It Gets Better: Living With Bipolar Disorder
Welcome back to My Jamaican Vignettes. This post makes me nervous, this will likely be the most vulnerable I have been on the internet. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in December 2019 and I just want to start by saying it does and can get better.
In this post, I will share what is bipolar disorder, the symptoms, how I was diagnosed and what my current treatment looks like.
What Is Bipolar Disorder
According to Mayo Clinic (it was the first search result on Google when I was drafting this post), bipolar disorder is categorized as:
“Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. These include emotional highs, also known as mania or hypomania, and lows, also known as depression. Hypomania is less extreme than mania.
When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania, you may feel very excited and happy (euphoric), full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.
Episodes of mood swings from depression to mania may occur rarely or multiple times a year. Each bout usually lasts several days. Between episodes, some people have long periods of emotional stability. Others may frequently have mood swings from depression to mania or both depression and mania at the same time.
Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, healthcare professionals use medicines and talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, to treat bipolar disorder.”
My Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
As I said in the introduction, I was diagnosed in December 2019, this came after a period of involuntary hospitalisation and after a consultation with a public health psychiatrist that referred me to the mental health clinic in Stony Hill. I opted for a second opinion and sought an appointment with private psychiatrist. I have been seeing this doctor since then and can confidently say that I can be described as ‘high functioning’. I live an independent life, I maintain myself, I am employed and I am balanced.
Current Treatment
Presently, I take 2mg of an antipsychotic drug. I see my psychiatrist every six months for a consultation and I see a therapist every other month. That is my current treatment plan. Each day I track my moods and medication using the eMoods app as well as record my sleep. I am aware of my triggers and carefully manage my stress levels.
It Is Better
The first few months following my diagnosis, I felt as if I was in a fog as my body and mind adjusted to my medication. But I can confidently say it gets better. Stick with the medication that your doctor prescribes, take it as recommended, prioritise sleep, exercise, eat balanced and nourishing foods and you can feel better.
In fact, I can say that my life got better post-diagnosis. I haven’t had a manic or depressive episode. My relationship with myself, family and friends are better.
Trust the process. Trust the healthcare professionals, the science and the medicine. But maintain your curiosity, advocate for yourself, ask questions, look up adverse side effects, note the changes in your mood and energy levels and body. Be honest with your doctors.
This was a heavier post than we typically do on My Jamaican Vignettes and while I don’t know what March’s mental health chat will focus on yet. I am open to suggestions so comment or email me at myjamaicanvignettes@gmail.com to let me know if you have any recommendations or topics of interest.
Next Sunday, we will be back to regular content and it will be a bookish post with romance book recommendations right in time for Valentine’s Day.
Until next Sunday, be well.
Thanks for reading.
Chantel DaCosta
Chantel DaCosta is a storyteller, editor and lifestyle blogger. She is passionate about mental health awareness and Jamaican women's own-voices stories.
