For 3 months, the psychiatric ward was my reality. I lost my freedom, but not hope [Video]

This First Person column is the experience of Luke Galati, who lives in Toronto. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. 

The psychiatric ward is a place no one wants to be. 

But it’s a place you might need to be at some point if you live with a mental health condition. 

There’s nothing shameful about admitting that sometimes you need help. In 2023, I spent three months at a hospital in downtown Toronto. 

I live with bipolar 1 disorder. The best way to explain what I’ve gone through when I’m unwell is that I feel the highs more than the lows of others who might have depression. 

I’ve gone through bouts of mania, where I lose touch with reality. I think that people who love me are out to get me. I act irrationally. But inside my mind, my world makes total sense to me. I believe …