Something I Am Proud Of:

To tell my girlfriend, and my boss that I need to pause my life and seek immediate help before I try (again) to harm myself. To be comfortable telling people how I feel and why I will ‘disappear’ for a month to receive therapy and treatments. I have been hiding it for several years before that day and this was the single most pivotal moment in managing the illness. No more hiding, no more secrets, just an open and honest truth to act on and get better.

Advice For Newly Diagnosed:

To reach out to people, both bipolar and non-bipolar to express thoughts and feelings. To keep opening up and self-reflect on recent episodes to see what have been the key struggles lately and look for ways to get small ‘wins’. To accept some people will never react well to such a diagnosis but that most people will be supportive, positive and caring.