Liz Obert has bipolar II disorder, and inspired by the duality in her own experience, she has created a photo series called “Dualities” to illustrate in images and words how individuals with bipolar disorder feel. Here’s an excerpt from an article about her work in the Business Insider. If you’ve been struggling with depression, and you recognize your own experience in these images, turning to a professional for a diagnosis could be a step forward. If you’re in the greater Cleveland area, we’re here.
For many years, Liz Obert woke up, got dressed, went to work, and acted as if everything was fine. Once she returned home, however, she found herself lying around depressed, feeling hopeless and full of dread. Diagnosed in her early 20s with depression, Obert said she tried therapy and medication, but nothing seemed to work until around five years ago when a psychiatrist diagnosed her with bipolar II disorder and put her on mood stabilizers.
Although she’s had a few medication tweaks since then — “that’s kind of the life of someone who has bipolar” — Obert said she has for the most part been in a good place.
Obert feels the dual life she led for so long isn’t unique for people who suffer from mental illnesses and who “must mask their symptoms in order to function in the outside world.”