Author: Matthew Palmieri
Living with bipolar can feel isolating, especially during severe depressive episodes.
Connecting with others during these periods, particularly online, has been a game-changer.
Understanding I’m not alone, while having a safe space to express myself, has been a crucial part of my recovery.
Finding my voice within these confines has been so rewarding.
Although exercise, therapy, routine, and a commitment to a consistent sleep schedule are vital for stability, being able to connect with others through their comments and support can pay huge dividends.
Not only do I see my story in others, but I notice through my unique experience, that this life long illness does not define me.
Peer Support and Providing Resources
When I see my symptoms paralleling with others, it puts my struggles and successes into context. I feel “normal” and less likely to harp on the details of my life that feel unique, but which are actually quite common within the bipolar community.
Although no two bipolar experiences are entirely the same, there are a lot of commonalities that I discover when people share educational resources.
It brings my struggles from subjective pain into objective lessons that can help me grow and succeed down the road.
Alone But Together
There’s a unique kind of comfort in connecting with others online, outside of one’s own support system, because many times our loved ones don’t share the same illness.
It’s almost like online I can find others who go more in depth with the nuances of the illness. Friends and family tend to think as long as I take medication, I’m ok. However, it takes much more effort.
I can ask myself, ‘Why do I feel like I’m not making progress?’ and then come across an article someone posts about the natural ebb and flow of the illness.
I’ll then see the resilience the disorder can provide between these mood shifts.
The Power of Sharing Personal Stories
Although privacy and proper boundaries are necessary to feel safe, Facebook groups, Instagram profiles and educational videos on YouTube can be life savers.
I can practice vulnerability but still maintain an internal guardedness that I feel is healthy.
Reading other personal stories makes me realize just how lucky I am to be able to connect in ways that were merely a dream a decade ago.
You can view stories from IBPF’s Faces of Hope & Recovery Program, here!
The content of the International Bipolar Foundation blogs is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician and never disregard professional medical advice because of something you have read in any IBPF content.
