AJ Mendez

• Mendez has said she was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 19 or 20. She discussed the diagnosis publicly in her memoir and related interviews, and has explicitly identified her diagnosis as bipolar II disorder. [1][5]

• Mendez has described recurring depressive episodes that she calls her “dark days,” which she said could occur every few weeks. During these periods, she has written about oversleeping, feeling physically weighed down, struggling with basic tasks such as brushing her teeth, finding it difficult to leave home, and feeling overwhelmed around other people. [1]
• She has also publicly discussed a suicide attempt before her bipolar diagnosis, when she overdosed on prescription painkillers while trying to escape the emotional pain she was experiencing. [6]

• Mendez has said that finding the right treatment required finding an approach suited to her individually, including medication and other ways of managing her mental health. She has described exercise as particularly helpful, saying that feeling physically capable can help bring her out of a “funk.” [5]

• In 2026, Mendez said that after years of taking care of herself she felt the healthiest she had ever felt. As she returned to wrestling, she described having developed tools to manage anxiety and intense emotions and maintain her balance. [7]

• Mendez is a NAMI Ambassador and has used her public platform to discuss bipolar disorder and challenge stigma around mental illness. She has spoken about her experiences through NAMI campaigns and other mental-health initiatives, including efforts aimed at Latino communities. [8][9]
• She has said that she wanted her memoir to present bipolar disorder in a way that was not defined only by crisis or negative stereotypes, and to show that a psychiatric diagnosis does not eliminate a person’s possibilities. [10]

“Survive today. Tomorrow will be different.”

— AJ Mendez [1]