person that will help other teenagers who are struggling with mental health issues. One of the ways I have found to cope is to write – I write lyrics and music. My most recent song is called “The Mask” and it explores how we all wear masks to guard our inner selves. (It’s on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.)
And I just finished writing a story about my life – what is has been like to cope with the day to day struggles of having a mental illness from age 12 to now, 16. In addition, I have recorded an album made up of my original songs. Each songs corresponds to one of the chapters in my book. BRAIN XP the book & BRAIN XP the soundtrack with both be released on April 27, 2018.
This is my way of providing help for the tons and tons of struggling teens out there. I am here. I am your friend. Together, we are Brain XP.
-Christine XP