#actuallybipolar

[wheelie-sick]

I'll constantly see people list of disorders that cause psychosis and talk about how they're highly stigmatized and somehow they never ever mention bipolar disorder? ever? and it's almost certainly because people online tend to have this perception of bipolar as the "socially acceptable sad happy disease" and it is not. it is just not. bipolar disorder is so incredibly stigmatized and its symptoms go so much deeper than just "sad and happy"

did you know bipolar causes psychosis?

do you know what mania actually is? (hint: it's not "extremely happy"!)

did you know bipolar causes hypersexuality?

did you know bipolar causes aggression?

did you know bipolar causes generally socially unacceptable behavior?

did you know bipolar people are more likely to kill themselves in a manic episode than in a depressive episode?

did you know bipolar causes a thousand other highly stigmatized symptoms?

did you know that after my bipolar disorder diagnosis people started gossiping about how I was "unstable" and therefore "untrustworthy" and I was "erratic" and "a liability"? would you guess that these things were said by a progressive activist group who were "anti-ableism"? does this all sound like an destigmatized mental illness to you?

does it????

[disappearintheether]

[deathchains]

[rainbowchihuahuabunny]

Every day I am brutally reminded in one way or another that this society isn't built with disabled people in mind

[traumakid-hideout]

An episode of mania almost always always always starts out so euphorically, makes you feel like you’re on the perfect drug, makes your confidence and motivation sky rocket and has you romanticizing all the fun it baits you with. It feels so amazing, you feel like nothing can hurt you or get to you.

Then the irritability comes, genuine rage, such an uncomfortable and overwhelming increase in libido, dangerous impulses, social behavior to be humiliated from by the time you crash, severe sleep deprivation that disorients the fuck out of you the longer you go without it, without even feeling tired at all. But feeling completely out of control. And if it escalates, Lord help you. Hallucinations, bad paranoia, black outs, substance abuse (or relapse if you happen to be recovering), delusions, everything that could get you into a psych ward. It isn’t fun at the end and any pleasure you feel is completely illusionary.

The worst part is I still normally never want it to stop. Because the depression after, which gets so ugly and terrible the longer, more intense the mania is, is something I’m not looking forward to at all. That, and mania can really sometimes convince you that you love it. I’m not wanting to go there though, because I have a lot to lose. Even if I don’t lose anything, I’m tired of this cycle and just can’t afford to desire it anymore. So I’m managing where I can, but wow it’s just scary to watch it take you higher and higher into it, and further and further away from yourself.

This is precisely why I despise any sort of stigma toward bipolar disorder. It’s so misunderstood, misquoted, and mistreated. I just really want and need some help. My hands are so sweaty and shaky, my heart and my mind are racing, I can’t stop talking, I can’t eat. I can’t focus, I can only fixate. And it’s just so overwhelming already.

[that-bipolar-mood]

It should be said more often that bipolar disorder and many other serious mental disorders CANNOT be cured.

Which means struggling with symptoms WHILE medicated is actually expected and common.

MANAGING symptoms does not mean being free from illness.

Mental disorders are more often than not chronic, so NORMALISE recovery that is not linear and symptoms-free.

Lastly, comparing yourself and your functioning with those around you only SEEMS to work because our conditions are invisible.

[raccooninapartyhat]

being mentally ill while holding a tiny plush pigeon is infinitely better than being mentally ill alone. i definitely recommend just getting yourself a little guy to hold while you're busy being crazy

[bipolarmoss]

i’m sorry that wasn’t very dsm v textbook behavior of me

[blankmogai]

bipolar spectrum flag! (for anyone with bipolar i or ii, schizoaffective disorder, or cyclothymia)

we wanted to make something that was recognizable without being too busy and had colors that recognizably conveyed mania and depression as well as the emotional intensity that comes with them

elaboration on stripe meanings and blank version under the cut :3

each stripe has two meanings; the top and bottom stripes have meanings related to community and recovery and the middle four stripes relate to specific symptoms.

