Can a person with a bipolar disorder live a normal life? Julie didn’t know she had a mental health issue until she was in her late twenties, and once she got help learned to thrive.

Episode Discussion Points

• Changing the World One Story at a Time
• As a teen she started exhibiting symptoms of Bipolar disorder, but didn’t get diagnosed until her twenties
• So, Julie got into alcohol, and that is why what she writes tries to teach teens to stay away from it because she knows what it did to her.
• Julie describes bipolar disorder as like bugs crawling under your skin and no matter how much you scratch, you can get rid of the itch. So, that is why a lot of people with symptoms end up turning to drugs, alcohol or promiscuity to try to “self-medicate” and escape.
• Julie ended up getting pregnant in high school, but she feels getting pregnant saved her because she stopped drinking for the baby.
• After marrying her high school boyfriend who was an alcoholic, but she and her daughter were abused by him, until her mom helped her escape.
• If you or someone you love is in an abusive situation they need to escape you can call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-799-7233.
• She went back to college, married her forever husband and figured out during a Chemistry class that the lithium she was taking often helped people with bipolar disorder.
• A psychiatrist was able to finally diagnose her and get her on medication.
• A story where the stress of a job almost killed her because she became so depressed.
• Coping mechanisms she has used: finding a safe place to retreat and decompress or getting a hug from her husband really help.

Connect With Julie

• authorjuliespencer.com
• You can also connect with her on Facebook as Julie L. Spencer
• You can also purchase any of her books on Amazon.

#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #bipolar #bipolardisorder #mentalhealth #suicide #help #healing #coping #abuse #alcoholism

Transcription

You can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/julie-l-spencer-learning-to-live-with-bipolar-disorder