I WAS THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA, TINKER BELL AND THE MESSIAH. I MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL, CARRIED A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL THROUGH AEROPORT SECURITY AND SOLVED THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT.
I WAS INVINCIBLE
I am M, an art therapist who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder 10 years ago. In 2011, I had a major depression lasting almost a year and since then I have had 1 to 2 manic phases per year which often led me to be hospitalised and heavily medicated. I am lucky enough to have no down phases which means I don’t go through spells of depression. But still, with a diagnosis like that you are pretty much doomed. You will be out of a job, discriminated as “other” or “weaker” and ill for life.
I am proud to say that I am not part of the statistics yet and I have been a full time art therapist working in a mental health hospital and private practice. Most people don’t even know that I am sick. I was busted for the first time last year because I decompensated at work for the first time.(blog entry) Long story short, I did not get fired.
I have been on Lithium and using all kinds of techniques to help myself to survive and prevent crisis from happening. I use art, movement and music to express or chanel my peaks of energy. I meditate every day and see a therapist on a regular basis.
I am writing this blog to give you tips to handle your own illness, to share my experience of what it is like to be on both sides therapist and patient with BP and above all to give HOPE to all of you who suffer from BP and other illnesses who think life is shit and over because of your illness. Finally it’s about speaking my truth and debunking taboos and stigmas.
