Jason Wegner – From patient to advocate

— In a raw and revealing memoir, a university student chronicles his dramatic manic episode and his path to recovery, offering a message of hope for those living with bipolar I disorder.

In Manic Man: How to Live Successfully with a Severe Mental Illness, Jason Wegner recounts his journey. The book is co-written with his psychologist, Dr. Kerry Bernes of the University of Lethbridge.

Tthe memoir shines a light on the realities of bipolar I and offers a lifeline to readers and others facing similar struggles. 

Published in October 2021, the book brings a rare, unfiltered glimpse into severe mental illness—and how one man found his footing again.

Wegner’s story begins in the summer of 2017, when use of LSD and a trip to Africa triggered a months-long manic episode marked by nonstop speech, sleeplessness, grandiose ideas, and disordered behavior. He spent over 57 days in a psychiatric hospital. 

His book describes feverish journaling, audio recordings, and reckless spending—fragments of a manic mind captured in real time.

The turning point came in hospital. Initially resistant to medication, Wegner eventually accepted treatment amid collapsing mental clarity. After release, he sank into a deep seven-month depression.

In therapy, Dr. Bernes guided him toward a holistic recovery plan called the Octagon of Life, targeting eight arenas: exercise, nutrition, exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, relationships, career, finances and mental-health balance. 

Exposure therapy involved deliberately reviewing painful memories—from manic journal entries to recordings—to build emotional resilience. Cognitive therapy helped him challenge distorted thoughts from the manic episode. 

Over time, these tools helped Wegner achieve what clinicians call post-traumatic growth—emerging stronger than before.

Wegner’s writing is candid. He recalls his chaotic return from Africa when his mother called paramedics who found him disoriented and convinced of his own superhuman intelligence. 

He admits that therapy—and the discipline of writing the book—helped him make sense of thoughts he could barely grasp in the moment.

Dr. Bernes says the recovery program delivered fantastic results and that it could apply to other mental-health challenges. 

Wegner hopes his story will reduce stigma, especially for men, and signal that mental illness is not a life sentence. Those suffering bipolar disorder are not alone in their struggles, he says.

Today, Wegner is finishing his education degree, coaches high school football, and shares his story as a mental-health speaker. 

His memoir, which began as a lecture to a psychology class, now serves as both testament and tool—a way to connect, inform and inspire.

Sources:

• CBC News: “Lethbridge student chronicles journey with bipolar disorder in new book”
• Bridge City News: “You’re not alone in your struggles: Lethbridge author shares his story about bipolar 1 disorder diagnosis”
• Mental Health @ Home: “Book Review: Manic Man”
• Welldoing.org: “Mania and Post-Traumatic Growth: How Therapy Saved Me”