WORLD BIPOLAR DAY - 30th MARCH

WORLD BIPOLAR DAY - 30th MARCH

• sharing by Allan LEE, COO CSM Academy International

============ Bipolar disorder entered my life at the peak of my career in the media industry—quietly, without warning. At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. My moods shifted unpredictably, sleep became rare, my appetite changed, and slowly, it began to affect everything—my work, my judgement, and my relationships with colleagues.

It didn’t stop there. My family felt it too. My behaviour became erratic and difficult to understand, and the stability I once had started to slip away. Eventually, I reached a breaking point. I made two attempts on my life, both times stopped by observant security guards who stepped in when I needed it most. Looking back, those moments were turning points—interventions that gave me another chance when I couldn’t see one for myself.

After that, I underwent mandatory psychiatric treatment and a year of counselling. Recovery was not immediate, and it was far from easy. Along the way, I lost my marriage, relationships, and a sense of who I used to be. There were days that felt endless, filled with heaviness and doubt, where simply getting through each day was a struggle.

But even in those darkest times, I held onto one truth: I was not alone. My immediate family stood by me without hesitation. They never gave up on me, even when I struggled to believe in myself. That became my anchor—the reminder that if they could still see hope in me, I could try to find it too.

It has now been nine years. The journey hasn’t been perfect, and there are still moments when I feel close to slipping. But I’ve learned to recognise those signs, to pause, and to remind myself how far I’ve come. I know I don’t want to return to that place again.

Today, I am still rebuilding—myself, my purpose, and my future. Recovery is not about going back to who I was, but about becoming someone stronger, more aware, and more compassionate. And as long as I keep moving forward, one day at a time, that is enough.

• Allan Lee, Bipolar survivor