Anyone living with bipolar disorder can relate to feeling like they’re on a never-ending rollercoaster ride. One minute, you feel like you’re on Cloud 9, and the next, you’re in the pit of despair. These highs and lows take a toll after a while, and it becomes challenging to maintain everyday life.
However, many people with bipolar disorder manage their condition with medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes. These healing modalities can help soften the blow and make the ups and downs a bit easier to tolerate. If you have bipolar disorder, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about 2.8% of Americans, or 7 million people, live with bipolar. Formerly called manic depression, bipolar disorder causes abnormal shifts in mood, which can last several days or weeks. During a “mood episode,” the sufferer often isn’t aware of how their actions affect themselves or others.
Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
During a manic episode, people may:
- Feel elated or “high on life.”
- Feel wired, even without sleep
- Not feel the need to sleep
- Lose their appetite
- Talk very fast and have racing thoughts
- Switch rapidly from one conversational topic to another
- Believe they can do anything and have an inflated sense of power
- Do many tasks at once
- Exhibit risky behavior, such as excessive spending, binge eating, or unprotected sex
During a depressive episode, the person may:
- Feel hopeless or empty
- Feel restless yet lethargic
- Sleep too much or too little
- Have an increase in appetite, which may cause weight gain
- Talk slowly or experience brain fog
- Have difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Find small tasks harder to accomplish
- Lose interest in almost all activities
- Have suicidal thoughts or think about death
Living with bipolar disorder may feel like an uphill battle each day. However, most people find relief with a combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Lifestyle changes such as exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, and meditation can also help.
Below, we’ll share some stories from Instagram users about their experience living with bipolar. Hopefully, their mental health advice will provide comfort and hope to anyone struggling with bipolar.
Instagram Users Describe the Ups and Downs of Living With Bipolar
1 – “Pretending you’re not broken is not the same as healing.” – The Bipolar Barbie.
The Bipolar Barbie aims to eliminate mental health stigma, especially bipolar disorder. She talks openly about what it’s like to live with bipolar and how it affects her daily life. She recently published a book called Drowning in the Seas of Mental Illness, the first installment of the series. The book illustrates the difficulty of living with complex mental illnesses and navigating life despite them.
Barbie finds that drawing, writing, and expressing herself creatively provides an outlet for her emotions. She’s also a motivational speaker, encouraging others with her honesty and giving hope to anyone struggling with mental health.
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2 – “Bipolar may bend us, but it will not break us.” – So Bipolar.
Mehri, a mental health advocate who runs the account So_Bipolar, talks candidly about living with bipolar disorder. She encourages others to get the help they need and not feel ashamed about their illness. She also reminds her audience that they have bipolar, but they aren’t bipolar. In other words, Mehri believes you shouldn’t let your diagnosis define you.
She’s been featured in the WebMD documentary “Married to Bipolar” because of her candid posts about the condition.
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3 – “I have bipolar, bipolar doesn’t have me!” – Ollie (bipolar_2_life)
Ollie’s Instagram account mostly features relatable memes about living with bipolar. However, like Mehri, she doesn’t let her mood disorder define her. While she experiences manic highs and crippling depression of bipolar, Ollie believes it’s possible to manage the condition. Ollie combines humor, honesty, and mental health advocacy in her posts, making her account relatable to anyone with bipolar disorder.
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4 – “You were given this life because you’re strong enough to live it.” -Living With Bipolar BD
Living With Bipolar BD is a page dedicated to building a community of people who share in the struggle and seek to destigmatize mental illness. They designate their Instagram page, “a safe place for mental health.” Finding a community is essential for self-care.
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5 – “Having depression does not make you broken, it makes you a warrior.” – Lauren Dow Writes.
Lauren’s account focuses on normalizing conversations about mental health. She’s also written books about how we all have the power to heal from within through self-love and self-care. By prioritizing yourself and making choices that benefit your mind and body, it’s possible to change your perspective about life.
It won’t happen overnight, but you can heal by taking that first step. Meditation, eating healthy, exercising, surrounding yourself with positive people, and living your truth can move you into a higher vibration.
On her account, Lauren also posts honestly about taking medication for bipolar disorder, hoping to end the stigma surrounding psychiatric medicines.
“You are NOT broken if you need medication. You need assistance, but that doesn’t mean you’re broken. My medication has been a game changer for not only my mental health but my entire life,” she says.
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Final Thoughts on Instagram Users Who Explain Living With Bipolar Disorder
Hopefully, these accounts above will help anyone living with bipolar disorder. Just remember, plenty of people out there struggle with mental health, and it’s nothing to feel ashamed about. You deserve to have your voice heard and feel your best mentally, no matter what it takes to get there.
While reading posts from others can provide comfort, it’s not always enough to overcome depression, anxiety, or whatever you’re struggling with. Never hesitate to seek professional help if you need to, as therapists can offer a personalized approach to healing. Above all else, remember that you matter, and the universe wouldn’t be the same without you in it.
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