When I share that bipolar disorder is not a medical condition, I’m often accused of saying that bipolar doesn’t exist. But that’s not what I’m saying at all.

The symptoms that lead to a bipolar diagnosis are very real. They can cause intense emotional and mental distress—and the actions we take during those episodes can seriously damage our lives and relationships. That’s exactly why it’s so important to understand what you’re actually experiencing. Only then can you seek help that leads to true healing—not just coping.

My Story: What the Diagnosis Missed

When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the process was quick and superficial. I filled out pages of intake forms asking about family history, drug use, and my current state of mind—but no one asked about my actual life story.

No one asked about the childhood bullying I endured, or the abusive marriage I had just escaped. There was no discussion about how my nutrition had deteriorated from home-cooked meals to a college diet of ramen and PB&Js.

No one mentioned the impact of going from elite-level collegiate athletics to nearly zero exercise, or the chronic stress I felt navigating life on my own after a failed marriage.

The psychiatrist was only interested in my symptoms. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and put on an antidepressant.

A few months later, the medication triggered hypomanic symptoms. Again, no one questioned what might have caused the shift. I was simply told I’d been misdiagnosed—I now had bipolar II.

What followed was a decade-long rollercoaster of medication changes, mood swings, psychiatric appointments, and eventually… three hospitalizations, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and multiple suicide attempts.

Despite everything I was told, the medications weren’t helping. My brain never felt right on them—and I was left hopeless, believing I was broken for life.

Why Understanding Bipolar Symptoms Matters

One of the greatest dangers of a bipolar diagnosis is the illusion of explanation. The diagnosis doesn’t tell you why you’re experiencing symptoms—it only names them.

So, if bipolar disorder isn’t a medical condition… what is it?

It’s a label for symptoms—and symptoms are information. They are your brain’s way of saying, something is wrong. If you can learn to identify the sources of your symptoms, you can treat the root causes—and find healing.

When I work with people navigating bipolar symptoms, the first thing I ask is, “What’s your story?” Not just a list of symptoms—but the story behind them. Within ten minutes, I can often spot two or three major sources of their symptoms.

You can learn to do the same. Here are some of the most common sources of bipolar-like symptoms.

1. Micronutrient Insufficiency

In their book The Better Brain, Dr. Bonnie Kaplan and Dr. Julia Rucklidge explain how nutritional deficiencies can lead to mental and emotional struggles like depression, anxiety, ADHD—and yes, bipolar symptoms.

“The brain metabolism responsible for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine is dependent on an ample supply of micronutrients… Improve and fix their nutritional needs, and many of them can and will get better.”

2. Unhealed Trauma, Thought Patterns & Coping Mechanisms

Many people diagnosed with bipolar disorder have a history of trauma—which often leads to emotional dysregulation, unhealthy thought and behavior patterns, and ineffective coping mechanisms.

In The Body Keeps the Score, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk writes:

“In many places, drugs have displaced therapy… The brain disease model takes control over people’s fate out of their own hands and puts doctors and insurance companies in charge.”

The result? Underlying trauma is ignored, while medications suppress emotional responses—making real healing harder, not easier.

3. Iatrogenic Harm (Medication-Induced Symptoms)

Iatrogenic harm occurs when treatment causes the very symptoms it’s meant to fix.

A common example: antidepressants that trigger mania. This is often misinterpreted as a new diagnosis of bipolar disorder—rather than acknowledging that the medication itself caused the shift.

In Anatomy of an Epidemic, journalist Robert Whitaker shares:

“20 to 40 percent of all patients initially diagnosed with unipolar depression today eventually convert to bipolar illness… 60 percent of those with a bipolar diagnosis said they had initially fallen ill with major depression and had turned bipolar after exposure to an antidepressant.”

If the brain isn’t supported to heal from this drug-induced damage, those symptoms can persist indefinitely.

4. Additional Sources of Symptoms

• Substance Use: Illicit drugs, alcohol, or even marijuana can alter brain chemistry and mimic bipolar symptoms.

• Medical Conditions: Health issues like hypothyroidism can cause depressive symptoms but are often diagnosed as mental illness.

The Takeaway: Be the Detective of Your Story

Bipolar disorder is not a fixed medical condition—it’s a description of symptoms. And symptoms have sources.

If you’re willing to become a detective of your own story—and dig into the nutritional, emotional, psychological, and environmental roots of your symptoms—you can find real answers.

Using a research-based, integrative approach, you can resolve the underlying issues and experience full recovery.

Want to Learn More?

This article is part two of my Breaking Bipolar series. If you missed part one—Breaking Bipolar: The Disorder Myth—or to read part three—Breaking Bipolar: The Recovery Blueprint—click the title to read the post.

To dive deeper into my personal journey and the seven steps I used to heal, check out my #1 international bestselling book, The Upside of Bipolar: Seven Steps to Heal Your Disorder.