Author: Maria Mainelli Atlanta-based comedian Maria Mainelli turns the ups and downs of bipolar 1 into sharp, honest, and hilarious storytelling. In this Q&A, she shares how her diagnosis shaped her creativity, her comedy, and her outlook on what it means to be...
Author: Matthew Palmieri There’s nothing quite like the rush of a manic episode—the clarity, the boundless energy, the feeling of being untouchable. Ideas come faster than I can process them. Sleep becomes optional. Music hits differently. The world feels like it’s...
Author: Major General Gregg Martin, US Army (Retired), PhD, with his wife Maggie and son Phil In my book, Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness, I capture “Family Perspectives” in the Appendix. My wife Maggie and our three sons explain that they just...
Author: Lexie Manion I have been in remission from bipolar disorder for six years now. The last major mood episodes I experienced due to bipolar disorder were a depressive episode a few years ago and a hypomanic episode a year ago. It’s been important for me to stay...
Poem Author: Tom Luker The Enemy Between My Ears The enemy between my ears has no face, A shadow that lingers, a ghost taking space. It whispers in echoes too quiet to trace, Yet somehow, it’s louder than all I embrace. An identity unknown, yet it knows...
Author: Matthew Palmieri When I look back on my past behavior—especially during manic or depressive episodes—it’s hard not to feel shame or embarrassment. Even after some recovery and ongoing acceptance, there are moments I still cringe over. As much as I’ve accepted...
Author: Melissa Howard Opening up conversations about mental health as a family can feel daunting, especially when it involves complex conditions like bipolar disorder. Yet, as my spouse’s reflections reveal, beginning the conversations early and creating openness can...
Author: Jillian LaFrance, Ph.D. Bipolar disorder is often portrayed as dramatic swings in mood and behavior, typically characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania and depression. But for many, bipolar disorder exists quietly behind a guise of competence,...
Author: Matthew Palmieri Disclosing the Illness So now, with a clearer and more honest outlook, I find myself asking the question of, ‘Should I let this person know about this thing that might impact our relationship?’ It’s a divisive topic I often come...
Author: Major General Gregg Martin, US Army (Retired), PhD -OWN IT: EMBRACE your condition – no shame or embarrassment – it’s okay to not be okay. -LEARN all about your condition – on-line, videos, books, conferences, discussions – become an expert on...
Author: Matthew Palmieri Challenging Misconceptions When I first started sharing my personal experience managing bipolar, I felt both relief and ongoing trepidation that if people around me now knew I had a mental illness, I’d be seen as too much...
Author: Major General Gregg Martin, US Army (Retired), PhD Dear Bipolar Friend: I never asked for or wanted you in my life — but you wanted me. I wouldn’t wish you on anyone, but… after much pain, you have ended up being a blessing. You elevated me for...
Author: Charles Kelly For most of my life in high school and college, I made friends with my undiagnosed bipolar disorder in the driver’s seat. Therefore, when I got my diagnosis, I couldn’t be the fun, energetic, and laughable person I once was....
Author: Matthew Palmieri It took me close to a decade after my diagnosis to come across the literature that would completely change the way I looked at my struggles with bipolar. After spending years not necessarily in denial—but operating under the assumption...
Author: Jamie Hopkins It is often said that reaching out for help is one of the hardest things to do. But what if it wasn’t? There’s no doubt that it takes an incredible amount of strength, courage, and vulnerability to put so much trust in...
Author: Charles Kelly I sometimes found myself frustrated at work, looking for temporary escapes from the modern madness of life. I tried stress balls and taking walks on my lunch break, although these had minimal effects on me. I remember reading something...
Celebrating Lisa’s Strength 💪 What am I most proud of on my bipolar journey? I’m a survivor. Right now, in this moment of time and place, I am stable. I am a productive member of society. I take my meds and attend group and individual therapy sessions. I...
