5 Things People With Bipolar Want You To Know

Bipolar. What do you think as soon as you read it? Sure, I bet you know what it is- it's both high and low states. But what does that mean? Typically books and movies do a terrible, terrible job of showcasing mental illnesses. And it gives way to misinformation to their audiences. Even the people diagnosed themselves.

I remember I used to struggle with the idea of mania. What did it mean? I wasn't happy all the time, no and I did almost try to kill myself impulsively. Wasn't that what someone who was depressed did?

Turned out that mania meant high energy not a high and happy mood. It meant I could be extremely angry or excited or giddy or i8anything. Same with the other parts of bipolar that a lot of people don't know.

1. They are more sensitive to stress and other peoples’ moods.

Onset of mania and depression isn't just a biological clock like your period. No, we don't have a Mother Flow that comes to tell us that this season, we'll decide to turn insanely depressed or insanely manic.

The onset of moods is triggered. Your boyfriend dumps you? You could be launched into depression. You get a promotion? You could be launched into mania.

That is why one of the first tips bipolar people get is to find a routine schedule. To be stable, they need stable routines.

2. Hypomania is not inherently “better” than mania.

This misconception is something I've been dying to tell people. Hypomania, when defined is the lesser symptoms of mania for a lesser duration. Yes, lesser. No this does not make it better or worse.

Hypomania is hypomania and mania is mania. There are more risks with mania, yes. You can see extreme delusions that ruin their lives. But hypomanic states often give way to worse depressive episodes. And it is harder to know if you're simply good or hypomanic.

The point here is not to put down mania, it's to say that comparison is stupid, especially with mental health. Oh, your life is so hard yet you aren't depressed? Good one, proud on you for not succumbing to the stress. But a child is depressed? Well don't hate on them, would you blame them for having a physical disorder and tell them to “walk that sprain off”?

3. The suicide rate of bipolar is high and just because you know they will be depressed doesn't mean it isn't real or true.

This one ties in with the last paragraph before. And it goes with most mental disorders.

Disorders are disorders, people. Stop trying to rationalize it. “You will be manic again, right? Do not worry, this depression will go away.” is something I've actually heard.

Yes, thanks for telling me that. I know it is true. That life goes on and depressive episodes go away too. But it doesn't help. You're saying to wait it out.

You can't wait out a mental illness, it usually gets worse. You need to take care of yourself.

4. Hallucination is a real, real part of bipolar.

Hallucinations? Isn't that more of schizophrenia? Well no, turns out you can hallucinate and be delusion.

What does this mean? You start getting paranoid or else start hearing things.

Once I heard men building something all the time and was convinced they were out there to build something to kill me.

Taking care of someone with hallucinations is really hard. They will not believe you saying “Bro, those don't exist.”. That's why when someone is under psychosis, it is better to try and talk them out of anything slowly.

5. Mania does not mean happiness.

Mania and hypomania does not mean all good happiness. It means a high energy state. It means that people will just be in an excited state.

That could mean them being angry, hallucinating, not sleeping, being insanely productive etc.

It comes in many different forms.