Bi-Polar Awareness Day

Because we are not monsters

So today I found out on Facebook that it's Bi-Polar awareness day. There is an obvious stigma that those with Bi-Polar depression are crazy or lunatics. I wanted to post something on Facebook in honor of today but I felt too... embarrassed with the thought of everyone I know learning of my mood disorder. But I decided to make a post anyway. It was nerve wracking but it really shouldn't be. People with this disorder are not monsters or sociopaths. Often times, some of the most creative people have this form of depression and one them was the late Vincent Van Goh. The picture above is so captivating that I wonder what type of mood he was in when he got the inspiration for it. It seems to capture what the disorder feels like. The inky blackness of the depression, the swirling pale yellows of mania/hypomania. It's brilliant. If you or a loved one are dealing with or think you may be dealing with Bi-Polar depression, please reach out and seek help. There any many resources available, one of them being the Mayo Clinic's website where you'll find out about what it is, what causes it and some advice on what to do if you think you have it.

Please don't stay silent about what you're going through. Even if it isn't Bi-Polar depression, it is still valid and you deserve some help. You are no less of who God made you to be  because of your mental state. Reach out. Speak out. Be encouraged or encourage someone else in your life to tear down stigma by raising awareness. Because we are not monsters.