Maritime author shares his story of battling mental illness

Millions of Canadians are affected by mental health issues, including author Keith Lyon.

Lyon began his journey of becoming an author 10 years ago during a difficult time in his life.

“I was changing personality wise. I was becoming angry and I’m not an angry person at all,” says Lyon.

The Fredericton man says it was a frightening time.

"For me, it’s voices and these voices are telling me to hurt myself and things like that, so it’s very, very scary.”

At the age of 23, Lyon was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The diagnosis meant he could finally begin to receive the help that he needed.

“It’s funny because I was happy when I was diagnosed,” he recalls.

However, the diagnosis did not mean his challenges were over.

“One day I was having a rough day and picked up pencil and paper and started writing my thoughts out and it turned into a children’s story,” says Lyon.

That’s how his first book, ‘Princess Madison and Princess Haley,’ came to be. It's a story based on Lyon's two nieces as they take on a fictional villain.

“I think it’s important to honour people that have done great things for me,” he says.

Lyon teamed up with illustrator Amy Bourne and the pair hopes to put out a new book each fall.

Lyon’s mother says watching him struggle and then triumph over mental illness has been difficult, but she wouldn't change the experience.

“It’s made him who he is today,” says Marie Lyon. “If he hadn't gone through that he wouldn't have the compassion and the story that he has now of hope and recovery.”

There have been plenty of ups and downs in the decade since Lyon was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but he says there have been more ups lately, as it has been almost four years since he went into recovery.

“Not just recovery, but healthy, like right now I feel great, fantastic.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore