Something I am Proud Of:

I am proud of myself for completing school. I was struggling with a manic episode and then slipped through a long depression. I even had to delay my final project, but I did it! It’s only been about nine months since my diagnosis, but I feel that I have made so much progress. Since then, I have been getting better and better as time goes on. I make sure to do whatever I can to manage, from reading about bipolar to taking my medications to going to therapy to attending support groups. I am also getting better at building routines and hope to get a job soon!

Advice for Newly Diagnosed:

I myself am relatively newly diagnosed, so I am still trying to figure this out myself. Still, my biggest tip is to get all the help you can get. That means working with your psychiatrist to get the right medication(s), going to therapy, getting support from friends and family, building a routine, and practicing healthy self-care in any way you can. Also, don’t give up. I believe 15% of bipolar folks die by suicide, so promise yourself that you won’t be a part of that 15%. There is always hope to become stable and well, even when you feel at your lowest or your highest.