This story tells – and will continue telling – things that need to be heard. It tries to show the many ways in which stigma, emotional abuse, and rejection can affect a person with mental illness. You are reading about an example, a tragedy in the life of one individual. Within a brief period of time this person went from being a respected leader to a person who in many ways ended up destroyed.

More than anything I want to help readers understand how great the emotional pain from stigma and rejection can be. Everyone has heard about it, but how many truly understand the depth of pain they cause? In many situations the pain is excruciating, leaving the sufferer believing the only way out is not to live anymore.

Only Jesus understands such pain.

Stigma can do unbelievable damage to those living with mental health issues. Their self-esteem is affected, their confidence, their ability to live a fulfilling life and to make friends. A large proportion of stigmatized individuals are not able to see life as worth living. Many die by suicide.