If you don’t already know me, my name is Jess Kanotz (pronounced “connotes”). Wife to Bryan, Mommy to Pearson, and a production editor by trade. A little more than 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder at the beginning of my sophomore year of college. I have never been hospitalized, but I probably should have been a few times. I feel like I’ve lived two separate lives: before my diagnosis and after. My post-diagnosis life has felt like an eternity, complete with countless grueling bipolar episodes, but I probably would be considered “high functioning.” I publicly revealed my bipolar I diagnosis for the first time in 2019 on Facebook on my 40th birthday. In terms of my mental health, it was the best decision I have ever made. I have never felt better in my own skin than I have for the past year, and my bipolar has never been more under control.
That doesn’t mean that I’m out of the woods. I would be in serious trouble without daily medication and regular visits with my psychiatrist. To manage my illness, I currently take 750 mg of lithium and 6 mg of Seroquel daily. I see my psychiatrist about once a month via FaceTime (he’s based in Washington, DC) for med checks and actual therapy. I have molded my life around having bipolar in order to stay as healthy as possible. I do not claim to be an expert on bipolar, but I am an expert on my version of bipolar.
I’m here to share my insights and learn more about other experiences with mental health issues. The ultimate goal of this blog is to help normalize mental illness in our communities—to make bipolar become Our Bipolar.
To contact me or to inquire about writing a guest post, email me at jessicakanotz@gmail.com.