Men’s mental health deserves more than a hashtag. As someone living with bipolar disorder, I’ve seen what silence can do—and what vulnerability can heal. Let’s talk about it, for real.

In this reflection from a Courage Circle conversation, I open up about the realities of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the middle of a high-stakes career. What followed wasn’t just recovery—it was reckoning with shame, workplace stigma, and learning to advocate for myself and others.

I thought I was getting better. I thought I no longer needed my medication. But one year after my first episode, I found myself in a full-blown state of psychosis—culminating in an unforgettable incident at work. This was my wake-up call. It was time to truly accept my diagnosis and put in the work to heal.