Léa Vigier (E19) initially felt like a victim of her illness. Then, she turned it into the driving force behind a life of adventure followed by millions of people online. She tells the story of this radical switch in Reflets Mag #157. You have special free access to this article... don’t forget to subscribe! 

For a long time, the same pattern repeated over and over. Léa Vigier would land an exciting job, give it her all for a year or two, then collapse. Each time, she lost everything: not just her job and her home, but even her will to live. “I used to tie my wrists at night to stop myself from cutting myself.” She interpreted each breakdown as a sort of burnout and managed to bounce back with a new job: a co-working project in Côte d'Ivoire, executive coaching in New Caledonia, software publishing followed by a marketing agency in France...

Until one day, a coach asked her what she had dreamed of becoming as a child. “I replied, an adventurer.” She had never imagined making it her career. “Up until that point, I'd set myself challenges during my holidays: climbing the Himalayas, travelling around Togo by staying at local people's homes, freediving to great depths, travelling by making my decisions on the roll of a dice...”

She realised that telling the stories of these experiences could help her find an audience. “I discovered Ulysse Lubin: he has gained over 100,000 followers on LinkedIn with his challenges around the world... and he makes a living from it.” Why not her?

The Big Shift

It was at this point that Léa Vigier was diagnosed as bipolar. “Looking back, it seems obvious. Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings, with phases of cerebral and physical mania and hypomania, during which you feel like you have superhuman abilities, and phases of deep depression, when you no longer have the strength to get out of bed. These were exactly the cycles I went through on a regular basis.”

In reality, the condition is not so easy to spot. “It generally takes around ten years to get a diagnosis. Firstly because there are several types of bipolar disorder. And in my case, I only saw my psychiatrists during my depressive phases. When I was manic, I felt motivated, ambitious and efficient, so I didn't feel the need to consult them.”

In addition, the trigger factors can vary. “Bipolar disorder can be linked to family history, alcohol or drug use, or a traumatic event.” For her part, she traces the onset of symptoms back to an expedition into the Amazon rainforest that went badly wrong. “I was trapped in a tent with no food for several days in a torrential storm, while trees were falling down around me. I thought I was going to die.”

At first, she found it very difficult to accept the diagnosis. “I was afraid of ending up in an institution, never being able to hold down a job or start a family.” But in reality, there are treatments. “Once I got over the denial, I got the medication and psychological help I needed.” In particular, she is in cognitive behavioural therapy. “We identify the early signals of phases of mania and depression, to manage them better and prevent them from getting worse.” She also uses a mood chart. “Every day, you note down your mood on a scale of 1 to 10. It’s an easy way to see the trend and, if necessary, sound the alarm.” On top of that, she pays greater attention to her well-being. “I don't drink alcohol any more, I get plenty of sleep and I meditate for 30 minutes a day.”

And lastly, she talks to people about it. Firstly, to those close to her. “We need their vigilance and sometimes their intervention, because we don't always realise that we're relapsing. My friends now know to call me when they don’t see me for a while, and my mother knows that I won't eat unless she brings me food [when in a depressive phase].” But that’s not all. She also shares her story with her audience.

Incredible!

Because Léa Vigier hasn't given up on having adventures. First of all, she wants to prove that she is still capable of achieving great things. “Initially, I was advised against climbing to high altitudes or descending to great depths, on the grounds that it would provoke similar movements in my psyche! Contrary to popular belief, I'm showing that people can continue to lead their lives as they wish, as long as they have the support they need.” Secondly, and relatedly, she wants to raise awareness. “People don’t talk much about bipolar disorder, even though it affects two million people in France, is the sixth most disabling illness in the world, ahead of cancer, and 50% of people with bipolar try to commit suicide at least once.”

Her strong message sets her apart. “Most adventurer influencers talk mainly about environment. My focus on mental health has drawn people’s attention: my posts are getting up to 200,000 impressions, I reached three million people in three months last summer, and TEDx offered me the chance to give a talk.” And companies are turning to her for in-house support. “VSEs and SMEs ask me to explain how to build resilience, how to accept your own fragility so as to overcome it more effectively... And large organisations reach out to ask me to talk about invisible disabilities.” In fact, it is mainly these structures that are currently addressing the subject. “For example, SAP monitors the working hours of its bipolar employees and sounds a warning when they exceed certain limits.”

Ultimately, her aim is to strike a balance between paid work and solidarity initiatives. “I'm involved in psychoeducation with the Hopestage association. I'm also planning a Tour de France as a bipolar woman, hitchhiking, with a sign reading: ‘I'm bipolar, can I come over?’ And in October, I'm going to start my preparations to climb Ama Dablam in Nepal. It’s a year-long project in which I'll also be working with another charity to take people with mental health problems on trips to the mountains and help them reconnect with themselves.” 

Published in Reflets Magazine #157. Read the issue exceptionally in free access. Subscribe to read our upcoming issues! 

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni

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