By Wilfred Chan, Photo: Kemal Yildrim/Getty Images, The Guardian, September 22, 2022
Jazmyne Casillas, 23, describes her mental health struggles as “pretty gnarly”. She has been diagnosed with autism, borderline personality disorder, comorbid with bipolar type 2, depression and anxiety. She also struggles with forming long-term memories. “There are cycles where things are going fine, but the moment I hit a depressive slump, my life and everything I do just goes down the drain,” she says.
She knows she needs a good therapist and medication: “I’m pretty sure if I managed to get medication to handle the bipolar type 2 and generalized anxiety my life would significantly improve: I wouldn’t have to worry as much or anticipate the depressive cycles so often and I wouldn’t be so paralyzed by a lot of adult choices that I have to make.”
Casillas used to get mental health treatment through the foster care system but was left on her own after she turned 21. Now a first-year college student in Nebraska, she lacks health insurance and can’t afford care. “Finding a good therapist would be expensive, probably around $500 to $600 a month where I live,” she says, “not including any potential medication prescriptions.” To cope, she relies on her fiancee for emotional support – “She helps a lot, but most days it’s a struggle to even get up out of bed.”
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