Living with Bipolar Disorder

Hi, I’m happy_sunshine. I’m 30 and currently working as a Senior Executive at a private university.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 about 6 years ago.

Living with Bipolar is not easy. The side effects that come along with it impact me greatly too. I have gained 30kg in the six years since being diagnosed with Bipolar. I not only face problems maintaining a balanced Body Mass Index (BMI). At times, my hands start to tremble too and I feel constant fatigue due to the drugs I’m on. However, I have come to learn to embrace these effects and not be too hard on myself.

My condition also affects my work and social life. Keeping a job for long is especially difficult. I would need to be hospitalised for a month whenever I face a relapse and that has caused me to lose my job on several occasions. However, from these tough experiences, I have learnt and managed to handle my stress better at work.

It is no secret that I also face a fair share of stigma from society. There was a job interview I attended where I declared my condition. I felt the interview went downhill from there. What made things worse was the interviewer telling me that I was not suited for office jobs because I would not be able to handle the stress. That incident has caused me to think twice about whom I should share my condition with.

I was encouraged to eventually seek help because I was motivated to lead a normal life. My Case Manager at the Institute of Mental Health has been very encouraging towards me. She has not only helped me but others as well.

People should know that individuals with mental health conditions are just like anyone else. We function normally but just like anyone else with an illness, we do have our days where we feel a little down.