Your Mental Illness Is Not a Definition of Who You Are

Mental Health challenges look different for all, but they are the bond that can bring people closer together through empathy and inclusion.

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So, You Got Diagnosed with a Mental Illness; Now what?

Your future's full of uncertainty, you are scared, and your Google searches are scaring you even more; you are petrified.

I know how you feel because I‘ve been there, and even though I don’t have all the answers you deserve, I can offer you a feel-good space to pump you up when you are feeling down and to remind you that this too shall pass – one way or another, you’ll make it through. 

Our lives will perhaps feel full of uncertainty most of the time. Still, the right amount of support, camaraderie, and empathy will make a massive impact on how we cope with our mental illness diagnosis and mental health struggles. 

I created Bipolar Empath to give myself and others a feel-good space that offers motivational content. It is my place for showing up as my authentic self with my raw and unfiltered stories on Mental Illness and how getting diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder forced me to restructure my plans and professional goals.

Before being diagnosed, I was experiencing signs that I ignored, like:

  • Taking on challenge after challenge and also,

  • Going for days without sleep

  • Experiencing outbursts of energy and being in a euphoric and effusive state for weeks and sometimes months.

  • Making bad decisions (gambling, cheating, overspending)

  • Having no energy left for any physical or mental task afterwards

  • Being labelled as extreme

after being diagnosed, things shifted drastically, and I started feeling:

  • Desperate trying to find the right drug cocktail. 

  • I worried that I would be labelled as lazy because my medications were knocking me down.

  • Meaningless, I didn’t want to do anything.

  • Hopeless and lonely, like no treatment or support would make a difference in my life. 

  • Insecure when articulating my needs; I would downplay them

  • Broken and in need to hide my reality

  • Stressed and insecure about having to return to work while still feeling unstable 

  • Judgemental of myself and my situation

No matter what stage you are at in your mental health journey, we have a lot in common.

You can find encouragement and motivation in Bipolar Empath to help you navigate it.

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Everything I had once dreamed of and thought would determine my success in life vanished. Still, the struggles I faced in my mental illness diagnosis journey transformed me by giving me a higher purpose in life, and I am not afraid to share my story to fulfill that purpose. 

I wake up every day searching for ways to use my voice to support others as they struggle in their day-to-day and work environments with a mental illness or mental health challenge.

Bipolar Empath is my biggest project, and through it, I am contributing to a future where mental illnesses don't define a person's worth or abilities in life and the workplace. 

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I am showing up for the ones who are not ready to speak up for themselves – yet.

My name is Shak, and I am a Bipolar Empath who advocates for those who are not ready to speak up for themselves about their mental health challenges.

My mission is big.

To transform how society and companies react to those challenged by a mental illness in their careers.

But my goal is simple.

To cultivate empathy by preaching it.

Bipolar Empath’s Values

Empathy

Through empathy, we can understand and relate to other people, and when it comes to mental health, it is an essential tool for approaching someone who is suffering and in need of support.

Enjoying life

Mental illness should not be about enduring life; you can find joy regardless of your mental illness.

Friendship 

Friendships and strong relationships are crucial to coping with mental health struggles. When good friends listen and empathize, they can keep us grounded and provide us with fresh perspective. 

Well-being

Even after being diagnosed with mental illness, you can focus on re-balancing and re-prioritizing your happiness and needs.

Trust

You can develop trust in yourself and others despite mental illness.

Authenticity

Always be a values-driven individual who's working on fulfilling life's calling, no matter how big or small it is.

Transparency

Don't be afraid to share your story, and if people don't want to work with someone that's bipolar, quite frankly, you should be willing to take that risk anyway.

Awareness

Learn to prioritize yourself, who you are and what you need, and don't forget to accept and understand others in their life's challenges.

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I want you to know me better, so let’s get personal:

I have answered a handful of personal questions so that you can get to know me a little bit better!

You can read them below.

  • What do you love and why?

    I feed off of the energy of being around people, and I love connecting with other human beings to learn from them and share my insights, which may be helpful to them too. The relationships that I have in my life sum it all, really.

  • What do you dislike and why?

    There's not much that I dislike, but any person that doesn't feel others have the right to live their authentic truths is someone I generally would not connect well with.

    Also, I hate thrills, rollercoasters, any feeling of having a knot in my stomach; it reminds me of how uncertainty makes me feel, so I like to avoid that feeling.

  • Where do you provide the most value to your audience?

    In my story and my ability to articulate what I went through so that people can relate to it.

    People who are reaching out to me to find support share their challenges with me, hoping that I can give them a piece of advice. They connect with my courage as they wish they could share their mental illness similarly with their bosses and family. Unfortunately, they are scared of the ramifications of sharing about them. My message is that there is hope after a mental illness diagnosis and that hopefully, one day, they will be ready.

  • What is the one thing you would change about your industry above all else, and why?

    I would change the pressure on human resources to operate at a productivity level that's probably too intense for a normal human being. Lawyers and accountants are rewarded for billable hours, which can damage their health if they abuse their minds and bodies to accumulate as many as they can or need.

  • What is the most exciting thing about your audience?

    That they are all unique in their stories, challenges, and points of view. They are all unique individuals, they have unique perspectives, styles, points of view, and I love not getting into groupthink on things.

    I don't need my audience to agree with me on any of the things I am talking about; I just care that they show empathy and kindness for people, and we all do this in our unique way.

  • What do you crave in your life, Shak?

    I crave certainty and control, naturally, because my Mental Illness and recovery process is so uncertain.

  • Are you vulnerable?

    It hurts when I see others suffering from Mental Illness or Mental health.

    While I was in the hospital soon after my diagnosis, I had a hard time seeing other patients not getting any visitors. On the other hand, I had friends and family coming to see me every day; this made me very sad but at the same time reminded me of how fortunate and blessed I was to not be alone.

    Nobody should ever feel alone, especially if they are in that type of situation. We all deserve empathy.