You Are Not Your Bipolar Symptoms

How getting a diagnosis helps you discover who you really are

Last summer, I was diagnosed with bipolar. It was a revelation in terms of my sense of self.

I learned that the things we do with bipolar at the wheel is not our personality and it’s been incredibly freeing.

But having that awareness doesn’t necessarily make it easier to suss out the difference between bipolar symptoms and the “real” me.

When you’ve been living for so long with the belief that your past behavior has been who you are, it’s difficult to un-believe.

It’s confusing. It’s wild.

Your reality and understanding of who you are have been turned on their head.

You have to get to know yourself again.

Whenever I notice my negative thoughts or recall memories that I’ve been ashamed of, have felt guilty about or humiliated by, I try to remember to consider that it was probably me with bipolar rearing its ugly head.

I know I never mean ill will, that I’m considerate of other people and that the things I feel bad about were and are not me.

Those instances and behaviors were likely bipolar symptoms.