marshmallow
11-10-2006, 04:53 PM
I have been reading a lot of posts by ones with bipolar supporting others with bipolar. I think it is amazing and wonderful how they jump right in to help. The support is so necessary for all of us dealing with a loved one with bipolar or those with bipolar. It really warms the heart to see others trying to help when they themselves can be having a bad day too.
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kiehn
11-10-2006, 05:32 PM
Hi Marshmellow
I agree everyone here is always so willing to help one another.
Sometimes this is the only place I can find understanding and
support. Thanks for the post. Sue
I agree everyone here is always so willing to help one another.
Sometimes this is the only place I can find understanding and
support. Thanks for the post. Sue
marshmallow
11-10-2006, 07:57 PM
Your welcome. You are one of the supportive ones I think.
Happy Girl
11-11-2006, 10:06 AM
:) I am a newbie to this site, and I totally agree with your post~LOTS of help & encouragement is what I have seen in the posts I have read!
I too came here for support. It's SO ENCOURAGING to read of others who not "SUFFER" from BP but rather "BATTLE" BP daily. I surely don't want to suffer (If I can help it)...I want to battle it. I think coming here will give me tools to battle BP more effectively day to day.
I guess it would be good to introduce myself. I am a 33 yof, mother of 3~2 of which are BP. I was diagnosed Jan. 2005 with BP after being treated for Major Depression for 5 years. After numerous medications and ups & downs, my pdoc (who was my 2nd pdoc in the 5 year span) diagnosed me with BP. I have since been on several meds to try to get a good balance on my moods. I am currently taking Lithium which has provided me the best balance yet!
BP runs in my family. My grandmother fought it for most of her life and was one of the very patients in our state to receive Lithium as treatment. She ended her life when I was 15 years old. The Lithium worked fairly well for her. Her problem is that she would believe she was "Healed" of this disease and discontinue taking her med...only to fall into a DEEP depression. My uncle is also BP. My family chooses to view BP in that these are the "only" cases in our family, but I see others in the family who have VERY SIMILAR symptoms. I believe in time, the diagnosis will happen for these who show similar symptoms.
BP is something that is NOT talked about in my (extended) family for it is something that is a mystery and also brings shame...even with a family FULL of folks who work in the medical profession!
In my opinion, a person with BP cannot rely totally on taking their meds~DON'T get me wrong for I BELIEVE in medication! What I mean is that you have to take ownership of this disease. You have to learn/know all you can know to empower yourself to battle the disease. I also believe that you have to take the BEST care of yourself you can...such as getting plenty of rest, recognizing stressors in your life that may begin mania/depression, eating well, having a support system, going to the pdoc for your regular visits & calling on him/her when you are running into trouble, exercising regularly, doing things to keep an active mind (work, puzzles, etc.), doing something "special" for yourself~treating yourself good (relaxing bubble baths, gardening, good cup of hot coffee, etc.)...I could go on & on!
Great post! I appreciate all of you who POUR your hearts out! To the parents of BP children, hold tight~they need your strength & stability that you will be there for them!
With Love to All, Jackie :D
I too came here for support. It's SO ENCOURAGING to read of others who not "SUFFER" from BP but rather "BATTLE" BP daily. I surely don't want to suffer (If I can help it)...I want to battle it. I think coming here will give me tools to battle BP more effectively day to day.
I guess it would be good to introduce myself. I am a 33 yof, mother of 3~2 of which are BP. I was diagnosed Jan. 2005 with BP after being treated for Major Depression for 5 years. After numerous medications and ups & downs, my pdoc (who was my 2nd pdoc in the 5 year span) diagnosed me with BP. I have since been on several meds to try to get a good balance on my moods. I am currently taking Lithium which has provided me the best balance yet!
BP runs in my family. My grandmother fought it for most of her life and was one of the very patients in our state to receive Lithium as treatment. She ended her life when I was 15 years old. The Lithium worked fairly well for her. Her problem is that she would believe she was "Healed" of this disease and discontinue taking her med...only to fall into a DEEP depression. My uncle is also BP. My family chooses to view BP in that these are the "only" cases in our family, but I see others in the family who have VERY SIMILAR symptoms. I believe in time, the diagnosis will happen for these who show similar symptoms.
BP is something that is NOT talked about in my (extended) family for it is something that is a mystery and also brings shame...even with a family FULL of folks who work in the medical profession!
In my opinion, a person with BP cannot rely totally on taking their meds~DON'T get me wrong for I BELIEVE in medication! What I mean is that you have to take ownership of this disease. You have to learn/know all you can know to empower yourself to battle the disease. I also believe that you have to take the BEST care of yourself you can...such as getting plenty of rest, recognizing stressors in your life that may begin mania/depression, eating well, having a support system, going to the pdoc for your regular visits & calling on him/her when you are running into trouble, exercising regularly, doing things to keep an active mind (work, puzzles, etc.), doing something "special" for yourself~treating yourself good (relaxing bubble baths, gardening, good cup of hot coffee, etc.)...I could go on & on!
Great post! I appreciate all of you who POUR your hearts out! To the parents of BP children, hold tight~they need your strength & stability that you will be there for them!
