BiPolar is a label given as a short-hand to summarise a series of symptoms exhibited by an individual, whose mind seems to be troubled and behaviour full of distress. It is exhibited in episodes that cause the individual serious fear and anxiety and undermines the confidence to live and have a settled life in this world.

It is a heavy burden to bear because it affects the downward and upward cycle of life and psychosis must be fought on both sides of that spectrum.

The mind becomes ill due to unresolved conflict, distress and lack of understanding of the illness itself. The elements of this illness are frightening and we baulk at looking inside to analyse and confront our difficulties. The illness does have a physical aspect in that the mind manufactures or lacks chemicals which cause upset in the psyche of the person. This can be addressed using medication and there has been a focus on using medications to control the sufferer, which in itself can be manipulative and unhelpful. Medication is a small part of the help required, as behaviour is also part of the problem for the sufferer.

When we suffer Depression, which is very painful and can lead to grappling with unhelpful and negative thoughts and even to suicide. Anyone can suffer from Depression, and it can sometimes run in families where people can have predispositions to suffering this difficult illness. Sometimes we just learn to cope with it and wait for the episode to pass and blow out of effect.

Depression is so painful we can find ourselves reaching out to unhelpful remedies to keep it at bay. Sufferers gain comfort from a behaviour or a series of thought patterns, that cause further health problems in the long run. Sufferers can turn to illicit drugs including alcohol to try to stem the tide of the thoughts patterns that are causing pain. This is a short-term stop-gap remedy, which causes other health problems.

In the pursuit of avoidance of Depression one can discover the other side of the coin, that of Mania. BiPolar has these two elements and both have to be watched and fought with the right weapons. Using substances or other elevating habits, like buying things, are only short-term stopgaps that lead us into trouble in the long term. The power of being able to buy “Stuff” gives us short term relief from the negativity, but can have other detrimental effects on our lives and we find ourselves running up debts.

It seems to us better to be “Up” rather than “Down” but it is a dangerous state of mind. We think more highly of ourselves than we ought and get megalomaniac tendencies that can cause us to become bold to do risky things that we know are wrong, but seem to keep the depression at bay. We can become addicted to the chemicals that our brain is manufacturing and so we are led down another destructive road.

The sufferer must look out for the symptoms that lead to depression or mania as both these imposters bring on psychosis.

Psychosis is a very scary word, and no one wants to talk about it or acknowledge it, so we run away and never really face up to our dilemmas. The BiPolar sufferer must watch for it at both ends of the spectrum.  We must recognise when we are down and becoming depressed, and also recognise the ascendance of the psychosis of mania. We have to learn to avoid these fake states of mind and watch our attendant behaviour so that we do not seek comfort in the wrong things.

Paranoia shows itself in different forms and we also watch out for that thought process which will stop us from being with other people and stop us using and developing our gifts. Bipolar people have many gifts that attend the creativity. It is good therapy to use and develop these and use them to help ourselves; allow others to see us; and be of help to other people.

BiPolar has many positive aspects but these are hard to accept as the pain of the illness is so great. If we can face up to our difficulties and truly know ourselves, it is better for us. We can then fight with good weapons and be helped. Medication is only part of the problem, and we need to keep good relationships with other people.

The Bipolar brain is highly analytical, and this can be against us in that we examine everything in detail and assign meaning which may or may not be appropriate. Positively, we can use the analysis to understand our illness which takes fortitude and courage. It is good to have people to share this with, but this may not always be possible, so the sufferer is often side-lined and isolated. Support groups can be good and help to build our confidence to talk and share. We need to learn decorum and the appropriateness of sharing, as other people are scared and don’t perhaps want to know about this aspect of life. It can add to the growing isolation, and the sufferer needs bravery and patience and to seek good council.

BiPolar sufferers are good at analysis because their minds are so searching for meaning and purpose. We can all suffer from psychosis in our thought processes and therefore it is good that we are able to face our moods with boldness and fortitude and know what to say to our inner self when we find ourselves thinking along unhelpful lines. We must be able to judge what is good or bad and therefore we seek wisdom to know the difference. This is called insight. Insight comes from being able to face our thought processes and deal with them appropriately. Thought control is really important as it gives us control over what we find and allow ourselves to think about. Everyone can learn from the skills of BiPolar people. If they would only see through the stigma and the social rejection of sufferers from “normal” society.

Stigma is still alive and well and we reject it and fight to remain in the world with everyone else. We must understand the lack of understanding of other people and still bear with them in love. Some fall into the pit of bitterness, which is very destructive to the psyche.

BiPolar people who are able to deal with themselves are valuable and show high levels of all kinds of intelligence. Many well-known and famous people are sufferers, and many BiPolar people have done courageous and wonderful things for their peers and society at large. BiPolar sufferers are highly creative and good at solving problems, as this is the weapon they use to search out their own thought patterns and also to understand the thought processes of other people as well. To embrace the solitude of being BiPolar is an important step forward and to look to the right support is so helpful to us. To look for help from other people can be unhelpful, as they themselves do not understand the illness that the individual has to grapple with. If we can stand alone it gives greater resilience and greater confidence to step up and do things in life. As time progresses other people will adapt to you and get to know you. It is the same for everyone.

BiPolar can be thought of as a curse, but it can be turned around for good. There are support groups that help and sharing with fellow sufferers is also good, as the levels of acceptance are high. To enjoy quiet days and focus on what is at hand to do is a good way forward. The lack of sleep can be one of the most difficult aspects to address, and also the phase of too much sleep can also be unhelpful. To adapt to each season of our illness and know that bad things will pass.

It is so empowering if we can trust in our creator, God, to teach us and tutor us through the holy Word and find Him to be all we need. This is the same for everyone and is the way to life and peace. As we face our problems and dilemmas, so we gain faith in God and our confidence grows to face the rest of our life. I know that not everyone believes or wants this remedy, but it stands true for every human soul. God is able to sustain us when we are not able to even manage ourselves.

It is a three-fold bond. The understanding we have in ourselves, the support of positive people, and the gift of God in knowing Him and loving Him. This is the way of peace and a settled life.

Remember BiPolar is only a label and not a definition of us as people. We seek understanding that we might grow and be useful in this world, just like everyone else.