Barnes & NobleBurn Rate- Launching A Startup and Losing My Mind by Andy Dunn

A First Hand Experience Of Bipolar Disorder

Andy Dunn was the CEO of Bonobos. Prior to becoming the CEO, Dunn had experienced one mania episode and thought it might have been just one incident. Unfortunately, it wasn’t his only episode. Reading over the events that led towards his mania episodes was great insight for me as a mental health professional. This helps me to know what to notice whenever a client is sharing their own experience. Although bipolar disorder is not a specialty of mine nor of my clinical supervisor, if I hear something similar occurring, I can refer them out. I don’t know if it is how bipolar disorder is taught in clinical mental health programs or if this disorder is just too complex for some individuals to understand, bipolar disorder was an enigma prior to listening to someone experiencing this mental disorder. I am thankful that Andy Dunn was vulnerable enough to share this part of himself with the public. When such individuals self-disclose, it is helping with reducing the stigma around mental health. I am hoping those that read it will notice if they may be experiencing bipolar disorder or someone they know are experiencing it so they may get the help before it’s too late (i.e. some individuals commit suicide).