00:00Have you ever felt like you're in an emotional rollercoaster?
00:02On one hand, extremely happy, maybe even too happy,
00:06and on the other hand, extremely sad to the point where you can't do basic tasks.
00:10And these two extreme states are mutually exclusive of yourself.
00:13Maybe you're familiar with the states, or maybe you know someone who's experiencing the states,
00:18which is one of the reasons why we need to talk about bipolar disorder.
00:20Like looking back, I am sad about the relationships that I have lost.
00:25My big brother, I said some really hurtful things to him.
00:30How long have you been living with bipolar disorder?
00:38So I was 23 when I was diagnosed.
00:41It's difficult to diagnose bipolar disorder.
00:43Sometimes people think it's schizophrenia, but I was very lucky because we were seeing the same doctor.
00:49What happened was I did not make a first class.
00:52So I was part of my old student association.
00:56I was a very active member of the Rhetoract Club.
00:58And I was also working at the Investor Radio Station.
01:01So my sleep became very erratic, and I did not even realize.
01:04Those were the days when Twitter would lock it out.
01:06Like I can stay a night and out.
01:08I'll shoot like maybe a hundred tweets, maybe five minutes.
01:13I was peeing in bed, like I was bed wetting for a very long time.
01:16So those around me noticed that there was something a bit off.
01:20I was given medication, but then I just took it for I think two weeks.
01:23And then when I am manic, I just go all out.
01:27I shop, whatever money is in my account, savings.
01:31I spent all of it.
01:33Apart from that, I have all of these grandiose ideas.
01:36You know, there are so many projects that I want to do.
01:40And then I'm multitasking.
01:41I'm doing like a hundred things at a time.
01:44So you see me, I am cooking, I'm washing, I am writing.
01:48When I'm even talking, I talk so fast.
01:51And sometimes you just realize that the thought process,
01:54like one doesn't end and then I'm saying something else.
01:57What are some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder?
02:00While a lot of these symptoms are usually shared across numerous conditions,
02:04you need to look out for things like extreme changes in behavior,
02:07either in the hypomanic side or in the depressive side.
02:10Things like hopelessness about the future, changes in appetite,
02:14reduced energy, sudden burst of energy.
02:16Sometimes even risky sexual behaviors might be a sign that's pointing towards that.
02:20But you need to understand that it is important that you get diagnosed by a psychiatrist.
02:26So usually before the symptoms come up, do you like have any premonition?
02:32You know, can you feel it's coming?
02:34For me, I don't have any traumatic experience,
02:38struggling, it's just a lack of sleep.
02:40The more tired you are, the more energy you feel.
02:43How has this affected you?
02:45You know, your personal life, relationships, career?
02:50When I am manic, I say things without filters.
02:54Like looking back, I am sad about the relationships that I have lost.
02:59My big brother, I said some really hurtful things to him and it's taken us quite a bit of time.
03:06For over six months, I would reach out to him and he would not pay me any attention.
03:12He would just communicate to my husband that if I am fine, he's okay.
03:17When you're saying those things, are you aware that you're saying that?
03:21For me, I remember everything.
03:23Every single thing.
03:24With clarity, exactly.
03:25Are there any other ways that, you know, this has affected you?
03:29When I had my daughter, I went manic.
03:32So my daughter had to be taken away.
03:34I had to stop breastfeeding because they were not sure if the medication was going to seep into
03:38the breast milk or not.
03:40There was once when I jumped out of my dad when he was driving a car,
03:44I lost a lot of confidence because I wasn't sure who saw me and who did not.
03:48So did you face any form of stigma?
03:50Just being in the vicinity of that hospital was something that I did not want to associate
03:56with because of the stigma that's attached to it.
04:00I think in 2020, I wrote a post on my Facebook.
04:04Yeah.
04:05I am bipolar and I thank God for amazing friends.
04:08There was a lot of empathy.
04:11There was a lot of understanding.
04:13One person that really struck me was a friend I was in the same MPhil course with.
04:18Okay.
04:18And I also, we always, we would not like laugh ahead.
04:21We were like, oh, you are too dull.
04:22You are too quiet.
04:24And then she reached out to me and she told me that she also had bipolar disorder.
04:28But she was on the depressive side.
04:30Bipolar too.
04:31The major difference between bipolar one and two is usually the presence of mania.
04:35Extreme changes in behavior, usually associated with psychosis,
04:39which means the person who is experiencing this has lost touch with reality.
04:43With bipolar two, you don't have mania.
04:45What you have instead is hypomania with neurosis instead.
04:49The person doesn't really lose touch with reality.
04:52Sometimes in bipolar one, they might require hospitalization.
04:55While many cases of bipolar two do not.
04:57So let's jump straight into our DW Africa Facebook community to answer some questions.
05:07So we have a question from Jojo Morris.
05:08And the question is, how can bipolar disorder be solved?
05:12The first thing you need is a psychiatrist to work this journey with you.
05:15It might require medication, therapy, counseling, some lifestyle changes,
05:20and even a strong support system can actually help a person on their journey.
05:29So let's talk management.
05:31And that's because from the first time you're diagnosed to this time, some time has passed.
05:36And I'm sure you've gotten some things better.
05:39So I just started taking my medication properly.
05:43So right now I'm on mood stabilizers, lamotrigine, and I'm on an antipsychotic ketiapine.
05:49I do a lot of outdoor activities with my friends.
05:53And I also do psychotherapy.
05:55Because of my medication, I sleep eight hours.
05:58For stress, I am learning to delegate.
06:00Thank you so much, Amelia, for sharing your story with us.
06:03I'm sure you on the other end of the screen has learnt one or two things.
06:07If you have, share it with someone who you think might benefit from it.
06:10And until the next time, this remains Healthy Me No Cap.
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