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BIPOLAR IS WHO I AM
Bipolar Is Who I Am is not a clinical explanation of mental illness.
It’s what it actually feels like to live inside it.
One missed dose. One bad decision. One sleepless night—and everything can unravel.
Chris LaFreniere takes you inside the mind of someone living with bipolar 1 disorder—not from the outside looking in, but from the middle of the storm. The manic highs that feel unstoppable. The crushing lows that make survival feel like a victory. The impulsive decisions that can destroy relationships, careers, and identity in a matter of moments.
This is not a sanitized story.
It’s raw. It’s honest. And it doesn’t look away from the damage.
You’ll walk
The chaos of undiagnosed bipolar disorderAddiction, reckless choices, and the edge of losing everythingPsychosis, memory loss, and a mind that can’t always be trustedThe weight of consequences—and the responsibility to face themThe daily fight to rebuild a life that once seemed beyond repairBut this book doesn’t stop at the struggle.
It’s about what comes after.
Through faith, discipline, and relentless effort, Chris discovers something deeper than
that stability isn’t given—it’s fought for.
That identity isn’t defined by diagnosis.
And that redemption is not a concept—it’s a decision lived out every day.
If you live with bipolar disorder, love someone who does, or want to understand what it truly feels like from the inside…
This book will change the way you see it.
Not perfect.
Not easy.
But real.
It’s what it actually feels like to live inside it.
One missed dose. One bad decision. One sleepless night—and everything can unravel.
Chris LaFreniere takes you inside the mind of someone living with bipolar 1 disorder—not from the outside looking in, but from the middle of the storm. The manic highs that feel unstoppable. The crushing lows that make survival feel like a victory. The impulsive decisions that can destroy relationships, careers, and identity in a matter of moments.
This is not a sanitized story.
It’s raw. It’s honest. And it doesn’t look away from the damage.
You’ll walk
The chaos of undiagnosed bipolar disorderAddiction, reckless choices, and the edge of losing everythingPsychosis, memory loss, and a mind that can’t always be trustedThe weight of consequences—and the responsibility to face themThe daily fight to rebuild a life that once seemed beyond repairBut this book doesn’t stop at the struggle.
It’s about what comes after.
Through faith, discipline, and relentless effort, Chris discovers something deeper than
that stability isn’t given—it’s fought for.
That identity isn’t defined by diagnosis.
And that redemption is not a concept—it’s a decision lived out every day.
If you live with bipolar disorder, love someone who does, or want to understand what it truly feels like from the inside…
This book will change the way you see it.
Not perfect.
Not easy.
But real.
205 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 8, 2026
Like most people, I began reading this story with no first hand knowledge or experience with the condition known as bipolar, other than common references to the weather or the punchlines in jokes. Chris Lafreniere holds nothing back in telling his story about struggling with the real thing, from his early life growing up to how he fought back and found healing and recovery as an adult.
In particular I like the pacing of the book, how he describes the background details of his personal life, the setting, family etc without getting bogged down in the details and instead continuing to connect everything to the main point of what the book is about - struggling through and finding peace and victory in the midst of living with the reality of being bipolar.
I found myself saving certain quotes that I found very moving, such as
“The opposite of deaths by a thousand cuts; this was life by a thousand resurrections.”
And
“…..survival isn’t a single act. It’s a string of fragile, defiant moments. Sometimes it looks like arguing with voices. Sometimes it looks like taking one reluctant bite of a sandwich.”
As his story progresses Chris continues to inspire through this type of language - that it’s not about having “arrived” at a final point of victory but about continuing along the path and moving forward in the right direction.
While he heavily credits his faith as being an important part of his recovery and ongoing support system, you do not need to be a Christian or religious to understand what he is describing or how it has positively influenced his life.
The story ends not with a grand 3rd act victory or final “boss” fight, but with a picture of Chris continuing to live his life with his family and faith community and making daily efforts at living a healthy life while acknowledging the reality of living with Bipolar, combining modern medicine and science with counseling/therapy, family and faith. I have thoroughly enjoyed this work and I hope it will be a great help to those struggling in the same way and for the mental health community as a whole.
In particular I like the pacing of the book, how he describes the background details of his personal life, the setting, family etc without getting bogged down in the details and instead continuing to connect everything to the main point of what the book is about - struggling through and finding peace and victory in the midst of living with the reality of being bipolar.
I found myself saving certain quotes that I found very moving, such as
“The opposite of deaths by a thousand cuts; this was life by a thousand resurrections.”
And
“…..survival isn’t a single act. It’s a string of fragile, defiant moments. Sometimes it looks like arguing with voices. Sometimes it looks like taking one reluctant bite of a sandwich.”
As his story progresses Chris continues to inspire through this type of language - that it’s not about having “arrived” at a final point of victory but about continuing along the path and moving forward in the right direction.
While he heavily credits his faith as being an important part of his recovery and ongoing support system, you do not need to be a Christian or religious to understand what he is describing or how it has positively influenced his life.
The story ends not with a grand 3rd act victory or final “boss” fight, but with a picture of Chris continuing to live his life with his family and faith community and making daily efforts at living a healthy life while acknowledging the reality of living with Bipolar, combining modern medicine and science with counseling/therapy, family and faith. I have thoroughly enjoyed this work and I hope it will be a great help to those struggling in the same way and for the mental health community as a whole.
September 5, 2026
Chris captures his story by starting from the beginning. From his childhood and Italian family gatherings,to feelings of despair as he got older.His addictions and triumphs.My heart felt heavy for him.I had emotions of sadness,fear and much pride for Chris.He explains all his feelings of struggling with Bipolar and the medications and hospital stays.I applaud Chris for sharing his story of his struggle.And more so am in awe of how he rises above it each day.With the love of his wife and beautiful son,he shows us how he can live a life he so deserves! Congrats Chris! An excellent book.
September 17, 2026
Chris LaFreniere's book, Bipolar Is Who I Am, gave me an intense understanding of just how extremely horrible Bipolar 1 is for those who are afflicted with it. I'm really glad that the book has a happy ending. It shows how amazing God is in how He can rescue people from the worst of circumstances.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews