Local entrepreneur, writer and the visionary force behind The Local Times, Katy More, opens up in an exclusive interview about her battle with Bipolar Disorder.
In the dazzling business world, where success stories seem to abound, lies a hidden narrative that remains untold. Among them, the story of Katy More, a local entrepreneur, writer and the visionary force behind The Local Times. In a ground breaking interview with esteemed journalist Sheree Hoddinett, Katy courageously opens up about a battle that has remained concealed until now — her deeply personal struggle with Bipolar Disorder.
Embarking on a journey of vulnerability and self-revelation is a formidable task. For The Local Times founder Katy More, the decision to share her life with Bipolar Disorder had long been a compelling idea. However, the battle with self-doubt and questioning whether her story would genuinely resonate with others held her back for years.
“I've lost count of how many times I've lost jobs because I've finally told someone I've been diagnosed with Bipolar, and then they start looking at you differently.”
With ongoing encouragement from numerous sources, Katy took the leap, capturing her experiences on paper in the compelling paperback Consistently Inconsistent: The Basics of Bipolar, now available from local libraries and bookstores worldwide.
"It's easily been a decade of me talking and working out what to put in it and then writing it," said Katy. "The first attempt was terrible. It was more like a brain dump or a journal with no structure. If it wasn't for my friend and mentor, Richard Lancaster, I wouldn't have had the courage to complete it, let alone publish it.”
Throughout her remarkable rise in the business world, Katy unknowingly carried the weight of Bipolar Disorder, silently grappling with its unpredictable swings between manic highs and crushing lows. Every success was tempered by a constant fear of the disorder unravelling her achievements and credibility. Onset in her teenage years and officially diagnosed at 25, it could be said that she has adjusted to the darkness of Bipolar and the social mask it requires to fit in.
"When I started working with Katy and Darren five years ago, I had no idea that Katy lived with Bipolar," shared one of her fellow writers at The Local Times.
"It's not like it was a secret, but it's not an aspect of her life we dived into. Nor did it matter to me that she had a part of her life that was very different to mine. She was just Katy, a fellow writer with a bright personality and loads of confidence."
However, Katy tells a darker story. One of constant rejection over many decades, each time moulding and perfecting the social mask she would wear.
"I've lost count of how many times I've lost jobs because I've finally told someone I've been diagnosed with Bipolar, and then they start looking at you differently. Then eventually, you get let go because your 'behaviour' is not what is expected, even though it's the same 'behaviour' as before, they just didn't know it was Bipolar before, so it scary for them," shared Katy.
"It is scary when people don't know what they're dealing with, and they aren't sure what you might or could do. They have watched too many movies about Bipolar people or had an experience with someone who was uncontrolled. It is easier for them to avoid you than worry about saying or doing the wrong thing to ‘set you off’."
Despite her initial reservations about detailing her experiences with Bipolar Disorder, Katy is nervously excited to finally see her book come to fruition.
"I'm actually nervous about it being out there," Katy confessed. "I thought that writing it would be the most challenging part, but after I wrote it and published it, I had that moment of doubt where I didn't want to send it out there, and I wasn't sure I wanted anyone to read it."
Consistently Inconsistent: The Basics of Bipolar is a candid narrative tailored for the perceptive reader. Delving deep into Katy's tumultuous journey with Bipolar Disorder, this tell-all book fearlessly embraces topics such as depression, self-harm, suicide, and relationship issues as a wife, mother and daughter. The struggles and triumphs both find their place in this narrative as Katy fearlessly confronts her condition's impact on herself and those close to her.
"In the book, I have really simplified Bipolar, keeping it to the basics (as the title implies). I have shared how I experience it so people understand that it is real. Still, it is also different for everyone," said Katy.
"The most crucial thing people understand is this is my experience and mine alone. Other people don't have this exact experience; some do and don't want to discuss it. Everyone experiences Bipolar differently, and that is okay."
Katy hopes her book will give more understanding of Bipolar and how it affects everyone differently, helping those who either live with a Bipolar or who have Bipolar themselves.
"The issue, I guess, from a Bipolar point of view, is I can have it together now, but you can guarantee that at any given time, we can end up right back at the beginning again," Katy admitted.
"I think that's probably the hardest part. It's having that bounce ability, the resilience, the ability to keep picking yourself up and getting on with life because, let's face it, life goes on no matter what you're going through. But another important thing to remember is that it's okay to talk about it."
In addition to gaining insight into Katy's experience, you'll also hear from her husband, Darren and their daughter Juanita, who share their own stories in the book. The family is considering the prospect of sharing more experiences and helpful tools that work for them via future publications.
"It's definitely a unique situation to have a family willing to speak about the good, the bad and the ugly of Bipolar," Katy noted.
"We have thought about breaking the illness down into the different states of Bipolar and doing a series of books for each state: one on mania, one on depression, capturing the illness from various perspectives."
"Another book I would like to produce would answer and address all those questions, or belief statements, about Bipolar that people are too scared to ask or say. Not just from those with Bipolar but from careers, relatives, employers and friends. Even counsellors and psychologists. If anyone has a question or belief statement, please send them to me and I will consider them."
Consistently Inconsistent: The Basics of Bipolar is available at local libraries, major bookstores or online at www.katesworld.com.au. For guest speaking and book signing opportunities, email info@katesworld.com.au.
Comments