This is the powerful bipolar disorder story of "ordinary guy" Robert Villanueva.

Robert "Coach V" Villanueva grew up in East Bay of San Francisco amidst undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Seeking a better life away from a dysfunctional home, Robert left home at 15 and became a school wrestling coach and garbageman before experiencing his darkest moments with depression and mania. At the brink of despair, Robert found solace among other patients and a glimmer of hope that would change his life forever.

Now a grandparent, international mental health advocate, and bipolar disorder researcher, Robert shares his story to offer hope to others on their journey to recovery.

00:00 Introduction
01:55 First Symptoms
06:01 Darkest Days: Leaving Home & Ending It
09:40 Hospital "First Time That I Was Ever Taken Care Of"
12:49 The Hardest Phone Call
15:55 Learning to Accept Bipolar Disorder
18:35 "I Don't Want to Live in Fear"
21:33 Telling My Story Through Advocacy
23:39 It Is Possible To Manage Bipolar Disorder
26:20 Thank Yous & Family
30:03 "They Believed in Me"

Learn more and share this episode: http://bipolarinthebay.com

#talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast
talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder. All episodes are available on all podcast platforms.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5svD0Dm...
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/16...

This episode is hosted by Dr. Erin Michalak and produced by Caden Poh.

Learn more about talkBD: https://talkBD.live

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