Mentally ill but having a successful life?

Has anyone with unable to work due to mental health issues ever eventually recovered and gone on to have a successful life and career?

Is this even possible?

I am looking for examples of regular people, rather than celebrities, as being a millionaire superstar is unrealistic and unobtainable for a lot of people so I’m looking for more realistic examples,

Thanks

Having a successful life and mental illness are two entirely separate challenges.

Recovery from mental illness is the norm. The most common serious mental illnesses are treatable and temporary: severe anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, etc.

And supposedly chronic, incurable serious mental illness such as schizophrenia can be managed or even resolved.

And many people living with chronic serious mental illness have successful lives.

An old quote comes to mind: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” Carry on.

I suffer from BPD. I wasn't diagnosed though until I was 50. In the meantime I had a successful career as a lawyer, with BPD, for about 25 years. I had a breakdown around 40 and was off work as a result for several years. I then went back to work, as a lawyer. Sadly there was further breakdown so I'm not working at the moment. But the thing is before this I would have said my life was successful. I had a long career as a lawyer and I own my own home. The second breakdown had nothing to do with work - family issues etc.

Most mental illnesses can be managed if not treated. You might be surprised just how many 'ordinary' people you see at work or at home who suffer from mental illness. They just don't broadcast it. In my 25 year career no one picked up that I had BPD, not even the professionals.

You could take a look at the blog called "cyclothymia bites".

Successful life to me is paying the bills monthly- like all normals living check to check- until something stupid happens like an alter decides they want to quit in a bipolar fury kind of way. So far so good.

My life is more successful (despite my mental illness) compared to people without mental illness. I am quite proud of my resilience!

We have always worked but it wasn't until more recently that I realized some of my particular skills are born of dissociation and chronic PTSD. I think the key is finding a place and roles that work for you.

I realise this is a slightly out of date thread but I have a life in two halves. I have a very successful work life but my private life is the opposite. I have a work alter that does work and she is determined, skilled, dogged. A few years ago she was working in the morning and we were sectioned in the afternoon.

I have a couple examples. I was living with mental illness starting about my teen years, if not sooner. It started as depression. Eventually, there were manic episodes, the first in my early twenties. Somehow, I served four years in the US Air Force, took several years to get a bachelor of science in computer science (overall grade of B). My first computer programming job I had I only stayed a couple years and then moved on to a better paying employer also offering better benefits. I've been at that job over 20 years now and still going on. I'm earning more money than I dreamed I would, I like my job and the people I work with, and I have their respect.

Another example I have is a friend that I met at the support group meetings I attend. He was in his late thirties. Up until that time he was on disability because he has schizoaffective disorder. He went from having no job, to having a job, buying a car, getting a driver's license, and acquiring a girlfriend. He is currently not receiving disability because he voluntarily stopped it because of the money he is now earning. He even quit smoking, too, and goes to a gym/health club and works out regularly.