I Am Laurie: How Bipolar Disorder Altered My Life

Laurie Johnson

Οκτ 2011 · WestBow Press

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I realized after my diagnosis four years ago that having bipolar disorder does not define who I am as a person. For close to three decades, I battled an unknown adversary, believing I was just sinning because I wasnt choosing happiness. The story is composed of trials from my life, including a turbulent relationship; hopelessness and thoughts of suicide; the abandonment of my Olympic dream; the death of a son in my arms from a genetic disorder; the early end to my teaching career; and the suicide of my nephew. I can now see how my undiagnosed bipolar disorder affected my decision-making ability, my relationships, my joy, and the goals I once had for my life. It is a story of triumph in the face of adversity, one that tells how God has given me a meaningful life even though things havent turned out how I originally envisioned.

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Laurie Johnson was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the youngest of six children. At an early age, she moved with her family to Missoula, Montana, where she currently resides with her husband of thirty years. They have two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, a future daughter-in-law, and a grandson.

Laurie attended Montana State University, where she competed in track and cross country until marrying and returning to Missoula. She finished her undergraduate work at the University of Montana and received her BA in elementary education in 1991.

Currently, Laurie is a downtown ambassador for the Business Improvement District of Missoula. Her ultimate goal is to minister to people with brain disorders and offer a message of hope, both through her writing and speaking engagements. She would also like to help end the stigma associated with mental illness by sharing her story with the general public on this very important topic.