"If you find something that is missing in the world,
make it so that the world never again misses what you have found."
-- Shie Rozow

The idea for The Bright Side was born on February 20, 2002 while I was driving home following a session with my therapist. It was born out of a personal need. I was looking for a site like The Bright Side for myself, and could not find one, so I decided to create one.

In September of 2001 I found out that I am manic-depressive. I was told I suffer from manic-depressive illness, but refuse to accept that sentence. I do not suffer from anything! I am manic-depressive, it is part of who I am, and to be me is not to suffer.

Like many who are manic-depressive, I found out about my disease the hard way. I was having a severe mixed episode during which I attempted suicide. I am grateful that in my crazed state of mind, my attempts to take my own life were glorious failures. However, since my first suicidal effort was made in public, the police were called and I was subsequently arrested.

I ended up spending eight or nine days in a maximum-security jail, where I was in a twenty-three and a half hour a day lockdown. While I was in jail, my wife filed for divorce, and the horrible events of September 11 transpired. My life was falling apart in every way. I was finally released from jail to a hospital where I spent a few more nights before finally being released to go home.

Following my release, I realized that since my wife left me, I no longer had a home to go to. I spent the next 10 or so days in motels while looking for an apartment. I spent the next six months rebuilding my life and learning everything I could about manic-depressive illness and how I can cope with it. I was under the supervision of both a psychiatrist and a psychologist, and was doing well thanks to a combination of medication and therapy. Today I am completely off-meds and manage my condition through lifestyle changes and therapy alone.

First and foremost, I attribute my being alive today, and my ability to cope with all that has happened to the amazing support I received from my family, especially my older brother. There are no words that can adequately describe how grateful I am to my brother, or how much I love him. Second, my psychologist is an outstanding cognitive therapist, without whom I am not sure what state of mind I would be in today. And finally, I have to admit that the medication I was taking helped facilitate my ability to do the necessary work with my therapist and appreciate the support of my family.

During my experiences since being diagnosed as manic-depressive, I would often turn to the Internet to try and find some support and validation when I had nowhere else to turn. I found that there is a wealth of empirical information about manic-depressive illness, and other mental disorders, but I also found I was spending more time searching for information than actually reading the information I was searching for. What I didn't find was any place that made me feel like it's OK to feel the way I feel, and that I am not alone.

It was this need that prompted the idea for The Bright Side. Also, my therapist repeatedly would comment that I have an unusually bright outlook on things, and am always able to find something positive in every situation. While I still argue that point with him, and think anyone can see the positive in every situation if they just look, it occurred to me that perhaps I can use this skill to try and help others see the bright side of life when they can't find it themselves.

Since its launch in May 2002, The Bright Side website has grown into a wonderful tool for those coping with mental or emotional disorders. I hope this site continues to provide a source of light for people who are overwhelmed with life, no matter what the reason, and encourages people to help themselves.

Shie Rozow
Founder
The Bright Side