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Living with bipolar

True life: Being diagnosed with bipolar and living with the illness.

Article by : SpunOut.ie

When you are in your early twenties, when you are in your prime, the last thing you want to hear is that you have a mental health condition known as bipolar.

Acceptance of living with bipolar took me about three years, in and out of hospital. Every year, I would run into pressure at work and think I should put my head down and battle it out. Well that battling put me in hospital three times, sometimes for three months.

If I can give any advice to someone with bipolar, it is to know your limits. Have boundaries and don't cross them. Looking for a challenge is natural and everybody needs a bit of bounce in their life. However, it's important to know when to stop and when to take a break, because if your teacher doesn't know, or your boss or your lecturer doesn’t know, then you are your own teacher, lecturer and boss when it comes to your illness.

Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. Listen to yourself first and listen to the medical staff as well. Friends and family are unbelievably important but they are not qualified to care for you when you are sick. Try and be open with your emotions and talk to the right people.

I went through three years thinking that a delusion I had was actually true. Then, I was in hospital one day and I talked to a friend who explained her delusion. It was so similar to mine that it had to be that both of us were experiencing an element of mental illness.

This was the start of my recovery. Nobody wants to accept they have faults. So I backtracked all my past delusions and realised that is all they were: delusions. It was a great feeling to get my grip back on reality. I've never experienced anything as special as gaining back my senses. It was like I was locked up in a tomb for three years and then crawled out of a small hole. Let the good days roll on and challenge the bad days.

By: Anonymous

Find supportive information on bipolar disorder http://www.spunout.ie/health/Healthy-mind/Depression/Bipolar-disorder 


Getting help:

  • If you are think that you or someone you know might be showing signs of bipolar disorder, it is very important to get help.
  • Bipolar disorder responds well to treatment. Contact your local doctor or GP. The doctors in your area will be listed under ‘Doctors - General Practitioners’ in the Golden Pages in the Republic of Ireland and under ‘Doctors (Medical Practitioners)’ in the Yellow Pages, Northern Ireland.
  • Talk to someone who you can trust as well.

For more information on bipolar contact:

This article is part of the SpunOut.ie true life stories section – a space for young people to share their experiences of tough times and encourage others to seek help. This story is just one person's experience and it may be different for you. Remember that no matter what you are going through, there is help and support available. See the Find help section for more information: http://www.spunout.ie/help/

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