Welcome to the Bipolar Roller Coaster.

Do you feel like your moods are never stable always going from high to low?

Do you experience long periods of happiness and euphoria and then fall into a deep depression?
Are you always perplexed about how you will feel from day to day and do those around you notice that you are soaring high or falling deep?

Welcome to the Bipolar Roller Coaster

Having a diagnosis of Bipolar disorder can either come as a relief or an unwelcome surprise for you or a loved one.  The sound of it seems foreign or even scary, and from the name you feel as if it is some sort of odd medical term that is hard to grasp.  When you stop and think about it, learn the various symptoms, and find out more about the disease, you will probably be surprised you weren't diagnosed earlier. 

Bipolar disorder comes in two varieties, Bipolar I and Bipolar II. The disorder is also referred to sometimes as Manic Depression.  The symptoms for the various forms of Bipolar are slightly different and which Bipolar disorder you have is primarily diagnosed by duration or severity of moods.  Click Here to learn the difference between the two forms of Bipolar  as well as more about the variety of symptoms.

Whichever form of the disorder you have will determine the course of treatment that you will be prescribed, but it is very important to remember that this disease is very manageable and treatable. The challenges of having Bipolar will never go away, but you can have a successful life with the disease, it is just important to learn how to live with it and how to manage.  Your  doctor will most likely prescribe medications for the disorder, which may take time to calibrate to your needs. Don't give up hope. You will eventually find the right combination. It is very important to make it to all of your appointments especially until you get the meds correct.  Even while on meds though, you may still experience occasional swings in mood and behavior and so therapy and self-care can also help you to manage your disorder.  Hang in there. You can learn to manage.

My experience with Bipolar 

I was first diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder eight years ago, but learning about the symptoms I feel that I went undiagnosed for a majority of my adult life.  I probably began showing symptoms when I was in college, but it took a while for me to seek professional help for my long depressive episodes and my manic behavior.  I have Bipolar Disorder II with rapid cycling.  I currently take medication to keep my mood stabilized and I attend therapy to make sure that I am able to deal with the occasional mood elevations or depression.  After my diagnosis it took several years for me to finally grasp the seriousness of the disorder and to understand the value of taking my meds and managing my moods. Bipolar patients are notorious for not taking their medications and I was no different. I spent the first seven years of my diagnosis going on and off my meds, in and out of therapy, and never really working on management.  It took a close brush with suicide, a hospitalization, and major life changes before I realized the seriousness of the disorder, and began working to make my life better and manage my mental illness.  I will admit that I enjoyed the manic phases even though I knew that they would be followed by long depressions. I went through phases of high productivity and phases of crippling depression and basically rode this roller coaster every day, not knowing what mood I would wake up tomorrow experiencing.  The surprising thing, I later learned, is that those people around me definitely recognized my symptoms long before I did, and it has been with their help that I have learned the most about managing my disorder.  I have been very fortunate to have understanding people in my life, good doctors, and a supportive family.  Though there is no cure for the disorder, I learned that I could manage it, and that I didn't have to stay on the roller coaster every day.

Learning to Help Others

As I began becoming more accepting of my disorder and learning to share it with people, I was surprised how many of my friends and co-workers have dealt with Bipolar, or other mental illness in their own lives or in the lives of their loved ones.  Mental illness is often stigmatized and treated differently than other health issues, but I have learned that it is really not beneficial for me to hide my disorder, but rather accept it and embrace that I am managing every day.  It may not be something that all Bipolar sufferers are comfortable discussing, but I have found that it is in my nature to share, and that through sharing I have been given many opportunities to help others to understand the disorder and find comfort.  I decided to start this blog to help those out there that may be suffering from the disorder, or who might have loved ones who are suffering.  It is my goal to provide information and resources as well as inspiration for those who are faced with this challenge every day.  So, welcome to the roller-coaster that is Bipolar disorder. Know that you are not alone, Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population age 18 and older every year. (National Institute of Mental Health),  You and your loved one can learn to manage the disease and to have a productive and happy life.

*I am not a certified physician or therapist. I am a normal person who manages his life with Bipolar Disorder every day. My goal is to share my experiences to help those who also manage their Bipolar or live with someone who is managing.