Bipolar
-
2020, balancing good v. bad in the new year
As the new year opens, I struggle to balance immense optimism and gratitude with the horror taking place in the world.
-
flipping the statistic
"Everything is still possible. You can have any kind of life you strive for. Bipolar disorder is a health condition that can be managed with medication and treatment. This is not the end. It is still the beginning of your story."
-
When your boss has unrealistic expectations, but the boss is you.
In late July, I set a goal for myself that I would finish the remaining 6 chapters of my memoir manuscript in the month of August. Reason? I had put it off enough, I told myself. I started out with the goal of writing this book in late January, wanting to get a full manuscript done in 3 months so I can go back to working a normal job. I hadn’t imagined that my freelance writing would take off and find an audience. I didn’t expect to find myself with more projects than I can manage. I feel extremely grateful, more professionally fulfilled than ever before. But between the speaking…
-
Courage is not the absence of fear
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt Over four months have passed since I began writing and talking about my mental health condition opening. Still, fear creeps in every day, haunting me. Mostly, I’m fearful about how my…
-
guilt, shame, and stereotypes
“...you can't advocate for yourself if you won't admit what you are.” -Lindy West
-
Dear Potential Employers
Unfortunately, I soon found myself mysteriously passed over for jobs for which I was well-qualified. Repeatedly ghosted on opportunities where the recruiter initially sought me out, for which my skills and experience seemed perfectly aligned. Hiring managers were suddenly silent after successful rounds of interviews and much momentum.
- Bipolar, Career, Feminism, Happiness, Health, Parenthood, psychosis, Race and Culture, Uncategorized
My first podcast interview is live!
Listen here! How High Achievers Can Mask Mental Health Issues (s3e07) Michelle Yang was a very successful teenager on paper. Michelle was outgoing, earned excellent grades, and worked hard at her immigrant family’s small restaurant. Her constant battle with depression, anxiety and insomnia was less obvious to the world. The stigma against mental health conditions, especially within her family, prevented her from accessing proper help for years. Finally, while studying abroad during college, she suffered from a serious episode that led to her being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Michelle now wants to break that stigma and encourage others by sharing her own story of how a successful career, a happy…
-
12 things I do for everyday wellness
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years living with bipolar disorder, it’s that everyone’s different in how we struggle and cope. Every person responds to medications differently and can have greatly varied symptoms. As a peer living with bipolar disorder (I’m not a professional), here are some things that have helped me find everyday wellness: Seek treatment. See medical providers. Is it a psychiatrist for medication, therapist, or just a primary healthcare doctor? Often a team is needed, but however you feel supported, it is so important to seek ongoing care. I’ve learned this the hard way. If I neglect making appointments when I’m well and busy,…
-
Before Me
-
A friendship lost
A few years ago, I lost one of my best friends. C* and I met in grad school and we were inseparable. When my ex cheated on me and I broke it off with him, she picked me up off the floor. When she and her boyfriend ended things, she was inconsolable. She moved in with me until she found her own place. I made sure she ate and was there for her the same way she was for me during my heartbreak. C was by my side as a bridesmaid when I got married. She was the gracious host of my baby shower. Then my pregnancy, though closely monitored…
