Heyo! I decided I would write a few words each week and maybe snap a few pics to show what it’s like to live life with Bi-polar disorder.
When I first found out my Dad had Bi-polar I had no idea what it was. Now I wish I did so I could have been there for him when he was struggling with it over 10 years ago. My Dad Brucey is a bloody legend. He taught me to surf which is now one of my biggest passions, and is one of the coolest people I know. We are normally the last two standing on the d-floor on a night out. That’s the thing with mental illness, sometimes the people having the most fun on the outside are the ones battling and trying to hide all the pain on the inside, just to make everyone else happy.
The way Dad was acting, and what he was actually feeling were complete opposites - that was me for years. My mates all thought I was this happy, go lucky dude loving life, but my family saw the side that was hit with depression and anxiety. I didn’t want to do anything about it because I was embarrassed and thought I had no reason to be sad as I had the raddest family and friends. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that my anxiety and depression got so bad I finally went to see the doctors.
I was packing myself in the waiting room. I mean here I am, a dude that should be able to handle myself, but as soon as I opened my mouth and said the words “I need help”, it felt like years of anxiety lifted from my shoulders. I finally didn’t have to pretend I was happy all of the time.
It still was a crazy journey before I was diagnosed with Bi-polar. I was first diagnosed with perfectionism, nearly didn’t make it out of a hotel room in Mexico, after a really bad anxiety attack, and was misdiagnosed with depression and prescribed the wrong medication. This led to me having a manic episode during the Australian Surf Open and ending up in Sydney’s Manly hospital. It was in Manly hospital that I found out that I am actually on this planet to be a Bi-polar bear, just like my Dad Brucey.
Yep we have ups and downs like everyone else, but if we find the right recipe we can have the raddest life too. I have been lucky enough to find the right recipe and my ingredients are my epic family, friends, the ocean, surfing, music, dancing, loving, doing rad shit and a little bit of medication to keep me balanced.
To finish I would like to give everyone who was there for me a BIG BEAR HUG for helping me through the rough times. You are rad as hell and I will never forget it. Yewww!!
Grant - mate way to put it out there, especially the fact that the folks who seem least bothered are tackling stuff no one else can see. Look forward to more of your stuff and collaborating to share the stoke and save some lives! ~Todd
ReplyDeleteWow Grant - this is brilliant stuff! So many people out there battling with this disorder that need to be able to feel like they arent on their own and to know that there are positive lives to be lead regardless. You being so brave, open and sharing your experience can only but help towards making everyones journey with Bi-Polar more bearable.
ReplyDeleteYou are AWESOME! x