Successful and mentally ill aren’t mutually exclusive.
Hi, my name is Adriana Miron. I started university at 16, graduated with a CGPA of 3.5 and have achieved enormous success as a regional marketing manager for Microsoft.
I’ve also been recently diagnosed with Bipolar Type 2, and have been on antidepressants since age 13. This is my story.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
There’s a lot of discussion around the exact cause of bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. What we do know for certain is that it everyone is affected by it in a unique way.

I’d usually cycle between both of these states every 3 to 4 days:
- The hypomania: This is mania without the psychosis that occurs in a full-blown episode. Many people have the misconception that hypomania is a “milder” form of bipolar, but this is not the case.
My experience with it is being extremely irritable, full of energy and taking on many projects at once.
At work I’d become an over-performer (I remember I once finished what was supposed to be a week-long project in a day) and this is where I’d be the most creative, albeit perfectionist.
- The depression: This your typical can’t-get-out-of-bed depression. I experience it as having very low energy, panic attacks and no motivation to do even the most basic things like eating or taking a shower.
Although debilitating, these periods taught me self-discipline, teamwork, as well as how to take better care of myself (through diet, exercise and good sleeping patterns).
My mental illness has helped me achieve success.
According to recent studies, and as published in Psychology Today, there’s a strong link between creativity and bipolar disorder.
One of the theories states the following:
During periods of mild depression people with bipolar disorder and creative people may be able to retreat inside themselves, introspect, put thoughts and feelings into perspective, eliminate irrelevant ideas, and focus on the bare essentials. Then during periods of mild elation they may be able to gather the vision, confidence, and stamina for creative expression and realization.
The truth is, although bipolar happens comorbidly with many other illnesses (in my case PTSD), not everything is negative. You just need to learn how to leverage your weaknesses and work them to your advantage.
How have I changed?
I’ve become more intune with my emotions and therefore I have more empathy, which I feel has made me a better mentor and teammate.
I’ve definitely become stronger, more disciplined and have clear objectives set for myself. I’ve become passionate about inspiring other people to be successful and to end the stigma.
There is hope, and with proper therapy and medication life gets much better. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental disease, speak up, stand up and ask for help.
Having an invisible illness doesn’t dictate a life of failure. Your decisions do, so make the best of it.

