Nijah White recently moved to a new home, a place that gives her the added privacy that comes with having her own room. It’s something she has been working toward for a while with the help of her aunt, care manager, and the staff of her former residence. Nijah is 32 years old, receives Day Services on weekdays, and lives with autism while also managing anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.

To manage her mental health, she attends therapy regularly and takes medication. She has ups and downs and is still learning about herself. She also has goals of becoming more independent by moving into a supported apartment, securing a job, and improving her financial literacy. All of this requires her to be more self-aware, which she works on with her support staff at home and through her writing.

When Nijah recently sat down to journal, she shared strong feelings.

“Sometimes I have everything together and the next I feel like I have no control of my life,” Nijah wrote. “Sometimes, I wanna be happy so bad. I know God is on my side but sometimes I feel like I’m so alone in this world seeing everyone else working, doing what makes them happy, living on their own. I know I’m God’s child and he loves me, but I wanna be happy. I can’t give up now.”

Nijah uses writing to work out her feelings and remember her goals. Sometimes she feels alone, but she isn’t. She has the support of the staff at home and in Day Services, along with her aunt, Regina White. However, for a person living with a developmental disability along with mental health considerations, coping with life’s challenges can be a lot.

Since the late 2010s, Nijah recalled experiencing mood swings. She would feel agitated, happy, frustrated, and, at times, become impulsive. In 2021, when she was 28, she moved from her aunt’s home to a supported residence. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder around the same time. It was a disorienting time and challenged her to reassess her life.

“Sometimes I’m not interested in things, but I’m still learning to figure it out,” said Nijah. “I listen to music when I’m agitated. I have patience…most of the time.”

Nijah also turns to writing before and after periods of intense mood changes when she doesn’t feel like talking about it. During therapy sessions, she explains how she’s feeling and focuses on building her coping skills. She also practices affirmations with phrases that include, “Don’t give up” and “Take it one day at a time.”

Nijah is not giving up. She uses the resources available to her to build resilience and strength. She advocates for herself at every turn, builds meaningful relationships to increase her circle of support, and is focused on pursuing her goals.