With Love to All, Jackie :D
tsohl
11-11-2006, 11:34 AM
Couldn't agree more!! (with original post!)
I really can't imagine what it must be like to have many in the family with bipolar disorder. Our almost 25-year old son has bipolar I which was diagnosed when he was away in college. I imagine he was developing it through high school but he was a very private kind of kid and we really weren't aware that he was experiencing anything more than the usual teenage mood changes...and he'd always talked fast, just about from the time he learned to talk. We've had our share of problems, but after going through 5 pdocs and what I think must be just about every med in the book, he has found the winning combo that has stablized him.
This board has been very helpful to me in learning to understand more about the disorder and how people with it feel and cope. I've done lots of research from reading books and articles, but I've learned more from reading on this board. And I think I've been able to help some other moms with recently diagnosed teens who post here, too. We can all share what we know and learn from others' experiences.
Bless all of us as we go on this journey....tsohl
I really can't imagine what it must be like to have many in the family with bipolar disorder. Our almost 25-year old son has bipolar I which was diagnosed when he was away in college. I imagine he was developing it through high school but he was a very private kind of kid and we really weren't aware that he was experiencing anything more than the usual teenage mood changes...and he'd always talked fast, just about from the time he learned to talk. We've had our share of problems, but after going through 5 pdocs and what I think must be just about every med in the book, he has found the winning combo that has stablized him.
This board has been very helpful to me in learning to understand more about the disorder and how people with it feel and cope. I've done lots of research from reading books and articles, but I've learned more from reading on this board. And I think I've been able to help some other moms with recently diagnosed teens who post here, too. We can all share what we know and learn from others' experiences.
Bless all of us as we go on this journey....tsohl
marshmallow
11-11-2006, 12:34 PM
Happy Girl welcome to the boards. I can't imagine like TKoshl said it must be really over whelming at times being surrounded with bp. I agree with what you said though about people being responsible for themselves along with the meds. I just wish my husband would of done something to help himself before we had to separate. It seems too late now or a miracle that he will ever get the help he needs. Hope your a happy girl today.
Happy Girl
11-11-2006, 05:33 PM
Happy Girl welcome to the boards. I can't imagine like TKoshl said it must be really over whelming at times being surrounded with bp. I agree with what you said though about people being responsible for themselves along with the meds. I just wish my husband would of done something to help himself before we had to separate. It seems too late now or a miracle that he will ever get the help he needs. Hope your a happy girl today.
I fight daily to be a Happy Girl...this is my daily goal! :D In actuality, I have some days that this is my goal hour to hour~depending on this beast of a disease I live with.
Just in the past 6 months, I hit an all time low, ready to end it all, take my life & be done with it. No circumstances really set off this all-time low, just me, my disorder. I REFUSED (and refuse) to let it win though. I have TOO MANY things to live for in my life! My pdoc & his nurse (who takes my calls) have been wonderful in listening/adjusting meds to help me fight!
It is a HANDFUL having 2 children with BP! One of my kids is special needs too, so I have to watch her for her ups & downs when she is not able to verbalize just "what" she is feeling or going through. The other kid is a teen (male) who was diagnosed at 7 years old, when he too was ready to take his life. Over the years, I have worked at keeping CONSTANT communication with him, so that he COULD come to me when he needed too. It's pretty bad to say that many parents want their child/children to graduate high school by 18...my goal for my son is for him to see 18 years old without taking his life! From 18 and on...I will reset my hopes & dreams for him I am sure.
I also wanted him to grow up with a good sense about himself. He has told me that he feels different/not like other kids b/c he takes medication & is BP. I've tried to encourage him by letting him know that there may be other kids his age taking meds for the same or other diagnosis, such as diabetes, asthma, etc. I've encouraged him in that BP is NO DIFFERENT than any other medical condition that requires medication...it is simply a chemical imbalance that he was born with...he cannot change having BP, but he can fight to keep balance in his life.
I really think it is a blessing for my son & my daughter to have me as their mom. I REALLY UNDERSTAND what they go through b/c of my own BP. Although I was only diagnosed for the last 2 years, I KNOW that I have ALWAYS been BP, even since childhood. The child I really feel for is my oldest who is "normal", in addition to my "normal" hubby~who is a wonderful man.
Thanks so much for the warm welcome!:D
I fight daily to be a Happy Girl...this is my daily goal! :D In actuality, I have some days that this is my goal hour to hour~depending on this beast of a disease I live with.
Just in the past 6 months, I hit an all time low, ready to end it all, take my life & be done with it. No circumstances really set off this all-time low, just me, my disorder. I REFUSED (and refuse) to let it win though. I have TOO MANY things to live for in my life! My pdoc & his nurse (who takes my calls) have been wonderful in listening/adjusting meds to help me fight!
It is a HANDFUL having 2 children with BP! One of my kids is special needs too, so I have to watch her for her ups & downs when she is not able to verbalize just "what" she is feeling or going through. The other kid is a teen (male) who was diagnosed at 7 years old, when he too was ready to take his life. Over the years, I have worked at keeping CONSTANT communication with him, so that he COULD come to me when he needed too. It's pretty bad to say that many parents want their child/children to graduate high school by 18...my goal for my son is for him to see 18 years old without taking his life! From 18 and on...I will reset my hopes & dreams for him I am sure.
