The Naive and The Manic

The Naïve and The Manic is a story about a young man exposed to a world of extreme bullying from his classmates in a private school system. The constant torment had a drastic effect on the way he viewed the world and took a toll on his mental health. He grew up clinging to unhealthy coping mechanisms that helped him adapt to his environment, an environment that he saw as inescapable. Despite turning to help from adult figures, the help did not come in time. By the time he grew into his teen years and then as a young adult, his mind was warped into a mental state full of conflict where he would tell himself unspeakable things. As an adult, he decided to change the direction of his life by serving in the military. However, his current ambition was no match for the turmoil of his past and maladaptive coping skills. Diagnosed in service with Bipolar Disorder Type 1, his life was forever changed upon meeting a psychiatrist that he put full faith into. In an attempt at overcoming his trauma, the psychiatrist known as ＂Dr. M＂ prescribed medication with unsafe dosing levels. Instead of treatment, healing, and compassion, the young man received further damage to his health. Mind, body, and spirit broken, how does one overcome such odds? How does one find hope when there seems to be nowhere to turn? Family is a good place to start.