Author: Margaret Fitzgerald I wish that my Mother would have sought out therapy when I was a child. I know that this may have been somewhat unheard of in the 1970s. In recent years, we have learned that my Mother experiences post-traumatic stress disorder. I have...
Author: Neil McCarthy Life experiences, including a regular meditation practice, have shown me that all life predicaments and mental states will pass in time. But more than just meditation has seen me through tough times; music has served as a constant,...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m proud of how far I’ve come and how I keep pushing on. When I was first diagnosed I was really scared and I didn’t understand my diagnosis. There was so much internalized stigma going on. It’s taken time and effort but I’m finally at a...
Author: Margaret Fitzgerald My family knew little about serious mental illness when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Hindsight is 20/20. What follows are what would have best helped me be successful in life before and after my diagnoses. Many...
Author: Sarah Ross I find strength to persevere through challenging times by simplifying tasks as much as possible and through communication. If I keep my thoughts to myself, I will just end up spiraling. Once I reflect my thoughts to someone I trust, I feel a...
Author: Sophia Falco the world was fake, merely a blue green marble that started to crack, the lines ran too deep the same day it rolled off the kitchen table after the argument that this marble was more than just a marble also a representation of the ocean and...
Author: Ambika Paul The road to healing has been like walking on a tightrope with no flashlight or map; and I don’t know if there’s an actual finish point. From my experiences with Bipolar disorder, I’ve learnt to not suffocate myself with expectations of what...
Something I am Proud Of: As of today, May 13th 2022, I am celebrating my One Year Out Of Hospital milestone. This is just incredible. Throughout the last seven years, I was treated with the wrong meds and misdiagnosed with BPD (which I don’t have) alongside my...
Author: Mallory Bockelman When I race, I’m MetaMal. Meta meaning more, above, and beyond The race begins easy. Less sleep, more thoughts and energy. Beginning slowly but always building Becoming a force of ideas never ending This race is not your...
Authors: Major General Gregg Martin, PhD, US Army Retired, and David Bartley May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a month in which we shine a light on mental health. I have chosen to focus on one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized of human experiences –...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m a mother. A good one. I practice intentional, positive parenting and try to be as patient as I can. I am always thinking of how situations affect my child. This is drastically different from what I had as a kid, where I was an extension of...
Author: Cassandra Stout Trigger Warning: This post contains a discussions of suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, please: Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 Text TALK to 741741 Or go to...
Something I am Proud Of: I’m very proud of how far I’ve come the past year. I’m staying out of the hospital, spending time with friends and WORKING at a job I love (I’m a direct support professional for individuals with disabilities). Meeting these goals hasn’t come...
Author: Melinda Goedeke Dedicated, thanks and praise to my therapist. I used to have a stabbing searing pain in my right shoulder. You couldn’t tell by looking at me as I winced silently until I simply could not. At that point, I sought medical help and now go...
Author: Phil Cibicki Dedicated to Ian & Annie, who would most understand what I’m talking about here. Thanks for the time I had with both of you and for showing me how to listen, to be kind, and to have an open mind. I can’t tell which drops come from my tears...
Author: Natalia A. Besier Therapy has benefitted my mental wellness journey by teaching me to reclaim my mental health “toolbox” by rethinking and restructuring my negative thoughts. I find that I benefit most from cognitive behavioral therapy and this focus causes...
Something I am Proud Of: I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 at age 19. Since then, I worked hard to educate myself on the illness and accept that it is not something to be ashamed of. I shared about my illness with friends and family knowing that I might need them to...
Author: Sophia Falco These letters cannot spell what has been cast on me to that magnitude, they ask: “Where do you feel this in your body?” and with each breath my chest feels heavier these legs those stairs too much. I’m scared to write to you directly, to...
Author: Angela McCrimmon Read Part I here In laying down my resilience, I found a new “normal”. I developed new routines and I learned what feels right for me in my body, mind and soul. 2021 was an awful year in many ways, but it was profound in the lessons it...
Author: Christina Chambers First of all, Happy World Bipolar Day! In light of this year’s theme “Bipolar Together”, I would like to talk about moving beyond self-stigma to find connection and support. For me, the biggest barrier to connection with others became...
Author: Angela McCrimmon Anyone who shares a diagnosis of Bipolar, regardless of what “type” resides in your brain, is going to share a lot of similar traits and experiences. For example, our high and low moods are way more extreme than those...
Something I am Proud Of: I am most proud of how far I have come in my life, as a result of seeking a diagnosis and committing to my treatment. I never imagined I would make it this far into my life, let alone be in the financially, mentally, and physically stable...
Author: Courtney As a child, I was always very hyper and recognized that I was different from many of my peers. It wasn’t until the first couple years of high school that I started suffering from depression. I did not recognize that what I was feeling...
Author: Claire Gault I didn’t recognize my ableism until I began meeting others who have mental illness, like myself—all people that didn’t fit my perception of “that kind” of person. Through movies and television, I’ve grown to build a stereotype of what...
Something I am Proud of: When I look back on all my achievements and accomplishments since my diagnosis at 17, what fills my heart with the most joy is being able to help others who are currently struggling with their mental health, by using the insight I gained from...
Author: Cassandra Stout When you’re depressed, forget about thriving – you’re in survival mode. Which means you need to be especially gentle with yourself. If you’re telling yourself that you should get everything done on your impossibly...