I also wanted him to grow up with a good sense about himself. He has told me that he feels different/not like other kids b/c he takes medication & is BP. I've tried to encourage him by letting him know that there may be other kids his age taking meds for the same or other diagnosis, such as diabetes, asthma, etc. I've encouraged him in that BP is NO DIFFERENT than any other medical condition that requires medication...it is simply a chemical imbalance that he was born with...he cannot change having BP, but he can fight to keep balance in his life.
I really think it is a blessing for my son & my daughter to have me as their mom. I REALLY UNDERSTAND what they go through b/c of my own BP. Although I was only diagnosed for the last 2 years, I KNOW that I have ALWAYS been BP, even since childhood. The child I really feel for is my oldest who is "normal", in addition to my "normal" hubby~who is a wonderful man.
Thanks so much for the warm welcome!:D
marshmallow
11-11-2006, 09:24 PM
Happy Girl your children are indeed blesses to have a kind and understanding mother like you. I am glad you have a loving husband too. I had to separate from my husband because of his constant rages and violence towards the house. Holes in walls, doors torn off the hinges, ect. I still love him but cant live that way. He refuses to see he has a problem and wont take meds. If he did I would support him all the way but he is so abusive I can't take it. If a person is trying to understand their illness and works on it as you have then its right to support them. It is very hard for me to know my marriage is ending.
Happy Girl
11-12-2006, 09:36 AM
Happy Girl your children are indeed blesses to have a kind and understanding mother like you. I am glad you have a loving husband too. I had to separate from my husband because of his constant rages and violence towards the house. Holes in walls, doors torn off the hinges, ect. I still love him but cant live that way. He refuses to see he has a problem and wont take meds. If he did I would support him all the way but he is so abusive I can't take it. If a person is trying to understand their illness and works on it as you have then its right to support them. It is very hard for me to know my marriage is ending.
((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) Marshmallow, Bless you heart hon! I am SO SORRY to hear that he will not seek treatment! You are SO CORRECT, it takes the person with BP to want to see they have a problem and want to be helped. Honestly, I have been diagnosed for almost 2 years, and I will go through periods of doubt as to whether I am TRULY BP or not! Then I adjust my thinking back to reality...reminding myself of somethings I have done in the past, telling myself those actions were not typical of a "normal" person. (Don't you just hate that term..."normal"? LOL)
Now...you sound as if you are married to my brother. He has/is being treated for depression not BP. I cannot tell you how many doors, windows, flat-top ranges & holes in walls he has had to repair. BUT, he will NEVER listen to me if I told him I thought he was BP.
I think for women, it is much easier for us to seek help & continue with treatment. For men, it may be different??? In society, we think they are the "strong" ones, and to admit he has a mental disorder may show weakness??? I don't know ... I am just guessing??? Plus, there is still the mystery of BP, although more & more we are hearing about it on T.V., etc.
Jackie :D
((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) Marshmallow, Bless you heart hon! I am SO SORRY to hear that he will not seek treatment! You are SO CORRECT, it takes the person with BP to want to see they have a problem and want to be helped. Honestly, I have been diagnosed for almost 2 years, and I will go through periods of doubt as to whether I am TRULY BP or not! Then I adjust my thinking back to reality...reminding myself of somethings I have done in the past, telling myself those actions were not typical of a "normal" person. (Don't you just hate that term..."normal"? LOL)
Now...you sound as if you are married to my brother. He has/is being treated for depression not BP. I cannot tell you how many doors, windows, flat-top ranges & holes in walls he has had to repair. BUT, he will NEVER listen to me if I told him I thought he was BP.
I think for women, it is much easier for us to seek help & continue with treatment. For men, it may be different??? In society, we think they are the "strong" ones, and to admit he has a mental disorder may show weakness??? I don't know ... I am just guessing??? Plus, there is still the mystery of BP, although more & more we are hearing about it on T.V., etc.
Jackie :D
marshmallow
11-12-2006, 09:47 AM
Thank you Jackie, I think it really helps me to speak to people with bp because they do understand the whole thing. I feel for those on both sides of the coin. It can be devastating. I had to tell my husband it was over because no matter what I do he turns it on me. I cant keep banging my head in the wall. I do believe that he has more going on then bp and is bp/bpd too. There is no talking to him at all. Some think he may have to hit bottom before he realizes he needs help. And if I am not there he can't blame me for his problems. I do also realize it must be hard for a man to see his own flaws especially when insight is one of the flaws.
CarenR
11-12-2006, 04:26 PM
thanks for posting your story.... I was diagnosed with BI-polar in late 80s and my adult daughter was diagnosed in 2004 and put on Depakote.....
I jsut started taking. Zyprexa 6 weeks ago.shich has helped me so much now anxiety is gone. totally
I jsut started taking. Zyprexa 6 weeks ago.shich has helped me so much now anxiety is gone. totally