Welcome to my podcast, The Wellness Project with Des. On today’s episode, I speak with Nichole Howson about growing up with depression, anxiety, undiagnosed bipolar disorder, and how she is now able to manage her mental health.
As a teen, Nichole was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. It wasn’t until she was in her 20s that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, she wasn’t diagnosed until after a major manic episode and two suicide attempts.
Nichole explains that when she was young, she and her family didn’t really understand mental health or know what bipolar was in the sense of what a manic episode was. She explains that now looking back on her life, she is able to see that she was having manic episodes.
Growing up, it seemed to everyone that Nichole was a go-getter. She was interning, co-oping, and volunteering. But the truth was she was struggling with her mental health and experiencing manic episodes.
Shortly before her manic episodes and suicide attempts, Nichole wasn’t sleeping or taking care of herself. She went to the hospital many times over the course of a month for help. She was telling people that she wasn’t okay but unfortunately the hospital was not equipped to help her and sent her home each time. This is all too common when someone is having a mental health crisis.
After her first suicide attempt, Nichole stayed overnight and the hospital released her the next morning. She attempted again later that evening. The hospital again did not admit her and sent her home to her parents. Nichole explains that getting her diagnosis was was a positive change in her life. Having an accurate diagnosis was able to help her understand her behaviors, her moods. The diagnosis helped her to get on accurate medications. She was then able to learn what bipolar is and how it affects people. She learned about self-care and learned how to calm herself and regulate her emotions.
It can be difficult to find the right therapist. Nichole explains that she sometimes went a year or two without a therapist because she couldn’t find the right fit. It took her some time to find the right therapist for her but she finally did and now she is thriving and even advocating for those that struggle with their mental health.
Bipolar is often a misunderstood mental illness. If you want to learn more about bipolar disorder or tips on how to manage your mental health then listen to this educational conversation I have with Nichole.
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