5 Secrets to Self-Forgiveness for Bipolar People

The highs and lows of bipolar dipolar can cause bipolar people to do things they are not proud of...

Bipolar Disorder
March 21, 2025

The highs and lows of bipolar dipolar can cause bipolar people to do things they are not proud of.Without therapy for bipolar disorder related to guilt, self-forgiveness can be therapeutic for bipolar people.However, forgiveness from self is not easily accessible to most, self-forgiveness for bipolar people can even be more complicated.An apology is a simple yet effective method to forgive oneself.Bipolar people might need to apologize to themselves, maybe by making amends and promising to do better.Apologizing to other people involved also creates room to forgive oneself for a problem.Self-care can be seen as rebuilding yourself with kindness.Dealing with guilt and shame is a lot more difficult when you maintain the same habits you had before.Practicing daily self-care is a secret to self-forgiveness for bipolar people.Acceptance is another secret to self-forgiveness for bipolar people.For a bipolar person, the past might be more difficult to accept since they were not deliberate.However, you can accept two truths that the acts were not deliberate; however, they still had consequences.Explore five secrets to self-forgiveness for bipolar people.

Self Apology

A vital part of the forgiveness process usually involves an apology.This is so even when the person you are forgiving is yourself.It might seem a bit confusing to have to apologize to yourself.However, an apology to yourself is possible and usually necessary.When you feel bad about guilt or shame, you might have conflicting thoughts.You could have opposing thoughts that justify and condemn your actions.Apologizing to yourself can help to create a space in your head without these thoughts.When you typically want to apologize to another person, the apology typically comes with a promise to prevent the prior situation.When apologizing to yourself, try to address the causes of the need for the apology.You might also have to apologize to other people besides you.Sometimes, apologizing to other people can allow us to truly forgive ourselves.A vital secret to self-forgiveness for bipolar people is apologizing to themselves and others involved.

A man holding up a board of forgiveness in public.

Daily Self-Care

In the course of a bipolar episode, you might do something that you feel ashamed about.The feeling of shame and guilt is familiar to most people.One of the secrets to self-forgiveness for bipolar people is to practice self-care daily.It is important to note that the state of your mind is affected by other parts of your life.The guilt arising from manifestations of bipolar disorder can be worsened by the current state of your life.For instance, if you maintain some of the same habits that caused why you need forgiveness.When you make changes to your life, such as improvement in daily reflections, dietary intake, sleep patterns, exercise, and stress management, you might start to believe that maybe you are worthy of forgiveness from yourself due to the work you put into it.These healthy habits will also lower your risk of having a bipolar meltdown.It is important to consider that the lack of self-forgiveness could also be a manifestation of bipolar depression.You might deem yourself unworthy of friends and loved ones and withdraw.Keeping a journal of daily reflections can help determine if there has been a severe mood change.

Reparations

Reparation is another one of the secrets to self-forgiveness for bipolar people.It is often not enough to simply apologize.You might have to make amendments for wrongdoing with the apology.A great way to start making amends and reparations for a bipolar person is by seeking treatment.You might be tempted to state that the wrongdoings will not happen again.However, without proper treatment, the decision might not even be in your control.Reparation also feels more sincere than just an apology.Reparation will usually involve doing some actual work.For instance, you might begin going to therapy or seeing a mental health professional.Even for you, this might feel real and sincere.You should also be wary of self-punishment in place of reparation.Try to ensure you are looking to make amends and not for other ways to punish yourself.

Patience

The journey of forgiveness can be a very long road.You might find that despite your best attempts, you still hold some resentment towards yourself for prior acts.Patience is another secret to self-forgiveness for bipolar people.To put it simply, you can not control all your emotions.Even with the help of medication and treatment, there are moments when the missing component is patience.It might take a while to believe you are worthy of self-forgiveness finally.Forgiveness involves showing remorse for your actions.In the time spent without forgiving yourself, making your mind a kind place for yourself is also essential.Here being able to be patient and gentle with yourself is vital.A common thought is to believe that forgiveness will never come.In the same way, during bipolar episodes, the episodes and treatment might seem unending.However, patience makes the journey to the end much more pleasant.

Acceptance

For some people, the past is a nightmare to run from.In this case, the past often daunts us in some moments where we can not block out the memories.Running from the past is a significant barrier to self-forgiveness.You will likely have to accept past occurrences to completely forgive yourself.The truth is bipolar people have episodes and other mental health challenges that might make them prone to certain acts.However, those episodes do not define you as a bipolar person.It might help to understand that accepting you did certain things does not make you those things you did.Acceptance might help you decide to stop doing certain things.Some parts of acceptance also come from decisions that were not necessary by choice.A bipolar person might discover their actions only after stabilizing their moods.In this case, a bipolar person can accept those acts were not deliberate, although they happened and had consequences.The lack of acceptance can sometimes be a barrier to self-forgiveness, this is why acceptance is key to self-forgiveness for bipolar people.Running from the past might cause recollections of those prior actions to destabilize the process of self-forgiveness afterward.

Conclusion

The feeling of guilt can make forgiving oneself more complicated than receiving the forgiveness of others.Being overwhelmed with guilt and shame you might find yourself in need of therapy for bipolar disorder-related guilt.However, self-forgiveness for bipolar people is accessible with some secrets such as apologizing to yourself, practicing daily self-care, making reparations, exercising patience, and accepting what happened.

Resources

3 Secrets to Self-Forgiveness When You Have Bipolar | bpHope.com

A Guide for Self Forgiveness - Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (dbsalliance.org)

How to Forgive Yourself: Tips for Self-Forgiveness (verywellmind.com)

9 Ways to Make Amends and Seek Forgiveness | bpHope.com

How to Heal & Reconcile Regrets Linked to Your Bipolar Disorder - New Milford Counseling Center

Author
Jennifer Luttman, LPC, ACS

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and owner of Overcomers Counseling. I'm dedicated to helping individuals find strength and healing through life’s challenges. With a deep understanding of mental health and years of professional experience, I specialize in fostering hope and resilience while equipping her clients with tools to thrive. Passionate about empowering others, she creates a safe, supportive space where everyone feels seen, valued, and capable of overcoming obstacles on their path to well-being.

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