For the last three months, I’ve left my house only a handful of times. I couldn’t go out when I needed groceries. I couldn’t go out when I needed my prescription refill. I showered less than a dozen times.

The days I do get something done are usually five days a month, when my mood suddenly lifts. How much it lifts depends on what my weekly changing “mood baseline” is at the time – i.e., how bad the depression is on the other three weeks.

But honestly, I’ve turned into a hermit. Socially, I’ve gone out maybe 20 times in the last three years. This is what Bipolar Disorder looks like for me.

I felt a little more motivated recently to write about my journey because a good friend didn’t fully understand the literality of me telling her that I had “problems getting out of the house.” I had to explain in more detail so she understood it wasn’t like there was a word or a motivational phrase that would help (but bless her for caring, trying!).

I hope you gain something out of my story(ies). Please leave your comments below and on other pages.* It’s great to hear what you think too!

No Pitty Please

This is not a blog that wants or solicits pity (nope, no pity parties allowed here!). It’s part of my goal to educate people on an illness that is widely misunderstood and often stereotyped incorrectly (just like schizophrenia, which doesnot mean “multiple personalities”), and also make it easier for people to better understand what I and others are/might experience.
Please note: 

  1. I am facetious several times in my sharing because that’s just my sense of humor. Keep smiling!
  2. You can move through each part of the “bigger story” by scrolling down after each section on the HOME page, starting with Depression is Complicated. Newer posts are just above this one. once you have reached Recovery, you can scroll back up to the top, new posts.
  3. I abbreviate Bipolar Disorder as BPAD for “Bipolar Affective Disorder,” which is the official name in the DSM V, the “official” manual for diagnosing disorders.
  4. I keep updating most of my posts, so subscribe to receive notifications.
  5. *To comment on a post, scroll to the bottom. 

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https://anchor.fm/bipolar-mixed

Photo by BTNHD Production