Robert Glatter, M.D., writes about former NFL player and Superbowl champion Keith O’Neil’s public sharing of his struggles with bipolar disorder. Mr. O’Neil has gone public to help de-stigmatize mental illness and garner support for mental health research to improve the lives of those with mental illness. On September 16th, he will share his story as a keynote presenter at Discovery to Recovery: A Path to Healthy Minds, a mental health research conference hosted by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, DC.

Upon retiring from the National Football League in 2007, Mr. O’Neil founded the 4th and Forever Foundation to raise awareness and money for mental health research. He has lived with bipolar disorder for several decades but was only diagnosed with the mental illness a few years ago.

“Finding the right medications along with my faith has made all the difference in the world,” Mr. O’Neil told Dr. Glatter. “My mission is to educate people.” Mr. O’Neil is currently writing a memoir to further share his story and inspire people to seek help.

The other keynote presenter at the Conference will be U.S. Congressman, Tim Murphy, Ph.D. Rep. Murphy has been a clinical psychologist for 30 years and he’s currently sponsoring the “Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act,” a bipartisan legislation to help provide families and individuals with better access to mental health services.

Read the article from Forbes.com.

Read more about Rep. Tim Murphy’s legislation, “Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.”

Learn more about the Discovery to Recovery Mental Health Conference.