Julia's Bipolar Disorder
One of Julia’s major problems in her life was that she had bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness and if it is not treated it can lead to ruined relationships, risky behaviors and even thoughts or attempts of suicide. There is always a constant change in emotions in a person who suffers from bipolar disorder. When Julia was a small girl she wouldn’t even go outside to play with the neighborhood kids on warm summer evenings. She would beg her mom to let her stay inside because outside was unsettling to Julia. Julia worked through four therapists before she diagnosed herself with bipolar disorder. Julia outlined the way she felt anxiety by saying, “The bowling balls of anxiety that ricocheted through my chest with such force, they sometimes catapulted me out of the movie theaters, churches, family dinners.” She also felt really happy at times. She was very bad at comprehending when she was reading, “But it was rare that I could wring meaning from the words. Instead I’d stare absently through the book, pretending to read so that my parents wouldn’t worry. Sometimes my mother, lying next to me on the couch, would toe me in the leg when I forgot to turn pages.” It soothed her to hit pieces of meat like mothers would hit their child’s butt when they would misbehave or to fumble with pans. One way that Julia coped with this disability is by taking pills that would calm her down and make it easier for her to deal with things. She used cooking as a game changer for her life. It helped her live a more fulfilling life. Cooking gave her an opportunity to master tasks, perform strong work ethics and dedication. Julia’s self esteem rose because of her great cooking skills and since she had more confidence in herself, it helped push her bipolar disorder
to the side. |