The Beginning of a War The day before my seventeenth birthday, I decided to release the emotions that were somehow pleading, begging to be freed, but in a way that would scar me for life. I’m not alone; thousands of teenagers were diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2012. Never would I have thought I would become a statistic. There’s a lot that led up to that traumatic moment. I’ll tell my story and pray that it helps you with yours.