‘I Will Fly: My Journey with Bipolar Disorder,’ Shares Experiences of Major Manic Depression

New book is a candid look at symptoms, setbacks, humility, and hard‑won healing

—Ruby Lucas recently completed her new book, I Will Fly: My Journey with Bipolar Disorder. It’s a compelling and thought-provoking memoir chronicling the author’s journey with bipolar disorder, exploring how she found ways to heal and cope with her illness despite the challenges she faced.

“I have bipolar disorder,” says Lucas. “Admitting it is the first step toward healing. That is what I’m doing. I’m healing.

“I don’t have all the answers. I’m not holding my breath waiting for a miracle. I’m not trying to defy science. I’m not looking for divine intervention or a holistic approach to rid me of my problems.

“The most that I can do is put up a fight, a fight for my life. Over the past thirty-eight years, I have fought this battle. I have learned a lot along the way.”

Lucas was born with a profound case of bipolar disorder. She battled major manic depression as a teenager, and her illness took flight for the first time as she spiraled into psychosis while she was living in a foreign country.

Once she made it back to the U.S., things only got worse. Without the proper health care, Lucas had a second psychotic break that everyone was convinced she would not survive.

In her new book, Lucas speaks candidly about her life to help people understand what mental illness is. She also hopes to heal the hardest part of living with bipolar disorder: loneliness.

“Although I have suffered from this chronic disorder my entire life, it was at the age of nineteen that I came face-to-face with the beast that it has become,” Lucas says.

“Even though my illness seems to be a giant, I am given opportunities on a daily basis to get the better of it. Each day that I live in this debilitating state and not give way to my emotions, I can claim success.

“Success is obtained this way, by shouting in your heart of hearts that you can fight an illness and win. It’s found in time, lots of time.

“Over time, I have figured out how different I am from other people. I am more fragile than others. When my symptoms escalate, it’s not fun for me to be exposed, but I have to trust everyone in my life.

“When I can’t find trust in the people around me, I most certainly find humility. God has given me this gift in spades, and over the years, I have learned to wear it well.”

Published by Page Publishing, Lucas’s poignant series is a candid discussion about her life to help people to truly understand what mental illness is, and the many struggles she faces every day.

Through sharing her story, she also hopes to heal the hardest part of living with bipolar disorder, loneliness, through reaching those who face similar challenges and feel completely detached in a world of seemingly “healthy” and “successful” people.

I Will Fly: My Journey with Bipolar Disorder is available at bookstores, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

Editor’s note: Reading personal accounts like this one, help me feel like I am not alone in suffering this disorder. I’m grateful Ruby and applaud her courageousness in sharing her story.

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