Share your story – Fancy Macelli

Tell us a little about yourself

I am an actress, singer, mother and wife who has bipolar disorder.   I have also just been diagnosed with PTSD. I am writing and starring in a new series, called Coping.  The series is based on my life as a single mother with bipolar disorder who loses her own mom and how she deals with the grief, depression, and bipolar disorder.

What mental health challenges have you experienced?

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 12 years ago. Along with anxiety and severe depression. My major mental break happened ten years ago after the death of my mom.   I fell into a severe depression that lasted for the better part of the last ten years.  It has only been in the last year that I have begun to feel better and healthier.

How did you get support for your mental illness? 

My oldest daughter was my main supporter.   She took over for me and ran the household while I fell deeper and deeper into depression. 

I am on five different medicines which I don’t find particularly helpful.   They make it very hard for me to focus. I am in the process now of reevaluating my meds and hopefully we can cut some out.  I tried therapy many times and found that for me it only caused me more anxiety and stress.

I have a family who do not understand my mental illness at all.  Even my husband who is also bipolar has a hard time understanding my sickness because his manifests so differently than mine. 

Anything further you would like to share?

I would like people to know about the series I am writing and starring in.   It’s called Coping.   It is a new web-series in pre production right now.    It is based on my life. 

The show follows a single bipolar mom dealing with the loss of her mother. It shows what her daily life is like and how she and her family deal with the disorder, depression, anxiety and grief.

It will also show her road to recovery and how she takes back her life.     You can follow us at https://www.facebook.com/CopingWebseries

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About The Author

Defying Mental Illness

Chuck and Zoe are the founders of Defying Mental Illness (DMI), a Community Interest Company. Guest bloggers have played a very enriching role in making this website a highly recognized website for mental health advocacy. To contribute a blog, please contact us.

Defying Mental Illness – Put a Full Stop, is an organization with a mandate to reach out to those faced with mental health challenges to help them not only defy the disease, but also put a full stop to the stigma and discrimination. Chuck and Zoe are often invited to speak on various platforms including radio and television.

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