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I talk a lot more about anorexia than bipolar disorder on this account because itâs had a bigger impact on my life overall (and currently), but it is very hard as someone with bipolar to watch the discourse that has been happening over the last few days. Yes, sometimes we do (1/)
Things that can appear strange or offensive to people. When I am manic I do think I am the funniest, cleverest person. I do think that I deserve to be paid attention to and that I should get more credit for my various thoughts and projects. I do think I am capable of (2/)
Anything. This might mean I do bizarre things that people think are amusing, but this illness is dangerous and there is nothing funny about. Bipolar has the highest suicide rate of any mental illness. People with bipolar have a lifespan of up to 20 years less than the (3/)
Average person. We often are prescribed medications that come with horrendous and debilitating side effects, and are forced to choose between living with symptoms of the illness, or symptoms of the drugs. And yes, there can be long stretches of time where we are stable. (4/)
But we are not free of the illness even then, because there is always an underlying anxiety that itâs going to come back. Do you have any idea what it feels like to be powerless to your own brain? Knowing that no matter what tablets I take, or food I eat, or exercise I do, (5/)
Or sleep I get, that at some point my sanity is going to snap again and there might not be any warning to it or any way to prevent it? Mental illness isnât pretty, it sucks. âBe kindâ isnât only relevant when people are displaying symptoms that are palatable or easy to (6/)
Understand. The aftermath of a manic episode can almost be worse than the episode itself - the horror at checking your bank balance, the cringing at looking back on what youâve said and done. The awful hangover that comes from not having slept for days or weeks at a time. (7/)
I canât even imagine how magnified that would be with the whole world watching. So while youâre all out here making screenshots and jokes, remember that everyone else out here with this diagnosis can hear you. And we arenât laughing (8/8).
