Coming out (the bipolar version)

I’d like to make somewhat more visible what some of you already know, that I have bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed a bit more than a year ago.

I’m doing this mainly because I think visibility matters. First and most important, because in my experience it can be helpful and comforting to hear about other people whose names you recognize that can relate to your situation. And second, in case it helps a tiny bit in detabooizing mental ilnesses and their drugs. (But fortunately geek circles seem to need less of that than other, more prejudiced environments.)

On a more personal note, I can’t but be grateful after six months of straight euthymia, during which I’ve regained control of my life, written code, attended events, and retaken long term projects. I also feel, after many years, less fearful of the future.

And finally, let me add I can’t imagine having made through it without one particular friend, who doesn’t even read this blog. Should everybody be so lucky.