Rahla Xenopoulos
AuthorProfessor
South Africa
Rahla Xenopoulos is a South African author and professor whose books include the memoir A Memoir of Love and Madness and the novels Bubbles, Tribe and The Season of Glass. She teaches creative writing and has served as an adjunct professor at Manhattanville College. [1][2][6]
Career and work
Xenopoulos has published fiction, memoir and journalism. Her work includes A Memoir of Love and Madness, Bubbles, Tribe and The Season of Glass, and her writing has appeared in a range of magazines and newspapers. [1][2]
Alongside her writing, she teaches creative nonfiction and writing workshops in South Africa and internationally and has taught in Manhattanville College's graduate creative-writing program. [2][6]
What has been publicly discussed
- Xenopoulos was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1992. She later wrote publicly about the diagnosis and her experience of living with the condition in A Memoir of Love and Madness. [1]
- Xenopoulos has described emotional difficulties beginning in childhood, including periods when she was gregarious and dramatic followed by deep depression. As an adult, she experienced mania involving very little sleep, little food, substantial weight loss and unusually high energy. [1][3]
- She has also written about depression, eating disorders, self-harm and suicide attempts. [1]
- Xenopoulos has described taking medication for bipolar disorder. When she decided to pursue fertility treatment, she was carefully weaned off her medication; she has said that support from psychiatrists, friends and family helped her through the instability that followed. [4]
- Xenopoulos has said that becoming a mother helped her achieve greater balance after years of instability. Looking back on decades of living with bipolar disorder, she has described having a rich and fulfilling life while emphasizing that stability is never guaranteed. [4]
“You can have a sickness and still lead a full life.”
— Rahla Xenopoulos [5]
Sources and other resourcesExpand to view the sources used in this profile and resources to learn more.
Sources used for this profile
The following sources contain information that supports the claims made on this page.
Penguin Random House South AfricaA Memoir of Love and Madness Publisher material supporting Xenopoulos's 1992 bipolar disorder diagnosis, memoir and publicly described experiences.
Rahla Xenopoulos — Official website Biographical information covering her books, journalism, teaching and public speaking.
Independent Online“Heroines in our midst” Interview covering Xenopoulos's childhood depression and experiences of elevated mood and mania.
View all 6 sources
Bipolar Disorders / International Society for Bipolar Disorders“Love and madness: Living with bipolar disorder” First-person conference contribution covering medication, fertility treatment, psychiatric and social support, motherhood and long-term stability.
SA Jewish Report“South Africa has talent” Interview containing Xenopoulos's comments on living a full life with illness.
Rahla Xenopoulos — Westport Writers' Workshop Professional biography documenting her teaching and membership of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders' lived-experience committee.
Learn more
Recommended books and other resources about Rahla Xenopoulos and their experiences.
- World Bipolar Day “Ask Me Anything” 2026 — CREST.BD
Xenopoulos joins clinicians, researchers and other people with lived experience to answer public questions about bipolar disorder.
- “Of romance, rugby and refugees”LitNet
Coverage of a literary festival discussion about writing difficult subjects, including mental illness and autobiographical exposure.