Author: Lesly Garcia

I want to remind others that there are millions of us with bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed in 2019, at the age of 22 when I had my first episode. I think part of me knew a long time ago that I was bipolar. But I didn’t know what bipolar disorder was. I didn’t know the symptoms, and I’m still not sure about all the symptoms or if all of them even relate to how I feel or what I’m going through. I was in a mental hospital at the end of June, and it was a healing and eye-opening experience for me. It was very difficult for me to accept help and try to understand where I was at.

I live in the United States and I try to remember to utilize all the resources I have here that are available and remind myself that it is okay to need extra help and ask for help. I know there are a lot of stigmas surrounding this that might make this appear as weakness, but I feel empowered when seeking help, and I ultimately feel more relaxed when I take care of myself.

I view bipolar disorder as a mysterious enigma, a new journey that not everyone will have, which is okay. I take it day by day and appreciate the little victories I have when I remember that being bipolar doesn’t define me, or anyone for that matter. I am more than my bipolar disorder, I am a person, I am a human and I feel like that’s where I want people to relate with me. I want to try and ignore the other differences for a moment. None of us are alone in this world, and that’s very important to remind myself and others.

I am half white and half Honduran, and although I don’t know everything about my blended family culture, I know that I have a very supportive connection with my family. Family is very important to me and it doesn’t have to be rooted in blood. I have plenty of family and friends that I don’t share blood with, but that I share a heart-to-heart connection with. My two dogs and cats are my family too.

I work two different part time jobs – one as a retail associate – and the other as a behavior therapist. It may not seem like a hobby, but I love helping others in my spare time or whenever I get the chance to. Other than that, I also love to play video games, crochet, listen to music, writing, or whatever I feel like doing for that day. It’s hard for me to pick just one thing I enjoy doing, because there are so many exciting and fulfilling things to do in life.

I haven’t been a huge advocate for mental health, not because I don’t want to but because I just don’t feel ready to do so. I’ve been struggling with my own mental health problems for a long time, and I feel like it’s difficult to try and do more when I need to take care of myself first right now. This feels like the most I’ve done as far as advocacy and I hope it helps someone out there. Even if it’s just one person, then I feel like I’ve done something right.

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.