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I’ve been living with bipolar disorder for a few years now, and it’s been an ongoing challenge that I’m learning to manage. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m determined and motivated to do whatever it takes to be the best version of myself that I can be.
I started experiencing symptoms when I was in high school – moments where I felt incredibly high and energized, followed by deep bouts of depression and sadness. At first, it was difficult to understand what was going on; I had heard of mental illness before, but never experienced anything like this before. Eventually, with help from my family and medical care team, we reached a diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder.
Knowing my diagnosis made me feel so relieved, as it allowed me to adjust my lifestyle markers and behaviors accordingly. Being able to recognize these fluctuations in energy helped me immensely - when feeling high or anxious, it was important for me to stay away from social media or any other activities that would worsen these episode triggers further. On the other hand, when feeling low or unmotivated, it was essential for me to find balance in picking up creative hobbies such as drawing or baking which kept me busy while allowing my mind the restful break borrow from the hazy spot where darkness fill my thoughts during depressive episodes.
Living with bipolar disorder is an everyday battle - there are times when things are great, but also periods where life feels like more of a chore than anything else. The most important thing is self-care: listening to how your body responds and adjusting accordingly (whether that’s getting enough rest or making time for leisure activities) has been incredibly helpful for guiding my journey through managing this disorder (so far!).