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Naomi Jackson talks 'losing and finding my mind'

May 10, 2023
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ANECDOTE

Naomi's Initial Bipolar Episode

  • Naomi Jackson recounts her experience with bipolar disorder, starting with swollen feet and escalating to impulsive behaviors and rage.
  • Her parents took her to the ER after she tried to jump out of a moving car; she woke up in a different hospital diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
INSIGHT

Racism's Impact on Mental Health

  • Racism makes it hard for Black people to discern rational fears from paranoia related to mental illness.
  • Naomi felt this when she questioned if hospital staff assaulted her, highlighting the historical trauma compounding mental health.
ANECDOTE

Family History of Mental Illness

  • Naomi's grandmother and mother also had bipolar disorder, revealing a family history of mental illness.
  • Her grandmother was hospitalized at Jenkins, a former plantation in Barbados, and her mother cycled through shelters and hospitals.
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