My wife and I just celebrated our one-month wedding anniversary this past Saturday, and doing so gave us the chance to reflect on our wedding and honeymoon in February. Our year of planning for these big events was such fun, and the day itself was a magical time for us. We spent two weeks in Costa Rica for our honeymoon and had the time of our lives. Now, we are enjoying an enhanced depth of our love, our commitment and our sense of a future together – all rewards of our decision to marry.
And yet as I reflect on this story, I am also filled with gratitude for something entirely different. I am grateful that my bipolar disorder has been under control, through lithium and my lifestyle management efforts, since June 2005. This stability came only after 2 wild and destructive years of rapid cycling between depression and mania. I also feel fortunate that the careful management of my illness has allowed my bipolar to remain in the distant background. This has allowed me to enjoy my engagement, wedding and honeymoon to the fullest. I am painfully aware that had I experienced a sudden bout of depression or mania, my wedding day and honeymoon may have been ruined.
While I know I am fortunate, I am also encouraged by the simple fact that my bipolar has been tamed as a result of my choices. These choices include taking my lithium as prescribed, every day; tracking my sleep quality and hours per night; tracking my energy levels and minor illnesses to catch any potential trends; eating well and drinking in moderation; and speaking openly about my illness, as I am doing now.
My bipolar has been tamed so much that I don’t recall thinking about it on my wedding day. Not once. For someone who lost nearly 2 years, and much more, to the symptoms of bipolar disorder, that is a remarkable wedding gift.

Be well,
Jason Finucan