Bipolar Disorder and Relationships

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Social media sites and apps can provide necessary connections and offer entertainment; they can also enable isolation and masking stability while denying bipolar depression or mania. Social Media Status: Complicated I have a love/hate relationship with social media. On one hand, I’ve found plenty of old acquaintances and reconnected with them—even met for the first...

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Newness is exciting; boredom feels painful. It took a while for me to realize that boredom is a personal risk factor for depressive episodes. Not everyone understands this. As it turns out, there’s plenty of research regarding how learning new things influences your brain, including creating new connections between your neurons (neuroplasticity). This is, in...

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Given the widespread effects of “spring fever,” it’s not surprising that this season can push some of us with bipolar disorder toward the manic end of the mood spectrum. “Spring Fever” & Spontaneity There’s something ridiculously alluring and intoxicating about spring—with her tulips and daffodils and cherry blossoms, not to mention her festivals, fairs, and farmers’...

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What’s on your “must-watch” list? Any films or series featuring characters who live with bipolar? Check out these shows that keep pushing the conversation forward. Representation matters. The images, characters, and ideas we agree upon and share with each other can have a significant impact on how—or even whether—we relate to one another. Your next-door...

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I worried my bipolar diagnosis would hold me back professionally. In time, I learned that bipolar could propel me to better self-management and career success. Diagnosed & Doubting My Life Dreams When I was diagnosed with bipolar, years ago, I was working full-time and pursuing my graduate degree. It was my last semester of school,...

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Revealing your diagnosis in a relationship can be difficult and feel risky. I prioritize honesty and try to separate reactions from my self-worth. Romance & Revelations Starting a new romantic relationship is often an exciting time. Experiencing new feelings, stretching horizons, and learning about each other is often thrilling, with exciting dates, a longing to...

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When trying to repair relationships strained by bipolar, it’s important to stress how you are working on ways to avoid these behaviors. If video is not showing, click here Relationship Challenges with Bipolar For many people who live with bipolar disorder, undoing damage to relationships comes with complications. Oftentimes, this is because the symptoms associated...

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It starts with identifying our needs and communicating them clearly, so we can keep our mood stable and enjoy the festivities. We can create a holiday plan that serves us for years to come, starting now. Let’s focus on what we need and how we want to feel during every holiday season. It’s possible to...

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It’s not possible to “save” someone from a brain-based condition like bipolar, but there are many ways a partner can provide support and love. Romance to the Rescue? When some people look at a person with bipolar disorder, they may see the person as “broken” or “damaged.” You may not see yourself that way, but...

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My bipolar disorder diagnosis was used against me in my relationship. Here’s how I recognized the manipulation and escaped. Bipolar Diagnosis & Questioning My Perceptions Years ago, I experienced my first major depressive episode, which precipitated my bipolar diagnosis. I was terrified. I had so many questions swirling around in my head: Was I broken?...

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After two years of “too much,” I need some downtime. I am keeping it simple: enjoying blank spaces in my calendar and face time with my family. Craving “White Space” When I really couldn’t go anywhere, being home all the time became exhausting for me. Too much stimulation can drain my energy, but too little...

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Thriving with bipolar rests on developing positive, supportive connections, rather than dysfunctional ones. Here’s how to start. Patterns of Success & Failure When you’re as public as I am about living with bipolar, people tell you things. Personal things. Heartbreaking things. Inspiring things. They tell you about their most intimate struggles, hopes, traumas, failures, and...

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When the routine I relied on for years changed suddenly, I found myself with new questions—and opportunities—for how I really wanted to spend my days. Routines & Bipolar Disorder Everyone talks about how important routines are when you live with bipolar disorder. This is because routines often keep us away from unpleasant emotions, such as...

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A successful student newly diagnosed with bipolar, I was initially unprepared for the transition to college. Here’s what can help you prepare for this exciting next step. Tips for Transitioning to College Life As an incoming freshman, or first-year college student, I was entirely unprepared for the transition from high school to university life. I...

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Sometimes, the challenges of chronic mood disorders can seem to reduce the romance. Working together, we can seek stability and ease the strain on our relationships. Just as the common symptoms of bipolar may present differently among individuals, each person—and romantic relationship—is unique, too. What triggers mania in one person may not matter to another....

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Understanding, open communication, and embracing our challenges are key for true growth in an intimate relationship. Author Jodi Picoult once said, “You don’t love someone because they’re perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.” So true. Regardless of how much money someone has, or what they do for a living,...

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Behavior while undiagnosed led to bitterness and divorce, but those mistakes pointed the way to do things differently this time around. When I married for the first time at age 25, my bipolar disorder was still undiagnosed. For the whole of that short, turbulent marriage, I had no mood stabilizers to moderate my depressions and...

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Bipolar is part of my life, but it doesn’t ruin my life. In terms of personal relationships, things are good! I’d like the same for my work. Working Through & With Bipolar Disorder My message is one of hope and renewal: Bipolar may be part of your life, but it does not have to ruin...

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When mania resulted in hospitalization and a bipolar diagnosis, I struggled with my career, faith, parenting, and more. I wanted answers. But I needed a new purpose. New Struggles & Hard Realizations After Hospitalization for Bipolar I wasn’t diagnosed with bipolar disorder until I was 35 years old, in May 2006. I had struggled with...

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When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I felt ashamed and, most of all, alone. Joining bphope and finding a community has made a world of difference. Being Diagnosed with Bipolar & Feeling Trapped “You have bipolar disorder type one.” After receiving my first diagnosis of bipolar disorder from the psychiatrist at the treatment...