Mental Health Awareness

Bipolar disorder is a treatable medical condition that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. People living with bipolar disorder experience periods of unusually intense emotion — manic episodes (very up, elevated, energized) and depressive episodes (very down, sad, hopeless) — along with stretches of more typical mood in between.

For many people, including Ryan, the illness is intertwined with substance use. Self-medication with alcohol or drugs is common, in part because the highs and lows of untreated bipolar disorder are so painful and so disorienting. Treating the addiction without also treating the underlying mood disorder rarely works.

Bipolar disorder is treatable. Recovery typically involves a combination of therapy, the right medications carefully managed over time, sleep and lifestyle support, and the steady presence of family and friends. It is not a character flaw, and it is not something a person can simply “snap out of.” Asking for help is not weakness — it is one of the bravest things a person can do.

We will always wonder what might have been if Ryan had received the integrated care he deserved. We share this so other families know to ask for it.

Signs to watch for

• Long periods of feeling sad, empty, or hopeless
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Periods of unusually high energy, racing thoughts, little need for sleep, risky behavior
• Withdrawal from family and close friends
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Talk of being a burden, of hopelessness, or of dying

Where to learn more

• NAMI — Bipolar Disorder
• National Institute of Mental Health — Bipolar Disorder
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)