<![CDATA[This case study explores the lived story of a single English learner with bipolar disorder, focusing on his English language learning journey, the challenges he faced, the strategies he used, and his perceived identity as a learner. Guided by Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional narrative inquiry framework, this study focuses on Rama, a 21-year-old English Literature student diagnosed with BD type 1, whose story was captured through three semi-structured narrative interviews. The findings show that learning English played a dual role in Rama’s life: it was both an academic pursuit and a personal coping strategy to manage emotional fluctuations. His journey moved through periods of joyful curiosity, disruption due to depressive and manic episodes, and gradual reconstruction as he regained stability and confidence. Despite facing stigma and institutional limitations, particularly when mental health affected access to academic opportunities, Rama developed adaptive strategies such as self-paced learning, interest-driven study, repetition, and participation in supportive online communities. His story highlights resilience, self-awareness, and the role that language learning played in supporting his emotional well-being. This study underscores the importance of understanding learners as emotional beings and suggests that more empathetic and flexible teaching practices may help accommodate students’ diverse psychological backgrounds.]]>
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