Sometimes I imagine how useful it would be to give certain people a dose of lithium and quetiapine, just so they could understand what your body feels like after taking them. How it drags you down, how it leaves you with heavy feet and a foggy mind. How it becomes difficult to even talk or concentrate.

The issue isn’t just bipolarity, it’s the burden that comes with the medication. The feeling of being tethered, of losing part of yourself while following a necessary treatment. Sometimes, I wish others could experience this to understand that you’re not only fighting the illness, but also dealing with the side effects.