Bi-Polar, Ozark & Me

Bi-Polar portrayal in the media, television and film is something I’m extremely passionate about. This is mainly down to having a diagnosis of Type 2 Bi-Polar myself. 

When I see really insensitive portrayals or the media only highlighting the really extreme symptoms while blowing them out of proportion, it really annoys me. It annoys me because a lot of people believe what they see and read in the media. 

These ill-informed beliefs then reinforce negative stigmas attached to such a diagnosis and that's when the prejudice and disproportionate standoffish behaviour towards someone with Bi-Polar occur. 

I’m living proof that you cant let a diagnosis like that become you, you have to learn to control it as best you and learn that there will be bad days but they will be massively outweighed by good days as long as you control the ups and downs with positive coping mechanisms. 

While I do have occasional down days (as does everyone) and days I feel massive mixed emotions in the space of a short time, I rarely now feel out of control and because of this I rarely reflect on the bad times when I was undiagnosed and the early days of being diagnosed where I was out of control. 

However, in the last week, I started to watch series 3 of Ozark. It became apparent that one of the characters was dealing with Bi-Polar and was the most accurate, hit the nail on the head portrayal of Bi-Polar I’ve ever seen.

Having looked into this more it was clear to see why as the actor had said In a recent interview, that he drew a lot of inspiration from this book called An Unquiet Mind by Dr Kay Jamison. She’s a clinical psychologist who was actually studying mood disorders including bipolar disorder, all the while she was actually experiencing it herself (without knowing she was affected, in the beginning). She describes both the emotional/psychological and scientific aspects of the disease, which apparently helped the actor out in understanding just the true core of this condition. 

Yes, it’s an over the top Netflix drama and some of the violence associated with the character was played up. However, if you ever want a glimpse into how it can feel during episodes of Bi-Polar highs and lows, then please watch this portrayal. From the erratic behaviour to verbal ramblings, from the sense of guilt afterwards to the ‘even though you’re right about something you’re made to feel like you’re not because of your condition’, from the way it makes your friends and family feel to the coming off of medication because of fear of not forming relationships, this show nailed it.

So much so that after seeing the character arc and the way it finished I couldn’t sleep and have felt massively emotional all day. it made me reflect on times where I was out of control, or not believed when I should of, or put somewhere I didn’t want to or feel at the time I deserved to be. 

Though I’m still upset and slightly haunted by that character, it also made me reflect on how far I’ve come and how far understanding friends and family can take you even if it wasn’t the case to start off with through no fault of their own. It’s made me appreciate that I work for a company like @ameyplc who make it acceptable to talk about mental health. But most of all its made me appreciate the quirks of my condition and how they make me and that’s pretty cool.

Education on these conditions is key and that’s why I do what I do !! Let’s end the stigma and start the supportive acceptance of this condition and other mental health diagnoses! 

So if you are interested in the subject then watch it , if you are suffering then DM me because no matter how much you think you might be , you’re never alone.

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