Comments on: Spiraling back up from a downward spiral

By: mindy

mindy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:25:50 +0000

thanks i needed to read this

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:10:29 +0000

Love the blanket analagy. I use the “when you have a cold, a cough is a symptom; these feelings are symptoms, not You” Now I have another tool for me to use and tell others who are having trouble.

By: brian

brian — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:27:18 +0000

Thanks Julie. Your words are so helpful, seriously. My mother recently died after a year of bad depression which was triggered by several years of oxygen depravation & having to give us several thousands of dollars to help us get out of debt (it barely made a dent). My wife took care of her several times a week, but my mother could not stand to see me.

This has put a horrible strain on my marriage, and if I forget to take my anti-depression/mood medicines, I think that I must leave my wife. She’s like a saint to everyone, working full-time, helping our grown children, spending a lot of time w/her best friend, conversing w/her mother (who we now live with), but being scarce around me.

I have not been a great bread winner for about 5 years (she has been for a few years now) because of my mental condition and being a great artist but a poor self-promoter & businessman. She & her mother are textbook passive-aggressive & codependent. My wife drinks a lot of tequila everyday to cope, makes sure I stay on my meds & refuses any mental/emotional meds.

I feel great today, but it seems each dark day gets darker. I try everything I can to explain to her, but it just makes her avoid me more & more.

There’s much more to the story & I’d like to tell you more & maybe get some advice.

By: bipolar2buddhist

bipolar2buddhist — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:31:44 +0000

Was just writing about this in my journal. Thanks for the words of wisdom, definitely needing them right now.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:50:18 +0000

That third one is the hardest! I know it and believe it when I’m not depressed or manic, but when I am sick, the illness feels so enmeshed in me that it’s hard to know where the illness ends and I begin.

I need this today too! I hope you are feeling better tomorrow. Your writing has helped me so much…thank you.