When life becomes hard enough that we suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, or any mental health diagnosis, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We may feel like we’re stuck in a cycle of pain and despair, with no way out. However, sometimes it’s in those moments of suffering that we find the most motivation. Suffering can teach us important lessons about ourselves and the world around us. It can make us stronger, more resilient, and more empathetic towards others who are going through similar struggles. It can also give us a sense of purpose and drive that we might not have had before. For example, someone who has gone through a serious illness might be motivated to help others who are going through the same thing. They might start a support group, volunteer at a hospital, or become an advocate for research into that illness. Their suffering becomes a catalyst for positive change in the world. Of course, finding motivation in suffering is not always easy. It can take time to process our emotions and come to terms with what we’ve been through. But if we can learn to see our suffering as an opportunity for growth and transformation, we can find a way to move forward with renewed purpose and motivation.
Recently, someone asked me, “Why would God make people suffer with bipolar disorder?” You could easily replace bipolar with major depressive…, or any other diagnosis that our country likes to call “disorder”. The message is that there is something wrong with people who have a mental health diagnosis. What if we were to change our perspective about these ways of being? What if we saw them as a natural reaction to our genes, or to trauma, depending on the scenario?
Or—–what if we saw this as God or Mother Nature offering us an opportunity to learn to make ourselves into healthier people? What if we accepted that challenge and decided to do everything possible to stabilize our moods? In this scenario, you would trust me because I have 23 years of experience helping people just like you stabilize their moods and I have lived experience.
The tools to stabilize bipolar disorder (or depression or anxiety) are skills that will contribute to overall physical and mental health. Rather than viewing bipolar disorder as a detriment, try viewing it as your superpower! Part of that superpower is in learning to balance it, but also knowing that if there was ever an emergency where you needed to be awake and energetic, you could manifest it. I imagine that you all know how to do that.
I want to thank that person for bringing this question to my attention because it is so important to learn to value every part of ourselves. They have brought up a fundamental concept: that of valuing our teachers. In this case, one’s diagnosis could become their teacher. Bipolar disorder increases our creativity, enables us to be more sensitive to other people’s plights, enables us to be awake all night if necessary, to manifest boundless energy to manage a crisis, to continue working with hardly any food, and to say things quickly. All of these can be useful skills in a crisis. Bipolar people rank 75% higher in intelligence than those without. They are deeply passionate people, enabling appreciation of the world that “normal” people may not grasp. They have an alternative view of the world. Bipolar can be a gift, rather than a curse. You can’t compare this gift to the status quo, it just won’t make sense. When the above-mentioned crisis is not happening, having bipolar disorder means we are invited to learn ways to make our bodies and minds healthier. I’ll acknowledge that there are aspects of bipolar disorder that are very challenging, the agitation, the sadness, the guilt, the worthlessness, the suicidality, the risky behaviors, and so on. But these things are all imminently manageable.
There are so many ways to help manage bipolar disorder and all of them are healthy for anyone to use to manage stress and be a healthier person. For example, some years ago people began researching dark therapy for bipolar disorder and found it to be remarkably helpful in balancing moods, helping sleep, and reducing symptoms of bipolar disorder. Earlier, other researchers discovered that light therapy was helpful for seasonal depression. Later, other researchers discovered that light and dark therapy are helpful for COPD and diabetes. I believe there will come a day when we will know that light and dark therapy are good for a multitude of illnesses. You can learn about dark therapy here: https://ericalhernandez.com/?s=dark+therapy
If you choose to allow your psychiatrist to be your only access to managing your illness, I’m afraid you will find it to be an ineffective path. Short-term use of medication can be very helpful but long-term, chronic use, often leads to more disability I’m sorry to say. If you aren’t someone who can afford expensive alternative remedies, know that some of the alternative methods to managing moods are free or very inexpensive. Dark therapy, for example, though very effective, costs as little as $20 per year. I won’t pretend that dark therapy would be enough to stabilize your moods but it could be a huge contributor. Even if you can’t completely stabilize your moods with natural remedies, you can certainly decrease your need for medication, thereby reducing your risk of uncomfortable side effects. Exercise is free. Meditation is free. Eating healthy doesn’t cost much more (and in some cases costs less) than eating unhealthily.
I hope you all accept the challenge: to allow your diagnosis to be your teacher and your suffering to light your path to a better life.