Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
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“At times I struggle to even get out of bed and simply don’t want to function.”
For the one in three people affected by a mental health problem each year, these words will sound very familiar.
They were spoken by a bipolar Coatbridge man who only wishes to be known as Anthony.
Anthony is 44 and a loving husband and father of two children; but his illness has a profound impact on his everyday life.
He was keen to share his experiences with Advertiser readers in a bid to tackle the “unfair stigma” attached to the mental disorder, which causes periods of depression and elevated mood, as part of World Bipolar Day this Friday.
Anthony told the Advertiser: “I was diagnosed with bipolar in October 2015; I had my suspicions that something wasn’t right.
“My dad had mental health issues that were never diagnosed but, looking back now, there was a history of depression on his side of the family. I didn’t know much about bipolar disorder; I’d heard about people being manic depressive, like the comedian Eric Morecambe, but the term bipolar meant little to me.
“It took a long time for my diagnosis as I first became ill in 2010, when I was told I was suffering from depression, stress and anxiety.”
Since his diagnosis, Anthony has faced several emotional highs and lows that have challenged him and his family. He explained: “It has been tough on my wife and my 15-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son.
“At times I struggle to get out of bed and simply don’t want to function, which is hard for my wife to see.
“When I’m well, things are fine but I can become too well as well as too manic; I’ve always been a feast or famine-type person.
“Some nights I only sleep for two hours and I can be up checking my emails or heading out for a walk at 4am. After any mania comes a fall and I can enter a heightened state of awareness.
“I take a few different medications; I have been on lithium since last April, along with another stabiliser and anti-depressants.
“It’s quite a cocktail I take and I stopped taking them for a while as I was worried I was putting on weight and it sent my mental state through the roof. I am monitored by a crisis team and have a peer support worker. I see a psychiatrist every three-or-four months and joined a bipolar support group last May, which has been a massive help.”
Anthony’s illness has also had an impact on his working life as he puts his dreams of career advancement on hold.
He said: “I was removed from my original post and put into a role in headquarters as my behaviour was so manic.
“I had to take time off work in late 2016 as I was in hospital but started back in August of last year, which was when I changed post.
“Things have been pretty good lately and I haven’t had any days off since then.
“I haven’t mentioned the term mbipolar bipolar to tomy my colleagues; I don’t mind my family and friends knowing but I’m reticent to shout it from the rooftops.
“I have decided to take a step ba back with progressing at my wo work because of the pressure and res responsibilty a promotion could br bring.
“It’s frustrating but there is no po point in making myself more ill; itw it wouldn’t be fair on my wife and kid kids.”
A Anthony has hailed the support pr provided by Bipolar Scotland – the co country’s only charity supporting pe people living with the illness – and ba backed their support for World Bip Bipolar Day.
He said: “Bipolar Scotland had ac a conference in September that I att attended as I thought, ‘there might b be people l out there who’d like to hear about my experiences’. Tackling the stigma of bipolar disorder is important as you always get the odd person who uses the illness as a stick to beat you with.
“One in three people will go through some sort of mental health issue this year and while I don’t want to be a poster boy for bipolar, I am happy to speak with others and share my insights. “I am very positive about the future. “I am only 44 and have got plenty of time left to enjoy life with my family.”
Bipolar Scotland is teaming up with the British Transport Police to increase mental health awareness by running a stall at Edinburgh Waverley train station on Friday – and invite members of the public along.
The charity run a North Lanarkshire support group, which is held on the second Monday of every month in Coatbridge community centre, on Old Monkland Road, from 7pm to 9pm.
● To find out more about bipolar disorder, visit www.bipolarscotland.org.uk/
I am only 44 and have got plenty of time to enjoy life with my family Anthony