Small Wins, Big Strength: Living with Bipolar Depression

This morning, I got out of bed and took a shower.

That might not sound like a big deal. But if you know what it feels like to live with bipolar depression, you know just how massive that one act can be.

When depression hits — really hits — everything becomes heavier. The air, the blankets, your body, your thoughts. The simplest tasks feel like impossible quests. Getting out of bed isn’t just “getting up.” It’s choosing to fight through mental and physical exhaustion, invisible weight, and that relentless voice whispering, “Why bother?”

And the shower? That’s not just hygiene. It’s a reclaiming of self. It’s standing under the water and saying, I’m still here. It’s one small act of care when your brain tries to convince you you’re not worth it.

Living with bipolar disorder means swinging between extremes. The highs come with energy, ideas, and movement — but the lows? They’re slow, thick, and isolating. Depression inside bipolar disorder isn’t just sadness. It’s detachment, fog, guilt, and sometimes shame for not being able to do what “should” be simple.

But here’s the truth: there’s no “should” in survival.

If getting out of bed is all you did today, that counts. If brushing your teeth, taking meds, or washing your face felt like a win, that’s because it is.

We don’t celebrate these things enough. But we should. Because it takes an incredible amount of strength to show up for yourself — especially when your own mind is telling you not to.

So today, I celebrate the small win. The one that felt huge.

And if you had one too — even if no one saw it — I see you. I’m proud of you. And I’m with you.

You are not alone.