Just Because You're Bipolar, Doesn't Mean Your Different

by A.N.H.
(Carlinville, IL)

Having bipolar disorder does not mean you are different. It just means that you have a chemical imbalance and you might need medication to even your moods out.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type I when I was in eighth grade and although it has been a struggle for me, I am still standing strong as a freshman at a great college. A huge problem I had when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder is I didn’t think you could be diagnosed until you were at least 18. I was diagnosed when I was thirteen.

I take three different medications for my bipolar disorder, including Lithium, Topamax, and Geodon. I have been an entire different person since I started taking my lithium in 2005.

Another big problem that I faced when I was first diagnosed and that I still face today is that I don’t like taking medication, so I would stop taking them for a few days and then start it up again. I learned that it takes about a week for the pills to work effectively because they have to build up in your system. If you stop taking your pills then it can have dramatic effects on your behavior. When I stopped taking mine I had manic episodes. One minute I would be laughing and smiling and in the blink of an eye I would start bawling. Even after I started taking my pills again, I had manic episodes for about a week. This is because it really does take about a week to get the pills to build up in your system and come into full effect.

Another problem that I face today, is knowing when I am having an episode, depressed, or if I am ADHD. When I was four, I was diagnosed with ADHD, and then in eighth grade I was diagnosed with bipolar. There are two reasons my diagnosis was changed. The first is when you are four they can’t really say if you are having a manic episode, and the second reason is because ADHD and Bipolar have a lot of similar symptoms. One main thing that I have learned in having bipolar is that you can have other disorders along with bipolar. For example, I have bipolar disorder and an anxiety disorder. Although the two are very similar, my anxiety affects me a lot differently then my bipolar does.

Although I have bipolar disorder, I am still able to do everyday things. I still go to school, I am one of the starting pitchers for my college softball team, I like to sing and write, I did cheerleading and poms in high school and I am proud to have bipolar disorder because it makes me who I am.