Bipolar Disorder

Riding the Highs and Lows: Finding Hope in the Waves of Bipolar Disorder

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” — Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

There are days you feel like you’re soaring—ideas coming fast, laughter spilling over, energy pulsing through your veins. You start projects, set goals, and feel unstoppable. And then there are days when just getting out of bed feels impossible. The joy disappears. The world turns gray. Your thoughts grow heavy, and your heart even heavier.

This is the confusing, exhausting, often hidden rhythm of bipolar disorder. And if you or someone you love is living in this in-between place—between too high and too low—please hear this: you are not alone, and your struggle is not your shame.

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Let’s gently walk through what bipolar disorder is—and how God meets us faithfully in every rise and every fall.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is more than just moodiness. It’s a complex mental health condition marked by extreme shifts in mood, energy, and behavior. It includes emotional highs—called mania or hypomania—and deep lows, known as depression.

These aren’t small swings. They disrupt daily life, relationships, and even your ability to trust your own mind.

And yet, God isn’t intimidated by this diagnosis. He is not confused by your highs. He is not disappointed by your lows. His love is constant, even when your emotions are not.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are different forms of bipolar disorder, and each one has unique patterns:

• Bipolar I Disorder: Includes manic episodes, often severe, and sometimes depression

• Bipolar II Disorder: Involves major depression and hypomania, without full manic episodes

• Cyclothymic Disorder: A pattern of milder highs and lows over a longer time

• Other Types: Caused by medical conditions or substances

It’s important to remember: Bipolar II is not “less serious” than Bipolar I. The depression it brings can be long-lasting and deeply painful.

Whatever form it takes, bipolar disorder is real, treatable, and nothing to be ashamed of.

The Highs: Mania & Hypomania

Mania can feel exciting at first—euphoric even. But it often comes with reckless decisions, racing thoughts, and sleepless nights. Hypomania is a milder version, but still disruptive.

Symptoms may include:

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• Feeling abnormally energized or elated

• Speaking rapidly and jumping from topic to topic

• Taking big risks with little thought

• Needing little to no sleep

• Becoming irritable or easily distracted

In these moments, it’s easy to feel invincible. But what feels like freedom can quickly spiral into chaos.

Proverbs 4:23 reminds us: “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” And that includes the pace and direction of your emotions.

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The Lows: Major Depression

Then, just as quickly as the high comes... it vanishes. The crash leaves you tired, tearful, and full of self-doubt.

Depressive episodes may include:

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• Deep sadness or hopelessness

• Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed

• Sleeping too much or not at all

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Thoughts of death or suicide

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If this is where you are today, hold on. Psalm 42:11 says, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!” Even when the darkness lingers, hope still breathes.

What About Children & Teens?

Bipolar disorder can also show up in kids and teens—but it doesn’t always follow the same patterns. You might notice:

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• Intense, unpredictable mood swings

• Behavior that’s far outside their usual personality

• Shifting from happy to irritable without clear reason

If you’re a parent feeling confused or concerned, you’re not failing. You’re fighting for your child’s future—and that’s brave.

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Why Treatment Matters

Many people with bipolar disorder don’t realize how disruptive their symptoms are. Others fear losing the “highs” that feel productive or even spiritual. But unmanaged highs always crash—and often take relationships, finances, or mental health with them.

Bipolar disorder won’t go away on its own. But it can be managed. Through counseling, medication, and community, you can find your steady ground again.

Romans 12:2 reminds us, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”
Healing is possible. And it doesn’t mean you become someone else—it means you become more fully who you were created to be.

A Gentle Invitation to Begin

At Still Waters Counseling, we understand the waves. We’re not afraid of your high highs or your lowest lows. We’re here to walk with you—to help you understand your patterns, find stability, and rediscover hope.

You don’t have to fake fine. You don’t have to carry this alone. You simply have to take the first step.

“He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters.” — Psalm 18:16

We believe He can do the same for you. Let’s walk toward healing—together.