A son living with bipolar disorder and his father each reflect on the hard-earned lessons that helped them move forward together. Editor’s note: Navigating a severe mental health diagnosis is rarely a solitary journey; it’s a complex, shared reality for the person living with the condition and those who love them. In this dual reflection,...

Learn why shifting from hostility to kindness helps manage the emotional outbursts of bipolar disorder. Learning to speak kindly was a valuable lesson that I learned the hard way, and I’ll never forget how it happened. What I Learned From an Angry Outburst One day, I was in a bookstore and started walking down an...

A bipolar disorder diagnosis once felt shattering. Learning to honor the cracks helped me redefine strength, purpose, and wholeness. I still remember the moment, more than two decades ago, when I picked up a mental health magazine in my psychiatrist’s sterile office: white walls, a battered couch, and a coffee table scattered with old, mismatched...

A candid account of bipolar psychosis, from hallucinations and delusions to the emotional aftermath of diagnosis. Very few people admit to having a psychotic break because they fear others will judge them harshly and see them as unpredictable and dangerous. This looming stigma caused me great fear, and it took me years to talk openly...

Understanding why bipolar disorder symptoms can make it so difficult to recognize when you need mental health help. Looking back on my experience with bipolar disorder, I never realized my emotional state and behavior were being driven by brain-based changes and neurobiology rather than just who I was as a person. I had never heard...