BIPOLAR ACCORDING TO ME AND IGNORANT PEOPLE

BY PAIGE TAYLOR

WE ARE NOT CRAZY OR SLUTTY. (I PUT THOSE IN THERE TO SEE WHAT WE GET CALLED) WE MAY BE MOODY BITCHES, BUT GUESS WHAT??? WE HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER. AND IT'S JUST AS HARD AS PHYSICAL ILLNESS. IT AFFECTS NOT JUST ARE MOOD, BUT THE WAY WE VIEW OURSELVES AS PEOPLE. IT AFFECTS HOW MUCH ENERGY WE HAVE AND HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET THINGS DONE. IT AFFECTS THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT LIFE; WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD OR NOT. IT AFFECTS OUR IMPULSE-CONTROL AND DECISION MAKING. IT AFFECTS OUR SEX DRIVE *BIOLOGICALLY*. IT AFFECTS OUR MOVEMENT AND WE CAN EITHER RUN AROUND LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY ON DRUGS OR BECOME A SNAIL OVER NIGHT. IT AFFECTS OUR DESIRE TO TALK AND INTERACT WITH PEOPLE. IT AFFECTS HOW FAST OR LOUD WE TALK. IT AFFECTS THE SPEED AND AMOUNT OF THOUGHTS WE HAVE IN OUR HEADS. (YUP, THOUGHTS HAVE SPEEDS!) IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING. OUR FRIENDSHIPS, OUR RELATIONSHIPS, OUR PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOL OR AT WORK. ALL BECAUSE SEROTONIN, DOPAMINE, AND NEUROEPINEPHRINE LIKE TO THROW PARTIES IN OUR BRAINS, THEN LEAVE WHEN THEY SHOULD BE JUST CHILLIN' OUT THERE, AND THEN DECIDE TO JUST CHILL LIKE YOU WANT THEM TO. AND THEN THEY THROW A CURVEBALL AT YOU AND THROW ANOTHER PARTY IN YOUR BRAIN AND THEN THEY EITHER CHILL OR LEAVE TILL THEY WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER PARTY. SO DO YOU THINK I LIKE BEING THIS WAY NOW???

TELL ME.

Paige Taylor, 17, Bipolar disorder type II