People ask me sometimes, what has helped you the most with your bipolar? At first, I wasn't sure how to answer this because sometimes it feels like it's hard to tell if I'm even better. But I look at the past four months, where I've had no desire to self-harm, no desire to die, and very few ups and downs, and I know I'm different. I'm happier with who I am and have better, more fulfilling relationships with people in my life. I'm not cured, I never will be cured and I've accepted that, I've actually learned a lot from being specifically manic. Even though it led me to do some stupid things, I learned how to advocate for myself and others, what it's like to live in a world without anxiety and with extreme anxiety, and how to be a little more fiery (which can be a good thing). I think the most important thing that led me to receive help was asking for it and not letting up. My parents were not very keen on sending me to a mental hospital but, I believe if I hadn't advocated for it I wouldn't have gotten help for many more years. My family and the friends that have stuck around have been phenomenal. I feel like I'm able to talk to them about anything that's on my mind. It took a long time for them to realize how to try to help me however, it's gotten easier for all of us over time to communicate. The biggest help has been my new psychiatrist, she helped me get on the proper medication for my mood, and her help is inspiring to me. The moral of the story, hiding your issues will never fix them, it will only make them worse. Medication may not fix everything for you or a family member, but it will give more of a quality of life to that person.
