In a world where people constantly battle with the stigma of mental illness, it can be a terrifying decision to discuss these things with a doctor, but the potential to elevate a person’s life and help them to gain control is well worth it.

The reality is that bipolar disorder, much like any condition, is not a flaw in a person, but rather a peculiarity in the human system that can be addressed and worked with in order to manage it in a way that helps them to best interact with the systems already in place. Plenty of famous actors, artists, writers, and scientists lived fulfilling lives with this condition and even used it to gain a unique insight into things that other people simply could not have.

However, more importantly, plenty of people are living their lives every single day and have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and while it might not always be easy, it does not stop them from living their best lives. The reality simply is that understanding and accommodation are the keys to mitigating the potential downsides of disorders like this, and as time continues to pass, scientists and doctors are only getting better at understanding the tools that people with bipolar disorder might need to live better lives.

A diagnosis is not a sentence, but rather the first step in understanding who a person is and what they might need to live their lives on their terms.