I am impressed by Michael's willingness to talk about his personal experience with bipolar disorder. People don't realize how prevalent it is, as those affected are often too embarrassed by past behaviors from when manic, too unsure when depressed, or rightfully concerned about the stigma from outing themselves to want to share their experiences with others. That's why you don't know how many of your acquaintances have it and that's why the stigma persists.
So kudos to Michael for sharing.
Michael's piece reads like many others I've read on reddit's bipolarreddit subreddit. A 20 something self-diagnoses themselves with bipolar II and lets the world in on their ability to self-control the disorder without medicine (in many posters' cases, without a medical support team).
In most cases I'm glad for them, and the provided advice is usually what any book on bipolar will tell you to change about your lifestyle. Sleep 8 hours, cut out stimulants, cut out inebriates, exercise and meditate.
My concern is that the subtler message of "just overcome your brain disorders with pure will power" might mislead readers to dismiss medication as one-size-fits-all tranquilizers/stimulants and provide their fragile egos one more reason not to seek help from a health care professional.
When I encounter clearly manic or psychotic individuals online I reach out, gently. I've made friends on TF2, Reddit and via YouTube. I've watched helplessly as many who categorically eschewed all medical assistance eventually slipped into psychotic states, evidenced by incoherent, often angry messages about their delusions in my inbox. It's not always fun reaching out but in a number of cases you can get the message across early enough and they successfully get help.
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a couple of years ago and worked with a doctor to find a combination of low-dose medications that has squashed any sort of noticeable irrational moods without any noticeable side effects. It took nearly a year of experimentation to find the right combination. It's frustrating, especially on the downswings, but worth it in hindsight.
Thanks Michael for the interesting piece and if Michael's story resonates with you, consider investing in a visit to an experienced provider. Be patient.
And if you have experiences with bipolar disorder I urge you to suppress your ego and share them. Only with widespread sharing can the stigma be quashed, and people will be more comfortable seeking treatment early.
Have you been able to get a full 8 hours of sleep every night?