All about Me

Natalie Bassett
Patrick Henry Community College
Disability Grant 2022



Abstract :
Hello my name is Natalie Bassett and I want to tell you a little about my disability and how I contribute to my community at large.First many are starting to look at disorders as different abilities not disabilities.I guess to some degree disorders can be disabling depending on your mindset.However I am not unable I just have to find a way to be able to live.








A little background on my different ability

As a young child my mom and many others said I was really shy and quiet.I would withdraw and sit and play off to myself preferring my own company to anyone else's.I could not be talked into playing with others,bribed or anything else and if the issues was forced well lets just say things would get ugly. Crying,fighting,hiding,negotiating ,begging to be left alone whatever would work.Noone realized that for one I was being majorly abused and two that I may have had some kind of mental illness.However things came to a head around 13 years old when the violence and withdrawal became so noticeable and became a real problem mostly the violence that folks had to take notice.I was so angry at everyone with or with cause,I trusted noone.My world was so confusing and was getting smaller and smaller as my behavior got more and more bizarre and unmanageable.I got so out of control finally I couldn’t be at home or school safely.My mom was the one who called for help when I lost control one night and threaten my family.When she looked in my eyes and couldn’t see her little girl anymore she knew I had to go, so she called 911.Today I know she did the right thing and for the right reasons I had no business being around anyone at that point.She loved me and was scared for me and the rest of her family.I was put in a psych unit for the first time ever.They started doing test and asking questions and getting to the bottom of things.I was scared to death to be all alone in this place for like the first week and I was angry and demanded to come home.


The diagnoses


The doctor's psychiatrist came back with the results of Bipolar.Well I didn’t know if I was relieved or felt more like a freak, to be honest it was a little if both.Sometimes to be honest it's still a little of both after all it's a chemical imbalance in the brain not like having a bad heart or a normal disorder of some kind.However I keep reminding myself just like almost any other disorder it can’t be helped.I can do things to make my brain work as it should and keep my brain from acting out so to speak ie being manic or depressed.There are some natural ways to do this however it is very very hard and if you aren’t careful some of the natural ways can be harmful to your health.You also could be putting others in danger if you go in a manic phase.I explain it like this I am manic I am more likely to hurt you or possibly both me and you.If I am depressed I am more likely to hurt me.So the doctors told me and my mom how to best manage my disorder so I could live a happy and full life.They said that I should get help for the trauma and take meds for the Bipolar.Bipolar is not good or bad really it's just another part of what makes me, me and believe it or not it has its good points.I am still Natalie I just happen to also have Bipolar.I have Bipolar it doesn’t not have me and there's a difference I don’t let the disorder call the shots if at all possible.That means I have to take good care of myself and do what I have to ,to stay healthy whatever means for me.To be honest that changes all the time as I age,grow ,learn and become the person I want to be.


How I contribute in my community to be honest I don’t contribute nearly as much as I should or want to.However my main goal since I am a recovering addict is to work my recovery and that is the biggest service I can give to my community.I work a 12 step recovery program on and offline.I go to meetings about 5 or 6 days a week,work steps and regularly talk to my sponsor.A recovering addict that is not harming the community is help it,although I stopped before I moved to this area.I am very passionate about my family I go over an hour away and help my mom who has many health issues and my nephew with me whatever they need help with at least 3 -5 times a month.Sometimes I also take my nephew out and give my mom a little break from him.He is a teen a can be a little bit of a handful at times and even more so since my mom hasn’t raised kids in many years.Sometimes he comes home with me off and on as needed as well.I do on occasion volunteer with one of the Rescue Mission’s at Christmas -time,Habitat for Humanity or the Christmas store passing out toys at Christmas -time,the Drumstick Dash was done this year also.I moved moved my feet so others could eat in Roanoke VA on Thanksgiving day.Most of my volunteering us done in Roanoke to be honest however I hope that will change in time.I use to live and work in Roanoke for many years so I guess it's a little more of my comfort zone.I hope that as I continue to heal and work on me I can do more for my community.I also am working part-time again and going to school which means I am well on my way to being a productive member of society.Thanks for your time I hope I have clearly explained whom I am in a detailed and complete manner that answers all out questions.