Something I am Proud Of: I thought if people knew how I felt, I would lose everything. As a kid I experienced trauma, abuse and struggled with addiction. At 14 I was admitted for psychiatric care after a suicide attempt. After that I felt like I needed to pretend...
Author: Sharnisha Stokes #BipolarTogether is a hashtag that’s been needed and will continue to be. To provide hope in times where none can be found. Resources when coping mechanisms that are detrimental have been exhausted. Education for those caring for...
Author: Ambika Paul Mania is your favorite song on repeat, an explosion of energy that brews in your mind with saturated ideas all coming at you in a single shot. Gradually consuming your whole body. Mania always feels like a creative journey for me but also...
Author: Ann Marie Elpa Like many others, when I first heard the word, ‘bipolar’, I associated it with rapid mood swings and instability. I didn’t have a proper understanding of what the disorder encompassed as someone who grew up in a household that seldom discussed...
Author: Ashley Sievewright This years theme of Bipolar Together for World Bipolar Day reminds me of when i was first inspired to talk about my mental health after watching the television documentary Stephen Fry – The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive back in...
Author: Jessie Bucci Feeling alone and even misunderstood can be one of the hardest realities of experiencing a mental illness, and living with Bipolar disorder. I remember driving somewhere with a friend and passing a psychiatric facility which prompted her to...
Author: Ellie Chiorino In this article, to celebrate World Bipolar Day, my deepest hope is to make you feel less alone if you were ever misdiagnosed and/or have encountered an incapable psychiatric provider along the way. I see you. I hear you. Your experience is...
Author: Kim Joy Barnett In my early 20’s, almost 20 years ago, I was nearing the end of my 5 year college journey to obtain my Bachelors Degree in Sociology at Cal State University, Northridge. What should have taken me 4 years to complete, according to my...
Author: Neil McCarthy Living with bipolar disorder often means I keep a layer of separation between others and me. Some close friends and family might know details of my illness, but not even my eight-year-old daughter knows why I spend 15 minutes every...
Author: Sarah Ross Bipolar Disorder is a complex mental illness, and it often gets categorized into solely consisting of sudden mood changes. But it’s not as black and white as that. Although we do experience mood changes, our days don’t involve our emotions...
Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) World Bipolar Day is on 30 March. This is a day to focus on a serious mental/brain illness that afflicts 60 million people worldwide; and even more because statistics for children are not counted...
Author: Dayna J. In celebration of World Bipolar Day on March 30, I want people to know that I do not see this mental illness as a disability — it is my superpower! So many see a bipolar disorder diagnosis as a frightening and negative experience that...
Author: Jeffrey Johanishing That’s right! You’re darn tootin’. We are, I am and you certainly are, Awesome! Why? Well, I’ll explain. I sincerely believe that people with bipolar disorder are extremely impressive, inspire great admiration and, truly,...
Author: Abigail Lehman A question that I have asked myself and have struggled to answer for most of my life. Why don’t I fit in? Why don’t they feel the same way I do? Am I being dramatic? Am I the problem? I would ask myself these questions as I found myself in yet...
Something I am Proud Of: After spending time educating myself and seeking support, I feel proud of my understanding of my diagnosis. Learning what works for me has been huge in helping guide me on my mental health journey. I’m also proud of connections I’ve made after...
Author: Major General Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army Retired As World Bipolar Day approaches on March 30th, let’s build on our momentum and progress and keep it going…for years to come! By no more than one percent of separation, we all know...
Author: Christina Chambers Writing down a wellness plan upped my Bipolar Disorder management game exponentially. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type I in 2008. I had rapid cycling, so I had at least four episodes each year for twelve years before even...
Something I am Proud Of: I am a shy guy with poor self-esteem, so I didn’t have many friends, was bullied, and traumatized as a kid. Things got worse when I left home to pursue my bachelor degree. I was unaware about my condition and behavior, until it reached climax...
Author: General Gregg F. Martin, Phd, General Major, US Army Retired From my teenage years on, I benefitted from what was a positive personality: high levels of energy, enthusiasm, drive, extroversion, positivity, happiness, and optimism. This was the...
Author: Melinda Goedeke To still my brain, I puzzle. In my world, puzzle is a verb. It is what you do when the thoughts in your mind run rampant and collide leaving you lost in chaos. While puzzling, I only consider the pieces in front of me. Where is the piece...
Something I am Proud Of: A victory of mine while having this diagnosis is that I got married, held my job for over a year and love it, bought a house, got a dog, and managed to maintain a lot of stability through it all. My biggest victory is knowing I need to take my...
Author: Trevor Simonson Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. Some days they are all the same. Infiltrated by the fog. That haze that sets life in slow motion, leaves your thoughts in a jumble, and gives you that familiar blank stare. Some days you just can’t...
Author: Natalia A. Beiser Disclaimer: The experiences expressed herein are those of this writer. I appreciate the feedback that has been given to my other blogs on this topic, and I am writing now to address some of the questions and comments that were brought up but...
Author: Dayna J. Of course all women are not bipolar, but this writing prompt (in honor of International Women’s Day) asking how my experience as a woman has affected my mental health really made me think. Perhaps this disorder is easier for women. As a woman I...
