Seeking Local Events for World Bipolar Day
Sadly, many of us are still isolated from big events this year, but there are still lots of ways we can connect and participate. The World Bipolar Day website now has a sign-up form available for those planning events to coordinate with WBD in your local area.
World Bipolar Day is celebrated each year on March 30, the birthday of the artist Vincent Van Gogh, who may have had a bipolar condition. Nowadays, it gives us an opportunity to speak out, to raise awareness and to eliminate social stigma around bipolar conditions.
World Bipolar Day is an opportunity to make connections, to educate the public, and to tell our own story in our own way. Although the stigma around mental illness has lessened somewhat, at least in some countries, there is still a long way to go to eliminate the stigma and misunderstanding that prevent many people from seeking help or benefiting from mental health care.
World Bipolar Day is sponsored by the International Bipolar Foundation in partnership with the International Society for Bipolar Disorders and the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder. Besides offering the chance to upload your story, they also offer a logo overlay for your social media profile and opportunities to connect with others in similar situations. This type of awareness raising can serve an important purpose, both for individuals and for communities, as we seek to live more creatively and healthily.