Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

Depression and depressed mood are major problems for many people, and the material we’re going to get into today will be sensitive in nature. If things start to feel uncomfortable, feel free to skip around or turn it off altogether. As with all of the episodes in this series, please remember that bipolar disorder is best diagnosed by a trained mental health professional.

In this episode, we'll talk about that B-word (Bipolar Disorder).

We believe that people with Mental Health Issues should take some time. Take some time to work through what that might mean for you. Talk to people. Talk to people that you really trust. And be kind to yourself. Because diagnosis is a big thing and I think that the more that you get to know yourself better, the more you get to understand what the condition means, in terms of the symptoms, but also what it means for you.

It will mean that you might have to grieve your old life and that you’ll have to leave it in some form. So the partying and the spending and all that kind of thing will almost certainly need to disappear from your life. Because what’s really important is about managing it for yourself. When you’re first diagnosed, you will rely on a lot of other people. But there has to come a point where you have to take responsibility for yourself. That’s some way down the line. But you need to manage your medication. You need to take care of you. You need to explain the change in the situation to friends and to loved ones. You need to manage the things that trigger you. You need to find out what they are in the first place, but then how you are going to minimise them, in a way that allows you to live a more balanced life and to prevent relapse in the future.

Directed By: Bhavyta Anand (Maunitva Nirakarn)

Written by: Sakshi Thakur and Shagun Sharma

Edited By: Archit and Nishat

Speaker: Archit and Iraa

Guest Appearance: Nishat

Knowledge and Awareness Partner: Maunitva Nirakarn