Luis’s Comments (group member since May 09, 2022)

Luis’s comments from the MAVRC Book Club group.

Hello Everyone.
I'm Luis Trivino I am American Indian/Hispanic, a War Veteran, Father and Husband.
My wife has Border Line Personality disorder (BPD), PTSD, Depression and Anxiety. I suffer from PTSD and Bipolar I. My wife went through some delusional states when she had a change in her medicines, the stress of trauma therapy and anxiety all took hold of her at once causing a BPD Split. During this whole phase she asked how I could love her and be married to someone "So broken?".
In response during a Bipolar manic while trying to control and avoid my PTSD triggers I wrote a book in 23 hours detailing all of my traumas and how I strive to work at being normal since I was a child. My wife said we have a "Notebook of Love" so I write in hopes my notebook of love will bring her back to reality. That's why it is titled as "A Notebook of Love: My story on Mental Health".
I write it from a Male perspective. We men grow up as young boys being told "Be strong, be a man". When we run into stressful situations we lack the tools to solve problems. In turn it affects our mental well being, our relationships, and leads to violence, addiction and the list can go on. Simply because we are being dismissed as "He is a man, he will figure it out". because if this mentality are men be a a major issue in relationships? Is being a man another way of saying he is a narcissist? Veterans we tend to think differently and PTSD only complicates the issues, I discuss my own issues and resolve that have helped me and my marriage.
As I go through my whole story from my beginning to my present I detail everything with my self analysis and exercises I have learned to "Be normal". With all of this I wish to promote the decriminalization of any mental illness, encourage men to make their mental health a priority to better ourselves, our relationships and community.

In order to break the stigma we have to bring it all into the open, including us men.

Thank you

Luis