Bipolar disorder
is not a mood swing.
It’s not a bad day,
or a temper tantrum,
or being “a little dramatic.”
It’s a real—
often lifelong—
mental health condition
that shapes the rhythm of a person’s life:
their mood,
their energy,
their ability
to function
day by day,
moment by moment.
It isn’t about being “moody.”
It’s about riding emotional currents
so powerful,
they can drown you—
or make you feel
like you’re walking on water.
It’s not a choice.
It’s not a vibe.
It’s not something you can just
snap out of.
Two Faces of the Storm
Mania.
Or Hypomania.
Energy.
Racing thoughts.
No sleep.
Big ideas.
Fast talking.
Unshakable confidence
—or razor-edge irritation.
Hypomania
can look like brilliance.
Like someone is
“on a roll,”
“in their zone,”
“on fire.”
But even fire
burns through oxygen
if it’s not contained.
Left untreated,
even hypomania
can tip into depression—
and no one sees it coming
until the fall.
Mania
is louder.
Wilder.
More dangerous.
It can sweep someone into
grandiosity,
risky decisions,
even delusion.
Sometimes,
it breaks reality itself.
Sometimes,
it ends in hospitalization.
Because the body can’t take it.
The mind can’t hold it.
And the consequences
aren’t always reversible.
And Then—Depression
This isn’t just sadness.
It’s not the blues.
It’s not “feeling off.”
It’s a fog.
A weight.
A collapse
from the inside out.
It makes the smallest things feel
impossible—
getting out of bed,
brushing your teeth,
returning a text,
believing
you matter.
It drains color from joy.
Turns silence into shame.
And for some—
it brings thoughts too dark to say aloud.
None of these shifts are chosen.
None of them are
a character flaw.
And no—
you can’t “just stop.”
Like any condition of the body,
bipolar disorder
requires care.
Therapy.
Medication.
Support.
Or all three.
Because healing isn’t one thing.
It’s a constellation.
Why Language Matters
Words carry weight.
And when we say,
“Ugh, this weather is so bipolar,”
or
“She’s acting totally bipolar today”—
we might not mean harm.
But the harm still lands.
That kind of language:
👉 Diminishes the reality of those who live with it
👉 Reinforces stigma
👉 Stops people from asking for help
It turns a diagnosis
into a punchline.
A survival story
into a casual insult.
And if we want mental health
to be taken seriously—
we have to start
with how we speak.
With respect.
With care.
With a willingness to unlearn
what we once thought was harmless.
Living With Bipolar Disorder
It’s not a phase.
It doesn’t fade
when the sun comes back out.
But with the right tools,
and real support,
people live.
Really live.
There are hard days.
Yes.
But there’s also joy.
Strength.
Creativity.
Connection.
There are moments
of deep, brilliant light.
That’s why empathy matters.
Because the more we understand,
the more we soften.
The more we listen,
the safer it becomes
for someone else
to tell the truth
about what they’re living through.
So maybe,
next time you hear someone
use “bipolar”
to describe something unpredictable,
you pause.
Maybe you gently offer
a different word.
A better one.
And if you’ve said it before—
no shame.
We’re all learning.
What matters
is the willingness
to grow.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Does any of this resonate with you—or remind you of someone you care about?
#MentalHealthMatters #BipolarAwareness #EndTheStigma #WordsMatter
J.N. Rose 