Melanie Oldham Mental Health Hero #MentalHealthMonth
Melanie Oldham 2013 Mental Health Hero Cartoon-A-Thon
Drawing by Chato Stewart
My name is Melanie Oldham. I am bipolar. I am also a wife, a mother, a court reporter.
At the age of 40, I decided I was drinking too much alcohol. I checked myself into a rehab. After five days of getting all the alcohol out of my system, they sent me home. The very next day, Thanksgiving Day 2007, I had my very first manic episode. My husband didn’t know what was wrong with me. He finally took me to the hospital and they started running tests thinking I had a brain tumor.
I read everything I could find on the subject. I discovered the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) website. I even attended their conference in Houston. That is where I met Chato Stewart. I became friends with him on Facebook and read his columns on PsychCentral.
He encouraged me to enter the Facing Us Video Contest. I did, and I won. What an honor.
——Sponsors——
FreeCounselingHelp.com is America’s only directory connecting people with affordable counseling. There are thousands of non-profit agencies within America that are available to help those with limited means. FreeCounselingHelp.com allows people to quickly search by ZIP code and find the best fit for their mental health needs.
Mentalympians is a mental health community development initiative to raise awareness of mental health recovery, inspire hope, reduce self-stigma, foster recovery and also connect individuals who are interested in campaigning for mental health reform.
I would like to thank Enzymedica’s Tom Bohager for his support. Enzymedica is Florida-based founded in 1998 to offer consumers targeted digestive enzymes products. Considered America’s #1 selling enzyme brand sold by health food store retailers. They also offer a FREE Digestive Enzyme interactive education program that is very helpful in learning the benefits enzymes have on our over all health.
Thanks to my wife Joan Winifred for her care, compassion and being my partner in wellness for the past 21 years.
Friend me on Facebook @chato B Stewart.
View previous Newsletters.Bonus My kids’ Drawings:
LP 14*Coming Soon
Sweet Pea 11 * Sweet Pea 11


















































