Joanna Jarecki

• Jarecki has publicly identified herself as living with bipolar I disorder. She has said that her own experience with the condition influenced her decision to pursue psychiatry and later shaped the way she approaches her clinical work. [3][2]

• Jarecki has described an early period of severe depression in which she felt that her world was ending. She later experienced mania involving grandiose and delusional thinking. [2]
• During that manic episode, she was taken to hospital in handcuffs. Jarecki has described the experience as frightening and has spoken about the shame she felt afterward as she tried to make sense of what had happened. [2]

• In discussing her own recovery, Jarecki has emphasized moving beyond symptom control alone and paying attention to factors that support overall wellbeing, resilience and meaning alongside traditional psychiatric treatment. [1]
• Her experience led her to the concept of salutogenesis, an approach focused on the factors that help people become and remain well rather than concentrating only on illness and symptoms. [1]

• Jarecki has made reducing stigma and expanding expectations of life with bipolar disorder central to her advocacy. She has said that she wants to shift the narrative away from inevitable limitation and toward the possibility of recovery, resilience and a meaningful life. [1]
• She has said that her advocacy aims to reduce stigma, inspire hope and demonstrate that positive outcomes are possible for people living with bipolar disorder. [3]

“I promise you, things will get better.”

— Joanna Jarecki [2]