Tag: mental health stigma

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Bipolar Hijinks and the Mystery of the Brain

A person with type 2 bipolar disorder struggles with a lot more depressive and hypomanic episodes.

Introduction

Despite the roaring fascination in the mood/personality disorder department, there is a lot of misinterpretation in what these things actually are. Although looking at articles by experts may yield some ideas about what these disorders are, you can’t truly understand them unless you have them. Even then, having the said disorder won’t magically make everything understandable. Dear readers, as you can guess, the person writing this has bipolar 2 disorder, and I don’t understand anything either.

In the beginning, it feels like the changing of the seasons. Though seemingly natural, it can be devastating, especially if the people around you just assume it’s your personality quirk without understanding the underlying struggles. Yet eventually it turns ugly; the older you get, the worse it becomes. Either the dam breaks, an ultimatum is issued, or forced interference is needed. The diagnosis follows soon after. The discovery of a name that labels what you have opens doors that were never perceived until now. You have it. You are Bipolar. Memories of Reddit stories, books, TV shows, and movies hit you with various media interpretations of this illness. What now? Were you truly a monster all along? As time passes, you accept it, understand it, and live with it. Finally, after all these years, you find out why you are this way! Only to discover that the journey has only begun.

Before the Discovery

I believe that a good chunk of uncommon mental disorders is more common than you think. Psychology is still considered a new form of science, and a lot of stigma comes with it, specifically related to mental health challenges. Many live their lives unaware of what is happening on the inside, with only the assumption that what they are going through is normal. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule from the 1990s not only applied to the military but also reflects the attitudes of many people who are less accepting of mental illness. In my experience, growing up in Thailand, there aren’t many resources to help with diagnosis or therapy. Navigating through the world with bipolar is rough. Navigating it with no medication is torture. Though many may point out patterns, denying that something is wrong can be crippling. The thing that finally convinced me to go to a psychiatrist was after I left Thailand for Europe. The breaking point for me was buying 200 euros’ worth of Uber Eats in a single night and not eating any of it. It wasn’t my worst maniac-spending issue, but the straw that broke the camel’s back.

The Discovery and Looking Back

In most cases, you never really understand what is going on in your head, and when you finally get that diagnosis, the world switches lenses. Sure, the pills and such can be overwhelming, but what I think is the most spiraling notion of getting the diagnosis is comparing your experience with others, wondering if other people you once knew might be like you. It can be isolating. Internet forums and memes on your situation may help alleviate pressure for a bit, but it’s just like having a bag of potato chips for dinner. Never fulfilling. Some turn bipolarity into their entire personality, and some hide the fact that they have bipolar disorder, whilst others embrace it and live a relatively normal life. Yet, the fact that the media depictions of bipolar disorder can be extreme and misinformed can truly scare others when faced with the fact that they have bipolar disorder.

Bipolarity and Beyond

So, you have a bipolar disorder, what now? The pills keep the bipolarity at bay whilst slowly unravelling your mind with the therapist, which is productive and highly recommended. A cure is not going to be possible for a while, and yet the trouble is far from over. Anti-psychotics and the like alter the mind and body for better or for worse, and yet not taking them leads to a lot of grief. Though despair of being reliant on medication for the next few years and beyond, this is when the most important part comes in, i.e., balance. Are you gaining weight due to the pills? Check with your doctor and see if your thyroid is OK. Every action has its equal and opposite reaction. It’s a balancing act of the body and mind! You don’t have to exercise excessively or diet your life away. Eventually, you’ll be OK.

Conclusion

Though it is a messy road ahead, I believe in you! It is hard, it is exhausting, and you may end up spending 4K on a trip to Disneyland due to forgetting to take your pills. It gets better. From the beginning, where the only thing you get are clues and rough context, to the diagnosis and beyond, learning that you are undoing what you were taught by the media and beyond, you are doing great. Just remember that if your body is getting wonky due to the pills, check with your doctor and see if they can help you get back on your feet again!

I have bipolar type 2. I struggled with it for many, many years, and I wanted to show that the readers are not alone in this. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by recurring episodes of major depression and hypomania, which is a milder form of mania that doesn’t typically result in significant functional impairment. In contrast, Bipolar I disorder involves more severe manic episodes lasting at least seven days, often requiring hospitalization. While individuals with Bipolar I may experience these extreme highs and lows, those with Bipolar II spend more time in depressive episodes overall. The mood swings in Bipolar II tend to be less intense but can still severely impact daily life. Understanding these differences is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment.

References

Bonnín, C. del M., Reinares, M., Martínez-Arán, A., Jiménez, E., Sánchez-Moreno, J., Solé, B., Montejo, L., & Vieta, E. (2019). Improving functioning, quality of life, and well-being in patients with bipolar disorder. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 22(8), 467–477. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyz018 ‌

de Filippis, R., Menculini, G., D’Angelo, M., Carbone, E. A., Tortorella, A., De Fazio, P., & Steardo, L., Jr (2022). Internalized-stigma and dissociative experiences in bipolar disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 953621. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.953621  

Favre, S., & Richard-Lepouriel, H. (2023). Self-stigma and bipolar disorder: A systematic review and best-evidence synthesis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 335, 273–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.05.041

Latifian, M., Abdi, K., Raheb, G., Islam, S. M. S., & Alikhani, R. (2023). Stigma in people living with bipolar disorder and their families: A systematic review. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, 11(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40345-023-00290-y

Perich, T., Mitchell, P. B., & Vilus, B. (2022). Stigma in bipolar disorder: A current review of the literature. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 56(9), 1060–1064. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674221080708  

Author Bio

Morgane Mahler is an artist who has lived with Bipolar 2 her entire life. She spent her years in Thailand, struggling with the illness, and finally got diagnosed when she moved to Europe, where psychological care is more open.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.

