When people hear that a person is "bipolar," people are quick to assume they are crazy and that their moods change every second and that they're bad people, or something. This stuff is sort of true, but it doesn't mean they're crazy, or a bad person.
According to webmd.com, bipolar disorder is "a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior." A person with bipolar disorder can feel moments of high happiness or moments of a very dark depression. These moments of happiness and sadness are known as "poles," which gives the illness its name.
There are many ways to detect if a person has bipolar disorder. You can detect it during their happy moments, if you see a person showing "excessive happiness," going from being happy, to very mad, high sex drive, drug/alcohol abuse, and "becoming more impulsive." You can also detect bipolar disorder in a person during their sad moments when they are sad, feel hopeless/worthless, not being able to stop crying, sleep a lot, have suicidal thoughts, not enjoying the things they used to, and having a hard time making decisions.
According to dbsaalliance.org, about 5.7 million people in the US have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is the "sixth leading cause of disability in the world." Bipolar disorder also "results in 9.2 years reduction in expected life span," since about one in five people who suffer with the illness commit suicide.
Bipolar disorder is a very scary illness to have. In my experience with the illness, you feel incomplete. You feel like there is always something wrong with you and that you can't fit in with others because you just think and act differently. You feel alone a lot. Like no one understands you and death is your only option.
But don't give up. It's not as bad as you think. If you have a therapist and a good support system, and take all the medicine that you are prescribed, then you are on your way to a normal life. Sure, we have bad days (and for bipolar disorder patients, those days feel worse), but you just have to take one day at a time and realize there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Suicide isn't an option here. It's an end to a temporary problem. Bipolar disorder does suck, but my message to you is don't feel like you're different or can't do anything just because you were diagnosed with this illness. Bipolar disorder patients can live normal lives and be happy, just like other people.
If you or anyone else you know is suffering from any mental illness or thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1(800)-273-TALK .
