• After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in my 20s, I went through a series of manic episodes.
• During one manic episode, I partied hard, bought a nightclub, and committed a white-collar crime.
• The charges for my crimes hung over my head for years and still affect my life.

I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 27 after I almost took my life during a major depressive episode. Instead, I ended up in a mental hospital for several days.

Seven years earlier, I'd had my first bipolar episode while studying theology. I went from being top of my class to almost failing because of the effects of depression on my mental capacity. A few months after getting out of the mental hospital, I was hit with a major manic episode.

I describe my mania as the rational part of my brain getting turned off and replaced with recklessness, impulsivity, and bad decision-making. This included partying every night at bars and clubs, womanizing, and developing a drug addiction.

In another manic episode, I committed a white-collar crime that changed my life.

I started making money illegally

In Jacksonville, Florida, I met some new party friends who were making way more money than I was.

They explained their healthcare fraud scheme to me, which involved paying illegal kickbacks to patients and doctors for prescriptions for compounded creams used to treat scars, pain, and migraines. We targeted an insurance company that would reimburse anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000. But the compounded creams were specially made by pharmacists and cost a fraction of that to produce.

In 2014, blinded by my mania, I joined the fraud. It was the easiest money I ever made. I partied much harder than I worked, setting up shop in strip clubs at lunchtime and ordering bottle service. I went on lavish party trips to Miami and Las Vegas.

In May 2015, the FBI raided our office and seized computers, paperwork, records, and prescriptions. I got a lawyer and found out I was potentially facing seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.

I didn't slow down and continued making poor decisions

I should have listened to my lawyer and slowed down, but after a brief depressive episode, another manic episode ensued. I did the exact opposite of what I was advised. I moved to Austin and bought into an after-hours nightclub.

I was partying harder than ever. I even moved my drug dealer into my spare bedroom to get a discount.

Things quickly fell apart, and I blew through hundreds of thousands of dollars — though I didn't fully comprehend how dire my financial situation was becoming.

Everything crashed around me like a house of cards: I ran my club into the ground, blew through all my money, and was evicted from my condo. I basically became homeless, living out of dirt-cheap hotels.

I found a new psychiatrist who helped me get back on track

I'd seen several psychiatrists over the years who prescribed medications, but I had trouble with the side effects. Thankfully, I was able to see a new psychiatrist who still treats me. He was finally able to put me on the right medications for my situation after years of trial and error.

My condition stabilized, and I was able to get a job in finance. I hadn't been charged in the fraud case, so it didn't come up on my background check. I was hoping the government had forgotten about it, but I was finally charged and pleaded guilty in 2019. I was on probation until I received my sentence.

I worked hard for years to get back everything I'd lost while having a potential prison sentence hanging over my head. After I was charged and pleaded guilty, I should have informed my employer. I regret it, but I was scared of being back on the street.

The consequences of my crime still follow me

In January 2023, my employer found out about my conviction and let me go. Having a felony on my record was extremely difficult, and I was turned down for dozens of jobs. I finally got a job as a delivery driver, making one-sixth of what I was making in finance. I had to start my life over a second time, and I moved back in with my family.

After 9 ½ years, I was finally sentenced last week. The judge was merciful and took my mental illness into account — after five years of probation, I was sentenced to time served. It's still surreal to have my life back after a lost decade.

I've done my best to right my many wrongs. I'm living a different lifestyle and haven't touched drugs in years. I've decided my new purpose in life is to let my mess become my message and share my story in hopes of encouraging others who are struggling with mental illness. This year, I started a coaching practice where I'm doing just that, and have begun talking candidly about my struggles with bipolar disorder on social media.

And, for the first time since I lost it nearly 20 years ago, I've finally found my inner peace.

You can follow David Funes' story on social media @bipolarguylovinglife and mybipolarcomeback.com

• A Delta Air Lines flight unexpectedly stopped in Dublin on Wednesday.
• A man in his 30s was arrested after an incident on board, the Irish police told Business Insider.
• The Delta flight eventually continued to Atlanta, where it landed nearly three hours late.

Delta Air Lines passengers had an unexpected layover on Wednesday when their transatlantic flight diverted to Dublin.

Flight DL83 was 90 minutes into its journey from Paris to Atlanta when it changed course toward Ireland, data from Flightradar24 shows.

The Airbus A330, which had departed nearly 20 minutes late, then spent nearly two hours in the Irish capital.

Images shared on social media appeared to show a man being led off the plane in handcuffs.

Ireland's police force, An Garda Síochána, told Business Insider it charged a man in his 30s after being arrested following an incident on an aircraft. The man was due to appear in court that afternoon.

In a statement shared with BI, Delta said the plane had to stop in Dublin to remove an "unruly customer."

Aviation A2Z reported the fire service was standing by at Dublin Airport because the plane had to make an overweight landing. It couldn't dump fuel, given it was set to continue flying across the Atlantic.

Dublin Airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI.

The plane left Dublin before landing in Atlanta at 3:31 p.m. ET — almost three hours later than scheduled.

"Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior and will work with law enforcement authorities to that end," the airline said in its statement. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel."

This wasn't the first time a transatlantic flight has had to divert to Ireland.

In May, a United Airlines flight from Zurich to Chicago turned around after a passenger's laptop got stuck in their seat — posing a potential fire risk due to its lithium battery.

And back in 2019, a Condor flight from Germany to Mexico diverted to Ireland after a pilot spilled coffee on the plane's controls.