Faces of Hope and Recovery

Can you share a small moment that felt meaningful in your recovery? My first episode happened later in life, at age 41, after a ruptured appendix. Over the years, I went through several episodes of mania, psychosis, and depression, but I also found my way back each...

What helps you stay grounded in the moment? When my Bipolar disorder feels overwhelming, I remind myself it’s time for self care. Walking in the sunshine, breathing fresh air, playing with my dogs, or eating really delicious food. Whatever I love, I do that. What is...

What is one thought you have learned to challenge? I’ve had to learn to challenge the thought that if I just get a little more—more excitement, more stimulation, more connection—it will finally be enough. It never is. My brain is really convincing. It can make...

What has taken you the longest to learn about living with bipolar disorder? The longest lesson has been learning to take ownership of my illness. For many years I experienced bipolar disorder as something that was simply happening to me - something unpredictable and...

How has living with bipolar disorder shaped the way you see yourself? People who haven't seen me in awhile don't recognize me. People who know me now cannot believe old pictures of me are the same person. This makes sense to me. A lot has happened in the past decade....

What surprised you most about yourself after your diagnosis? Following my diagnosis, I became more compassionate towards others and over time I’ve learnt how to be more self-compassionate, too. I’ve learnt I’m not broken; but my brain requires more support sometimes....

I still remember the exact moment I received my diagnosis. It was a day wrapped in a kind of numb disbelief, the kind that makes words feel separate from meaning. Bipolar disorder. To my mind it was a label I barely understood, a concept I had only encountered in...

How have my definitions of success or progress evolved over time? I’m an oldest daughter, and I grew up where only “my best” was the expectation, except “my best” was also straight A’s. I was to be well rounded in sports, academics, extracurriculars and to go to...

What belief about yourself has changed the most since your diagnosis? I started therapy at 10, and was in wilderness/residential/therapeutic boarding school for almost 2 years. People told me I wouldn't be successful because of my mental illness, and between that and...

What has your mental health journey taught you about self-awareness?  I've learned that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Self-awareness means knowing yourself so well that when the first red flag appears, you don’t ignore it—you address it before your mental health...

Something I am proud of: 20 years ago I had a manic episode that landed me in the hospital. The doctors diagnosed me for the first time with bipolar I disorder. I remember sitting in my hospital bed, still in shock. Then I felt denial while ruminating in my head “This...

What does managing BD look like for you on a daily basis? Living well every day with bipolar disorder is challenging, but not impossible.  For me, it’s about having healthy habits and the self awareness to identify when I need to make adjustments in order to keep my...

What’s a small thing that makes a big difference in your mental health? I absolutely love being warm. I love feeling cosy. So, it is unsurprising that I hold the unbeatable sensation of feeling both warm and cosy, in very high esteem. When I feel low and anxious - my...

Something I've Learned About Myself Through This Journey Through this journey, I’ve learned that there was never anything “wrong” with me, I simply didn’t yet have the language or understanding for what I was experiencing. Looking back, the intense highs, sleepless...

What’s one challenge that turned out to be a turning point for you? I found that it was really hard to be open and find others who are going through the same issues. I found my voice and I am now a mental health speaker for adolescents at Minding Your Mind...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I am proud that I have kept a fundamentally positive outlook on life, even when things got difficult. Some people may find it exhausting at times, but for me, choosing to look for the good side of things has been a way to stay...

How has your understanding of bipolar disorder changed over time? In all honesty, I did not have a true understanding of “what” Bipolar is outside of the typical portrayal in various forms of media. My understanding was limited to “mood swings”, “manic depression” and...

What I wish I knew at the start of my journey: What I wish I knew at the start would be no matter how people disappoint you in your journey by leaving or discouraging you that you deep down are stronger and resilient. I have overcome being in four mental institutes, a...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 at the age of 18 and was hospitalized after having a manic episode. Something that I’m proud of in my journey in managing bipolar disorder is letting go of every form of stigma and negative core...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I knew from an early age that I was a sensitive person. My feelings would surge and crash like a stormy sea—energetic and giddy one moment, then sad and lethargic the next. During high tides, I could accomplish incredible things...

Something I am proud of in my journey: My name is Maria Winfield. I live with Bipolar 1 Disorder. The thing I’m most proud of in my journey managing bipolar disorder is becoming a Mental Health Advocate after hiding my diagnosis for nearly two decades. I was diagnosed...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I am proud of myself for maintaining long periods of stability between episodes. I have had two major manic episodes, one with psychosis (where I was close to being admitted), and these were hugely debilitating and disrupted all...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I was diagnosed with bipolar type 1 when I was 14 years old. It took me a very long time to come to terms with my diagnosis. I had never heard of bipolar type 1. I am now 40 years old and I have had a very hard time due to my...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder last year at 47, after decades of being misdiagnosed with anxiety. Learning the truth changed my life in the best possible way. I’m a father and a working professional, and while the...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I was diagnosed at 26 with Bipolar 2 after not knowing why I was struggling through life with extreme highs and lows. I faced the worst depression of my life in 2022 that lasted around 9 months, and I believed I would never...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I always knew something was different about me. Since childhood, I’ve felt things with an intensity that didn’t seem to match the world around me. My emotions could fill an entire room. Creativity became my language—dancing,...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I’m proud of myself for building insight into my illness from day one. I come from a naturally curious family with a love for learning and that has served me well. With a brain wired for rollercoasting, it's important to...

Something I am proud of in my journey: I live with what psychiatry calls bipolar type 2, but I call it manic depression, and it’s a part of who I am. I wouldn’t change that. I see it as a spiritual gift, one that requires harnessing, grounding, and the support of...

Describe Something I`m Proud of in My Journey: One of the proudest moments in my journey with Bipolar Disorder was gaining the courage and clarity to truly accept my diagnosis in 2013. Before that, I struggled immensely, often denying my illness, avoiding medication,...

Describe Something I`m Proud of in My Journey: Something I'm most proud of in managing bipolar disorder is my ongoing acceptance. I am grateful I understand that it will be with me for my lifetime. Total acceptance that I have bipolar was my crucial step 1. There were...

Describe Something I`m Proud of in My Journey: When I think about my journey and what it took to get from then to now, I feel a mix of emotions. Thinking about my hypomanic endeavors usually brings a smile to my face, and positive vibes engulf me. Unfortunately, they...

Describe Something I`m Proud of in My Journey: Exercising gratitude in the face of adversity is something I am proud of. During my first and only major manic episode, I was held in a psychiatric ward for 2 weeks. Ecstasy enveloped me, but after that, I entered a...