Meet Gabe Howard, an award-winning speaker, author, and host of the #1 educational mental health podcast, Inside Mental Health, for Healthline Media. In this new interview, Gabe shares his personal journey with bipolar disorder, discussing everything from the highs and lows of the condition to his successful advocacy work. He also talks about his book, Mental Illness Is an Asshole, and expresses his concerns about mental health conversations sometimes being overshadowed and not taken seriously enough.

—

Before we dive into your work, could you briefly describe what bipolar disorder is, how it manifests for you personally, and what the diagnosis process was like for you?

Bipolar disorder is described as “highs” and “lows” and everything in between. A big hallmark of the disorder is experiencing huge mood swings. I have been diagnosed with bipolar 1 with psychotic features. Here, the term “psychotic features” refers to experiencing strong delusions. In my case, I literally thought demons were chasing me. I would sometimes think I was a god and then think I was complete garbage.

I got diagnosed at the age of 26, right after being committed to a psychiatric hospital. If you had asked me an hour before I was admitted if anything was wrong, I would have said “no.” I had no awareness whatsoever of my issues. 

There are two types of bipolar disorder. What is the main difference between bipolar type 1 and type 2, and how long does an episode typically last?

The main difference between 1 and 2 is the level of mania. For bipolar 2, you stop at hypomania and for bipolar 1 you have full blown mania. I do want to take a moment to share that bipolar 2 is NOT “bipolar light”. Both bipolar 1 and 2 can be, and often are, equally devastating to a person. One version of bipolar is not easier than the other. Both represent unique challenges in treatment.  

As for my episodes, they are all over the place. I've had episodes that cycled within a few days, and I once experienced a manic/hypomanic episode that lasted almost a year. I've also had periods of depression that lingered for months, followed by extended periods of being “normal” and stable. It's been hard to keep track of, and I call this the “whiplash effect”. Now that I'm medicated and in recovery, I don't experience symptoms very often. When I do, they typically only last a few days. Minimizing the impact of these episodes is the ultimate goal of treatment.

Your podcasts Inside Bipolar and Inside Mental Health have gained critical acclaim for their candid discussions about mental health. How do you navigate the challenges of living with bipolar disorder while also serving as a mental health advocate for others?

On one hand, it’s a great honor to be the shepherd of mental health information, but on the other hand, it can often feel like an impossible burden. Even while hosting two podcasts, I can’t possibly cover everything. Sometimes, my opinions or the facts I present may disagree with the mainstream, and as a result, people may get angry with me.

During a discussion about forced treatment for people with mental illness, I said I had serious concerns because I believe there aren’t enough safeguards in place. I now have an army of angry people emailing me and telling me to retract my statement. Even though I find their stories compelling and I feel for them, it doesn’t change my feelings on the subject. So yeah, it can both be stressful and exhilarating. But oftentimes, the voices of people living with mental illness are silenced, which is why I work very hard to ensure all sides have a voice in the conversation. 

In your book Mental Illness is an Asshole, you discuss your personal experiences with mental health. What inspired you to write this book, and what message do you hope readers take away from it?

I’m fond of saying that there is something in that book that the reader will agree with, disagree with, and that will make them angry. I take great pride in that.

The book isn’t a fluff piece. I believe that the information and observations contained within are valuable and important. I wrote the articles based on my own lived experience and the realities of living with mental illness, and I hope readers take away from them that living with bipolar disorder isn’t easy, but it is still possible.

People often have misconceptions about bipolar disorder. What are some of the most common ones you've encountered, and how do you work to change these through your advocacy?

People think I’m not successful because of my bipolar disorder. They see my car, house, clothes and assume I’m “mooching” off my family. I work so hard and am very successful in my chosen field, which is ridiculously hard to excel in, and yet, I receive no credit. All my success is credited to my support system, my doctors, and in some cases, to bipolar disorder itself (because apparently, it made me so charismatic and creative!) Nothing there is true. I worked out, I overcame setbacks, and I worked with my doctors. While all the credit doesn’t go to me, a large portion of it should. But sadly, everyone around me gets all the credit rather than me. 

Living with bipolar disorder presents unique challenges. What are some self-care strategies and coping mechanisms that have been particularly helpful for you in managing your mental health?

Learning my limits and knowing when to take a break has been very helpful for me. Keeping a good sleep schedule, being responsible with my routine, and of course, taking my medicine as prescribed are all protective factors. Sometimes, just admitting I’m not at my best is helpful. 

As a professional speaker, you've had the opportunity to address audiences around the world. How do you incorporate discussions about bipolar disorder into your presentations, and what do you hope to achieve through these conversations?

People tend to see individuals living with mental illness at their worst. Crisis is very public, but success is very private. When I walk down the street, I’m just a middle-aged guy walking down the street – but if I were in a crisis, then people would notice. When I’m on stage, I want to show people a side of bipolar disorder that is often not seen : the successful person.

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of mental health advocacy, particularly in relation to bipolar disorder? How do you see yourself continuing to make an impact in this field?

This is the hardest question to answer because I genuinely don’t know. Sometimes, I worry that bipolar disorder is becoming a bit of a “fad”. For example, some people are more likely to believe a popular influencer over a real doctor, and while the talk of mental health has certainly risen, conversations about mental illness are getting kind of drowned out.

So, I don’t really know. I often wonder if my moment is over and if it is time to step aside. To be completely honest with you, only time will tell!