World Bipolar Day

World Bipolar Day, 30th March 2024

Below is a short reflection and prayer for World Bipolar Day, written by Stuart, a member of the District's JDS (Justice, Dignity and Solidarity) group.

World Bipolar Day is celebrated each year on 30th March, the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was diagnosed with bipolar after he died. The vision is to encourage understanding of what bipolar is and to banish stigma from the face of our planet. One in fifty people live with bipolar, more than half undiagnosed, and it also affects people's family, friends and work colleagues.

A prayer for World Bipolar Day

Restoring God,

We all experience periods of low mood and low energy. You have promised that, if we come to you, you will give us rest.

Today we remember those of us who experience extremes of mood and energy, and extreme changes, beyond the experiences of the majority us.

Whether we experience depression, or mania, or whether these are beyond our personal experiences, grant us all empathy, acceptance and hope, as we are therefor one another in times of need. May we provide your comfort to one another.

Let us remember the words of 2nd Corinthians 1:3-4:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.


In Jesus' name. Amen.