Frank M. Anderson's Writing

Bipolar Is My Superpower (And Sometimes My Curse)

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I live with bipolar disorder.

Not in the abstract. Not as a label. Not as a quirky footnote in a conversation.

I live with it. Every day.

It has cost me jobs, tested relationships, and taken me to the edge more times than I care to count. But it’s also shaped the way I feel things—with an intensity that fuels my writing, my empathy, and my desire to connect with the world in a way that’s painfully real.

I’ve lived with suicidal thoughts since I was a teenager. I don’t say that for shock value—I say it because it’s the truth. I’ve felt that pull, that exhaustion, the whisper that says “Maybe it would be easier to just disappear.” But I haven’t. I create. I write. I live.

And sometimes that’s the only rebellion I have left.

I was adopted. I grew up knowing it, but not fully understanding how much it shaped me. There’s this early fracture in my story—a mother who gave me up, a world I never quite felt fully part of. Maybe that’s why I get attached so deeply and so fast, especially to women who are emotionally unavailable. I’ve chased closeness like it could fix me. It never has.

But it’s made for one hell of a writing career.

Love, in all its forms—obsession, ache, longing, devotion—is a central theme in everything I make. I fall for people I can’t quite reach and then build entire worlds around that feeling. Maybe it’s sad. Maybe it’s beautiful. Maybe it’s both.

Addiction? That’s been in the picture too. Sometimes substances. Sometimes screens. Sometimes love. It’s all about trying to fill that void or numb that scream. But I’m learning. Healing isn’t linear. It’s not clean. It’s messy and loud and filled with backslides. And still, I show up.

I used to think the goal was to “get better.” Now I think the goal is to keep going.

Not everyone does. I’ve lost people to suicide. I’ve watched bright lights go out too soon. And I’ve had days where I felt like I might be next. So I want to say this: You are not alone. And you are not broken. You are surviving something incredibly hard. And there’s no shame in struggling.

There is help. There is hope. And there are people who understand.

🌱 If you’re struggling or know someone who is, here are resources that helped me:

🟢 LOCAL (Greenville, SC)

  • FAVOR Greenville – Free recovery support for individuals and families. No judgment, just connection. favorupstate.org
  • NAMI Greenville – Free peer-led mental health support groups. namigreenvillesc.org
  • Mental Health America of Greenville County – Crisis Line: (864) 271-8888. mhagc.org
  • Phoenix Center – Substance use treatment and support. phoenixcenter.org

🌍 NATIONAL

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 anytime
  • Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) – dbsalliance.org
  • SAMHSA National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

I’m still here. I still write. I still feel too much.
But maybe that’s not a flaw. Maybe that’s my superpower.

—Frank M. Anderson

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