In this deeply honest episode of this Is bipolar, Shaley sits down with a guest Jess who shares her lived experience of being diagnosed with bipolar I after antidepressant-induced mania and psychosis in college — and what it took to rebuild a life of stability, work, love, and motherhood.

Together, they unpack what psychosis and mania actually feel like in the body, how symptoms can be rooted in reality, and why bipolar disorder is better understood as a spectrum rather than a box. The conversation moves through medication missteps, the fear of hospitalization, suicidal ideation, and the long road to finding the right psychiatrist and treatment.

They also dive deeply into parenthood with bipolar disorder — pregnancy decisions, staying on medication, sleep protection, guilt, support systems, and why putting your mental health first is putting your child first.

This episode is validating, nuanced, and full of moments that will resonate with anyone living with bipolar disorder — or loving someone who is.

this is bipolar...

Chapter markers:

(00:07:00) Childhood trauma & missed signs

(00:14:20) When psychosis first hit

(00:18:30) The phone call that saved her

(00:22:30) Living in constant cycling

(00:30:20) The meds that changed everything

(00:33:30) Inside bipolar psychosis

(00:48:30) Bipolar isn’t black & white

(01:06:00) Motherhood with bipolar

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Much love, Shaley xo

MEET JESS:

Jess Curtis was diagnosed with bipolar 1 during her sophomore year of college. After a decade of ineffective treatment and poor self-care, she achieved stability by self-advocating for better medication and making healthy lifestyle changes.

As a bipolar advocate, Jess strives to be the friend and mentor she needed when she was first diagnosed with bipolar.

On her YouTube channel Our Bipolar (https://youtube.com/@ourbipolar), she posts videos to break stigma, offer support, and promote better understanding of bipolar disorder.

She also shares her story with high school and college students as part of NAMI's In Our Own Voice program and has been a keynote speaker at mental health events.

You can find her on Facebook and Instagram at OurBipolar. Jess lives in Pittsburgh with her husband Bryan, daughter Pearson, and dog Lucy. She works for a nonprofit as assistant managing editor for scientific journals.