Celebrating Paul’s Strength 💪 My name is Paul English. I studied computer science and music in college and then went on in a career of entrepreneurship. I have started and sold six companies to date (including Kayak.com) and have also started five...
Celebrating Tom’s Strength 💪 When I experienced my first manic episode, I didn’t see it coming. I don’t think many people do. I had been dealing with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder since I was a teenager and had never even considered I might be...
Celebrating Subrina’s Strength 💪 10/26/2006. A date I will never forget. The date that didn’t solve my problems. Just a date to reveal the truth, The beginning of my bipolar journey. Up. Down. Black. White. Courageous, yet terrified. Determined,...
Celebrating Charles’s Strength💪 What makes me most proud of my journey is learning to live a happy and fulfilling life despite the many challenges of bipolar disorder. Over time, I have discovered that celebrating small victories, such as going to work, taking...
Celebrating TK’s Strength 💪 I was almost finished with graduate school when I was struck down with a bipolar 2 depression and was unable to complete my degree. I felt for so long that I had failed. I defined myself as a failure. Then, just the other day,...
Celebrating Chivo Cycle’s Strength 💪 Chivo Cycle isn’t just a studio; it’s a testament to the power of resilience and the transformative impact of fitness. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder since 2009, I discovered the incredible benefits of...
Author: Matthew Palmieri Managing a mood disorder while maintaining a steady job often feels like a balancing act. There have been times when I felt I had been stable for a significant period, only to suddenly face a manic episode. These episodes can cause me...
Author: Jamie Hopkins Change is inevitable. Whether it be starting a new job, moving to a new city, joining a new sports team, or developing a new support system, the uncomfortable is going to set in. For many people in their early 20s, all those uncomfortable...
Author: Mihali Mqushulu What does it mean to possess something that is partly unaccepted by a society? Holding with you, the one thing that induces cold glances from strangers and familiars. Are you an outcast, a non-contender? No. You probably just have a...
Author: Charles Kelly Living with bipolar disorder has been a journey of challenges, revelations, and profound personal growth. After my initial manic episode, I struggled to trust myself; every emotion felt like a potential warning sign. Over time, I realized...
Author: Matthew Palmieri It’s the Little Things. Big shifts in our lives can derail us from progress in managing bipolar, but it’s crucial we often look at the little things as well that may cause our symptoms to take over. Are we ignoring the need to eat food...
Author: Vasavi Kumar Living with bipolar disorder has been a tumultuous and unpredictable journey, filled with highs of mania and lows of depression that have left me feeling as though I’m on a rollercoaster ride that I can’t get off. The intense...
By: Sam Bowman For many, living with bipolar disorder can feel like a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, ins and outs. People who have the disorder experience extreme mood shifts, taking them from extreme highs down to extreme lows. These changes in mood can greatly...
Author: Sophia Falco existentialism may be the way live without street signs spelling out starlit sky does not equate to lit torches fire still seeing darkness energy to moon and back bursting with the blank possibilities verbalize rather not trip up tongue...
Author: Catalina Bellizzi-Itiola Sometimes I look back at the timeline of my life’s volatile mood fluctuations, and it makes me worry about what on earth my future will look like. Will I hold a job? Will I have a child? Will I be able to survive more episodes? Even...
Author: Cassandra Stout Running out of meds is the worst. If you’re regularly taking medication and you run out of pills and stop suddenly, this is terrible for your body and your mind. If you’re bipolar, you may end up tripping into a mood episode that...
Author: Christina Chambers I firmly believe lifestyle factors are just as important as medication for living well with Bipolar Disorder. Sunlight, alcohol or drugs, nutrition, social connection, nature, repetitive thoughts, meditation and exercise are just a few of...
Author: Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired) Written in honor of the service and sacrifice of the US Military for Memorial Day, 2022 In the epic World War Two film “Saving Private Ryan”, Army Captain and Ranger John Miller (Tom Hanks) lies...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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: 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...
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: 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...
