by developer | Sep 3, 2024 | My Story
After a decade of stability, I recently had an incident where I relapsed and had a manic episode this year in June 2024. This was the point where I decided I needed to share my story. This incident gave me flashback from my episodes in 2014, and how I handled the situation made me more aware of all the warning signs that I was going into mania. Although it was still challenging, knowing what to look for made a significant difference in how I navigated through it. I now have a deeper understanding of my triggers and the importance of staying vigilant about my mental health. I want to be open and honest abut my experience with bipolar disorder, in hopes that others facing similar challenges can possibly learn from my mistakes and know they are not alone. By breaking the silence around mental health, I hope to encourage more open conversations and support those who are struggling to seek the help they need.
by developer | Sep 3, 2024 | My Story
Hi, my name is Heather Gandhi. I am 32 years old and grew up in Huntington Beach, California. Growing up I always had a love of sports and learning. In 2014, I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 during my senior year of college. With this disorder, came some setbacks. I didn’t graduate college on time, and I faced legal problems due to my mania. Today, I am healthy, happy, and successful. I’m blessed to have my husband and family, who have been my constant sources of strength. I’ve been able to manage my mental illness, and continue to reach the goals I set. Right now, I am a Senior Project Accountant and also an Author! I’ve always wanted to be an author, and I knew after everything that happened to me I wanted to write about my bipolar journey. If you want to hear more about my bipolar journey, try reading my book “Bouncing Back from Bipolar”
by developer | Aug 29, 2024 | My Story
Last night, I couldn’t fall asleep. This is an ongoing problem I have due to my bipolar disorder. I get this random spark of energy at night, instead of winding down like post people do before bed. Since I suffer from mania more than depression, I get racing thoughts that make it hard for me to fall asleep. I think about basically anything and everything. Like this time for example, I was thinking about what I was going to share during my DBSA meeting today. I couldn’t get over the fact that I went through so much trauma during my manic episode abroad, which I go into more detail during my book “Bouncing Back from Bipolar”. Past experiences can have a lasting impact on our mental and/or physical health. We don’t always have control over when and why they happen, but it is important to take steps forward to heal from the traumatic event or relationship. It is important to learn how to cope, but everyone handles their recovery from trauma differently. I’ve realized that my motto lately has been “focus on the good”. I won’t pretend the event didn’t happen, but I will always try to focus on the good and positive things that came from that experience.
by developer | Aug 26, 2024 | My Story
Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem IpsuIt had been a very long time since I had been to a support group, I hadn’t gone to one in years because I had been able to maintain my mental health. But after my relapse I felt it would be good to go to a support group to share my recent struggle and hear what others are going through as well. I decided to go to a Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) meeting. It really opened my eyes to what other people with mental health problems go through. The room was filled with individuals from all walks of life, each carrying their own unique stories of living with mental illness. Some people struggled with depression, and some with bipolar but it was interesting to hear each person’s struggle and then provide feedback if they wanted it. This gave everyone a chance to share, to be vulnerable, and to actively seek support in hope to better manage their mental health. After the meeting, I felt this was a powerful reminder that by sharing our stories, we can learn from each other’s experiences, find strength in our shared humanity, and inspire one another to keep moving forward.
by developer | Aug 10, 2024 | My Story
After a decade of stability, I recently had an incident where I relapsed and had a manic episode this year in June 2024. This was the point where I decided I needed to share my story. This incident gave me flashback from my episodes in 2014, and how I handled the situation made me more aware of all the warning signs that I was going into mania. Although it was still challenging, knowing what to look for made a significant difference in how I navigated through it. I now have a deeper understanding of my triggers and the importance of staying vigilant about my mental health. I want to be open and honest abut my experience with bipolar disorder, in hopes that others facing similar challenges can possibly learn from my mistakes and know they are not alone. By breaking the silence around mental health, I hope to encourage more open conversations and support those who are struggling to seek the help they need.