# Diagnosed with Bipolar



## David Baxter PhD (May 31, 2017)

*Dear Me, It?s You: I Hear We?ve Been Diagnosed with Bipolar*
By Rebecca Lombardo, _NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness_
May 17, 2017

Dear Me,

  I know you?ve been through a lot in the short amount of time you?ve  been on this earth. I know you?re keeping secrets and I know you?re  scared and confused. It?s okay for you to feel that way. It?s okay to  have a bad day or even many bad days. You?re allowed. And please know  that I?m not trying to scare you when I say that you?re going to have _a lot_ of bad days.

  Unfortunately, what they?ve just diagnosed you with isn?t going to go  away and it?s not just some phase. You have a disease?kind of like how  diabetes is a disease. It?s just that yours is a disease of the mind,  and it?s often highly unpredictable.

  You have bipolar disorder. I guess that explains a lot.

  You?ll have to deal with this for the rest of your life, and I need  you not to panic. You have a lot of work to do. You?re about to attempt  to win a battle inside your brain every single day for the rest of your  life. Sometimes, all you?ll be able to do is sleep and sometimes you  won?t sleep for days. You?ll see doctor after doctor and try what will  seem like 1,000 medications, but in between all of that, there will be  good times. *Your life is not over?it?s just beginning*.

  There are millions of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It  seems like nearly every day a celebrity comes forward to admit that they  have struggled with it, just to let us know we can still achieve  greatness. You _can_ and _will_ get through this with grace and dignity, even if you stumble a bit at first trying to find your path. 

The worst part about being diagnosed with a mental health condition is the ignorance and *stigma you?ll face*  daily. There will be people who will walk out of your life or treat you  like trash because you have a disease of the mind. A disease you didn?t  ask for or contract doing something unsafe or illegal?it?s just how  your brain is wired. But some people may never understand that or even  believe it, no matter how hard you try to explain it.

*Don?t let their ignorance tear you down*. You have  enough work to do just fighting the negative voices in your head. You  will struggle, there is no question about that. Unfortunately, at times  the pain will seem unbearable, and it will get to you no matter how  steady you think you are. That is when it is the easiest to give up, but  you can?t do that. Not now. Not ever.

  Please, whatever you do, don?t hurt yourself in any way. You may feel alone at times, but *you are never truly alone in this fight*. There is always a light around the corner. There is always tomorrow.

  Despite your struggles, there will be moments where you shine. And in  time, when you?re more self-aware, your bad days will only amplify the  good. You?ll learn to appreciate those moments even more because you  fought to get there. I promise you: *You can do this*.

  You won?t have all the answers all the time, but in time, you will  learn what works for you and what doesn?t. It will be a struggle, but if  you weren?t a fighter, you wouldn?t be here now. I?ll be here waiting.

  Sincerely,

  You

_Rebecca Lombardo is 44 years old and has been happily married for  15 years. She lives in Michigan with her husband and cats. She is a  published author, a Huffington Post blogger, contributor for The Mighty,  and a podcast host. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age  of 19. She has battled that as well as several other conditions for over  20 years. In 2013, she attempted suicide. Grateful that she survived,  she decided to tell her story in the hopes that she could help others  choose a different path._


----------

