Margaret Trudeau shares her story of living with bipolar disorder to let others know they are not alone.
“Somehow when you hear somebody else talking about what they’ve been through mentally, it can resonate with people,” said Canada’s former first lady. “You can say ‘that’s like my mom or that’s like my friend.’ Maybe it can give you some more insight into how to help someone who is suffering”
Trudeau was married to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and is the author of three books.
She has lived her entire adult life with bipolar disorder and shared her story with students at Confederation College Wednesday as part of Health and Wellness Week.
Mental health carries a stigma, she said in her speech. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel with recent research producing extraordinary results.
“I was way ahead of my time with my illness,” said Trudeau. “I struggled trying to get the right treatment, trying to get help, trying to get acceptance for what I was going through. In the last years, I’ve seen a big change and I’m very, very proud that Canada is turning its attention to mental health.”
More and more people are suffering mentally, wondering if it’s because of stress or a feeling of disconnect, she added.
“Is there too much Twittering and not enough hugging? Is there not enough support for people? I don’t know what the answer is,” Trudeau said.
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Recounting her own story, Trudeau said her parents always said there was something different about her growing up. She could be extremely happy or extremely sad.
“I guess I would have been called a drama queen now,” she said, but said her mother had a few methods of “keeping (her) in line.”
Her mother made sure her and her four sisters all had a balanced and nutritious diet. High-sugar and snack foods weren’t an option. They also spent a lot of their energy outside playing after school.
But most importantly, her mother made sure she went to bed on time and had a good night’s sleep.
“Sleep is the most important thing towards mental health,” Trudeau said. “We have to get a good night’s sleep to let our brain rest and heal and store all the information we need, clean up all the little neuron transmitters and gives us the chance to start the next day with a clean slate.”