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Men’s Mental Health: The Silence We Grow Up With

Men and Women's Mental Health

Introduction

Men are taught very early in life to “be strong.” Not strong in the sense of being emotionally aware, but strong in the sense of staying silent. In India, we grow up hearing things like “लड़के रोते नहीं हैं (boys don’t cry),” “be a man,“ or “handle it yourself.“ Over time, this doesn’t just become advice; it becomes conditioning. We stop expressing, stop sharing, and slowly stop understanding our own emotions. Men’s mental health in India is not ignored because it doesn’t exist. It’s ignored because it is never spoken about, not at home, not in schools, not even among close friends. That silence comes at a cost.

The problem is not that men don’t feel. The problem is that men are not allowed to feel openly. From a young age, vulnerability is often seen as weakness. A boy who cries is told to toughen up. A man who opens up is often dismissed or joked about. Over time, men learn to suppress instead of express. This suppression shows up in different ways — anger, frustration, withdrawal, or complete emotional numbness. Many men don’t even realize they are struggling because they have never been taught how to identify what they feel.

In a country where responsibilities often come early, to earn, to provide, to “be the man of the house“, the emotional burden increases, but the support system does not. Since conversations around mental health are still limited, especially for men, most choose silence over vulnerability.

Why Men Struggle to Open Up

One of the biggest reasons is conditioning. From childhood, boys are taught to solve problems, not to talk about them. Emotional expression is rarely encouraged. Over time, this builds a habit of internalizing everything. Another factor is fear of judgment. Many men feel that opening up might make them look weak, incapable, or less respected, especially in front of family or peers. Even in friendships, conversations often stay on the surface. There is bonding, but not always emotional depth. So when things get heavy, many men simply don’t know where to go.

How This Silence Affects Men

When emotions are constantly suppressed, they don’t disappear. Instead, they accumulate. This often leads to stress, anxiety, anger issues, or burnout. In some cases, it affects relationships, work performance, and overall well-being. Many men end up dealing with everything alone, which can make problems feel much heavier than they actually are. The lack of safe spaces to talk also leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as avoiding conversations, isolating oneself, or distracting with work or habits instead of addressing the root issue.

Changing the Narrative: Small but Important Steps

Change doesn’t need to start at a large scale. It can start with small, honest conversations. It starts with normalizing the idea that men can talk about their feelings without being judged. That checking in on a friend is not “extra“, it’s necessary. Families can play a big role by allowing boys and men to express themselves without immediately correcting or dismissing them. Even among friends, creating a space where it’s okay to say “I’m not okay“ can make a huge difference. Most importantly, understanding that asking for help is not a weakness; it’s awareness.

Conclusion

Men’s mental health in India is not a new issue. However, it’s an unspoken one. For years, silence has been passed down as strength. But real strength lies in expression, in understanding, and in being honest about what we feel. If we want things to change, the conversation needs to start in our homes, in our friendships, and within ourselves, because staying silent might feel easier, but it is never healthier.

I chose to write about this topic because I have personally seen how men around me, i.e., friends, family, even myself at times, hesitate to talk about what we feel. It’s not that the emotions are not there, it’s just that we don’t grow up learning how to express them. Most of us deal with things silently, thinking that’s what strength looks like. I believe this needs to change, and even starting a small conversation around it can make a difference.

References

Camacho-Ruiz, J. A., Galvez-Sánchez, C. M., & Limiñana-Gras, R. M. (2026). A narrative review of men’s mental health: The role of stigma and Ggender-differentiated socialization. Behavioral Sciences, 16(2), 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16020262

Meghrajani, V. R., Marathe, M., Sharma, R., Potdukhe, A., Wanjari, M. B., & Taksande, A. B. (2023). A comprehensive analysis of mental health problems in India and the role of mental asylums. Cureus, 15(7), e42559. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.42559

Murthy R. S. (2017). National mental health survey of India 2015-2016. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(1), 21–26. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_102_17

India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Mental Disorders Collaborators (2020). The burden of mental disorders across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017. The Lancet, Psychiatry, 7(2), 148–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30475-4

World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: Global health estimates. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/6bab42bc-df0f-4f68-a86d-28ebedb85e42/content

Author Bio

Vansh Raj is an operations and customer experience professional currently working with Zostel, India’s largest chain of backpacker hostels. With hands-on experience across 100+ properties, he specializes in solving real-world operational challenges and improving customer journeys. Alongside his professional work, he is deeply interested in human behavior, experiences, and conversations that often go unheard.

 

Published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for mental health awareness with editorial review.