Bipolar

Hi @Abby6_2025

I haven't been diagnosed with bipolar, but I do understand that feeling of the sense of self being changed after discovering more about ourselves. What seemed normal for so long, now being something that affects us differently from other people. So i feel like it's very understandable to be unsure or unsettled when you're sense of 'normal' is upended like that. You are still the same person you were before your diagnosis. It's very possible that in the end you will find it beneficial as you can connect with other people with a similar diagnosis... of which there are quite a lot... and hopefully that feeling of being normal starts to return. It's always been a bit of an uncomfortable term to me. Who's to say what 'normal ' is? We're all different, all unique, and all have things we struggle with. So i've taken a great deal of strength knowing the reasons behind those individual struggles I have as it gives me a much better sense that I wasn't alone.

I have bipolar @Abby6_2025

I do get what you are saying. It’s like things that were your normal are actually part of the illness.

I did feel different and a lot made more sense but I also felt scared with the stigma and had to change my way of thinking of bipolar.

Now that I have learnt a lot about it and understand it more it has helped me to manage my life better. I did have to learn how to work with it and how to maintain wellness but it’s all a process. I am far from recovered though and things keep popping up that affects my bipolar but at least I have that understanding.

@Captain24 thankyou

Cab you recover from bipolar?

As I have read that you can fully recover

Do you know a good website that I can read about bipolar?

Cheers

Hi @MJG017

Thank you for your reply

Cheers

Hi @Abby6_2025

Apparently you can recover from bipolar but it is a life long illness. I knew a girl that had recovered and wasn’t even in any medication.

For me I think it takes a lot of time with therapy and medication. I have had moments where I have been stable. But I am still a work in progress. I have had a lot of medication changes, my last one being in August. But I do also have adhd and autism. So that needs to be managed as well and also conflicts with bipolar and bipolar meds.

SANE has some information on their web page. But I don’t know any sites I just did a lot of googling and read from reputable sites. It is different for everyone.

I have bipolar 2. My auntie has bipolar as well but is completely different to what I go through.

My psychologist keeps reassuring me that we will get there. I have noticed that my episodes haven’t been quite as long though.

I don’t know if any of this helps but this is my ongoing experience.

I don't have Bipolar Disorder but once I could admit to others that I have mental condition I definitely felt a surge of reassurance that it's true that I am not okay and therefore have a right to rest and live ever-so-differently to others. I also find looking back on the diagnosis as a bit comforting at times when I was feeling guilty for resting for so long.

Your "normal" can now include all the Self-Care strategies that you need to get through your Bipolar diagnosis, so embrace it!

Hi @Captain24 thank you for your reply and information I appreciate it.

I see a physcologist weekly through Victims services.

He is good

Hi @FearofUnknown

Thankyou for your information

That’s good @Abby6_2025

Its all about lifestyle too, sleeping well, eating regularly and healthy and also exercising.

I know that all sounds hard especially in the depressive episodes but it all helps.

@Abby6_2025

I have Bipolar Type 2.

As far as I understand it both forms of bipolar have a genetic/biological component. It's hard to ever fully recover, but the illness can be managed.