How the Warrior Creed Helped Me Triumph Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety & PTSD: With Lessons From Yoda
- Bruce Schutter
- Sep 9
- 6 min read
It was a quiet afternoon when I decided to step away from my usual routine and head out for a walk. Little did I know, that stroll was about to take a galactic turn. As I rounded the corner, there, standing in all his tiny green glory, was none other than Yoda himself. Yes, the Yoda from Dagobah, just hanging out in my local park.
“Bruce?” Yoda said, tilting his head and giving me that trademark wise-but-mischievous look. “A conversation with you, I seek.” I blinked, still trying to process the sight.
“Friends, I have,” Yoda continued, “struggling with mental health challenges, hmm. A path forward, they need. Your Mental Health Warrior Program, strong it is. Learn, I must, how to help them.”
And just like that, what started as an ordinary walk became a conversation about the Warrior Creed, mental health battles, and how even Jedi Masters know the importance of resilience.
The Mental Health Warrior Creed
Turns out, even Jedi Masters have friends battling mental health challenges. And Yoda, always the teacher, wanted to know more about my Warrior Program.
I explained how I struggled with Bipolar Disorder, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD during my years as an EMT in high school and college. Those battles left me feeling so powerless that I even tried to end my life. But in that darkness, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
Armed with that truth, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge. With it, you can take control of your emotions, overcome challenges, and build the life you truly want.
Yoda raised a hand. “A strong start, they need. Help them, how can I?” His eyes locked on mine, full of intensity.
That’s when I realized what he needed: the Warrior Creed: Bend Not Break, from my book I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior. The Creed is a powerful mindset shift — a daily reminder of the action we can take as Warriors.
“Bend, hmm?” Yoda raised a curious brow. “Powerful, this creed sounds. Explain more, you must.”
I explained how Bend Not Break isn’t about being invincible, but about resilience, flexibility, and strength. We can bend — adapt, adjust — but we don’t let life break us. It’s about facing challenges without being destroyed by them.
Then I shared how the Creed carried me through my greatest battles. Each story proved one truth: Bend Not Break isn’t just a phrase — it’s a Warrior’s way forward when life tries to crush you!
Bipolar Disorder
I started with my own experience managing Bipolar Disorder. “Yoda, Bipolar is like riding an emotional rollercoaster — soaring highs and crushing lows. In the past, I tried to fight the ride, but that only left me exhausted and broken.
When I embraced the Warrior Creed, I realized I didn’t have to resist every high or drown in every low. Instead, I could bend with the emotions, adapt, and use Warrior tools like mindfulness and self-compassion to keep myself grounded. The Creed taught me resilience — how to ride the storm without letting it break me.”
Yoda’s Takeaway:
Yoda nodded, thoughtful. “Hmm, strong emotions, they are. Control them, you must not. Guide them, harness them, yes.
A Jedi’s strength flows from the Force… as does yours from within. Embrace the energy of your emotions, let it center you.”
Alcoholism
Next, I shared my struggle with Alcoholism. “At my worst, I used alcohol to numb my emotions and escape my mental health challenges. I thought drinking would dull the pain, but it only buried it deeper and created new problems on top of the old ones. Avoiding the pain only made things worse.
When I adopted Bend Not Break, I realized I could allow myself to feel my emotions and face them head-on. I didn’t need to drown them in alcohol. The Creed gave me permission to bend — to acknowledge the pain, admit I was struggling and still keep moving without letting it crush me.
For me, that meant building daily routines, reaching out for support instead of hiding and finding healthier ways to process stress like talking with others and exercise. By bending instead of breaking, I found the strength to stay sober — one day, one choice, one victory at a time.”
Yoda’s Takeaway:
Yoda’s expression grew serious. “Avoidance, the path to the Dark Side, it is. Confront your challenges, a warrior must. Drinking, hiding — they take you farther from yourself. Face the truth, and free, you will become.”
Then he leaned closer and added, “Routine, build it will. Discipline, a Jedi needs, and so does sobriety. Consistency, your ally it is.”
Anxiety Disorders
I explained how the Creed helped me manage Anxiety Disorders. “Anxiety used to freeze me in place. It clouded my judgment, made me second-guess everything, and left me stuck in cycles of overthinking. Before the Creed, fear dictated my choices — I avoided, delayed and hid because I was terrified of failing.
But once I accepted that fear is part of life — and bent with it instead of letting it break me — I found a new kind of freedom. The Warrior Creed reminded me that fear doesn’t have to be an enemy; it can be a signal to pause, breathe and move forward anyway.
For me, that meant breaking tasks into small, doable steps instead of shutting down, using breathing exercises to slow the racing thoughts, and grounding myself in the present moment instead of spiraling about the future. By bending with the anxiety rather than letting it paralyze me, I could move through it. Instead of being overwhelmed, I learned to focus, act and use my Warrior tools to triumph over it.”
Yoda’s Takeaway:
Yoda’s eyes sparkled. “Fear is the path to the Dark Side, yes. But also a teacher, it can be. Guide your fear into focus, you must. In the present moment, fear has no power.”
He smiled. “Meditate, a Jedi does, when anxious. Close your mind to what may be, see only what is. Focus, the Warrior’s strength is.”
PTSD
Finally, I shared how the Creed helped me deal with PTSD from my time as an EMT. “There are moments that replay in my mind — sirens blaring, faces I couldn’t forget, the weight of choices that felt impossible. For years, those memories had the power to break me.
But the Creed taught me I didn’t have to keep reliving them. Bend Not Break gave me permission to acknowledge the memories without being crushed by them. Instead of fighting the past or letting it define me, I learned to bend with it — to let the memory pass through without dragging me back under.
For me, that meant learning grounding techniques when flashbacks hit, leaning on mindfulness to anchor myself in the present, and refusing to let shame keep me isolated. By bending with the memories instead of snapping under their weight, I discovered something I thought I’d lost forever: peace. And with that peace came strength — and the ability to keep moving forward as a Warrior.”
Yoda’s Takeaway:
Yoda leaned in, his voice soft. “A warrior learns from the past, but does not live in it.
Peace, you will find, when present, you remain… by not breaking.”
Wrap Up
As we wrapped up our conversation, Yoda looked thoughtful. “Much wisdom in the Warrior Creed, there is. Share it, I will, with friends I must.”
I grinned and handed him a copy of my book, I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior. “When they’re ready to start their journey, this will guide them,” I said.
Yoda stood slowly, clutching his walking stick. “Back to the Force, I must go,” he said, turning to leave. Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he offered one final piece of advice: “Remember, Bruce — if ever doubt you have, ‘do or do not,’ there is no try.”
As I watched him leave, his words hung in the air. Classic Yoda — always leaving you with something to chew on.
But if you are struggling, one truth is clear: whether you’re battling Sith Lords or your own mind, you can triumph with the Mental Health Warrior Creed: Bend Not Break.
Embrace the Creed and claim the power to triumph over any challenge life throws your way — for you are a Mental Health Warrior!
Bruce Schutter
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