Yellow: Healing and diversity; healing in whatever way is best for you and the diversity within the bipolar spectrum (explicitly incl bipolar i and ii, bipolar due to another medical condition, schizoaffective bipolar type and cyclothymia)

Orange: Hypomania and rapid cycling

Hot pink: Mania and psychosis

Indigo: Major depressive and mixed states

Blue: Minor (subclinical) depressive states and comorbidities

Sky blue: Support and acceptance; each of these coming from both within and outside of the community and especially as a subset of the mad/neurodivergent/disabled communities

The :): / smile-frown is a common symbol of bipolar

@radiomogai @mad-pride (i think both of you are ok with being tagged for archival purposes but sorry if you aren't!)

[bipolarblueberries]

Did I Trauma Dump or Provide Context on Myself: A Daily Debate

[prenchpolar]

we need more bipolar success stories. because all you hear about are the ones who died, or had breakdowns, or struggle every day.

it will be okay. it can be okay. i'm bipolar, and i'm doing well. i'm medicated, i'm stable, i'm happy, i'm living my life. things will be okay.

[wheelie-sick]

"I was having a manic episode" "oh yeah I've had those too!"

what I mean: I ruined my entire life in a month

what they mean: I feel silly goofy sometimes

[221bluescarf]

Everyone with mental illness is going to be better or worse in different areas. Even neurotypical people are better in some areas than another.

Some can work, some can't. Some can live alone, some can't. Some can drive, some can't. Some can put on a mask, some can't. Some can cook, engage in hobbies, read books, do chores, eat without purging, maintain hygiene, care for pets, go shopping, ignore hallucinations, manage delusions, be self-aware, find meds that work, rely on a support system... some can't.

Your best and your worst can even vary from one day to the next.

Don't compare yourself to others

And don't compete with others either

[thatadhdfeel]

"Am I Hypomanic or Hyperactive" - the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate,

[historian-in-pearls]

My new therapist is AMAZING, and she’s Catholic!!! We opened with a prayer and closed with a Hail Mary (my choice). I think we’re going to do amazing work together with my anxiety.

We did some baseline assessments to see where I am, and I scored in the ZERO category for depression, from being suicidal a month ago. So...yeah :) I guess everything I've been doing has been working; the proof is in the pudding. I'm happy and hopeful and stunned and I can't wait to get back to work and piano next week and let my life begin again. Deo Gratias!

[manicpixiedreamguy]

I wish people would stop taking bipolar II less seriously than bipolar I

I saw a comment on an Instagram meme about mania making people productive that said "that's hypomania. Actual mania isn't a silly little thing" and it seriously pissed me off because hypomania isn't a silly little thing either and people need to realise saying such things is insensitive, disrespectful and harmful. And this might be a hot take but I don't think bipolar I is worse than bipolar II just like I don't think bipolar II is worse than bipolar I and the comparison makes no sense because they're both fucking hell in their own specific way (which can and does vary from person to person).

It's not the first time I see stuff like that and I do think the "memeification" and "tiktokification" of serious mental health issues led people to believe in the false notion that bipolar II is some sort of "fake bipolar" or easy to live and deal with but it's not and I think we're better than that; just because the Internet says that hypomania is cutting your own bangs in the middle of the night or dying your hair pink while being completely functional and productive in your everyday life doesn't make it true. I wish I could give you some examples of what hypomania is actually like to me but surprise surprise I don't fucking remember, all I got is some flashes of rage and sleepless nights and incoherent racing thoughts and disordered speech and substance abuse and shadow people at the corner of my eyes and being detached from reality while still somewhat being aware of it in a way that doesn't really make sense.

What does this race for who has it worse accomplish? People with bipolar II downplaying their own hypomania and ending up in a psych ward?

Stop engaging in nonsensical wars and stupid ways of thinking.