As you may have noticed, I have not been as active on the blog as I normally am. The reality is that I went through a period of quite serious illness where I spent all of my time getting better. I am better. And wow do I have a story to tell. I promise I will in the future. I know it will be the topic of my next article in BP Magazine– so make sure your subscription is up to date!
I have many blog questions to answer- and my goal for June is to get to all of them. I will point out the questions that are answered in my books- and personally answer those that bring up new topics. Of course, if you want to know my treatment philosophy- it is outlined in the Health Cards- You can read about the Health Cards at www.BipolarHappens.com – the system that regularly saves my life- as it did over the past few months! If you want to know how I manage to work even when I’m depressed- then Get it Done When You’re Depressed is the book for you. If you are in love with someone who has bipolar – in a romantic way- my book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder is the best choice. And if you would like a basic book on the illness whether you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder or care about someone who has the diagnosis- Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder is the way to go.
And then there are all of the personal and fantastic questions I get here on the blog- I am going to get on it and get them answered soon, I promise! It’s my goal for June- becuase I am so thankful to be better and well enough to work. I want that for all of us. And I am so thankful to have family and friends who are there when I need them- and I want to answer their questions as well.
Thanks for your support!
Julie
I’m so glad that you did the hard work and that you are feeling better. I had a very difficult March and April and I’m still getting better. It’s soooo hard!!! I go to this site everyday. You’re so honest and you give me the inspiration to keep fighting to stay well.
Thanks Julie,
Sandy
Thank you Sandy. I realize that we don’t ever have to give up- even when life feels impossible. We can always find a way to find a way. Good luck with your hard work! julie
Hi
I am having a really rough time with anxiety and i haven’t been able to track down what the issue is. I’ve also been cycling very rapidly from morning to night. Wish i knew what the problem is.
As a caregiver to an adult son (age 24) with bipolar disorder, I have watched him go thru many crises over the past 6 years since he was diagnosed. Right now he is somewhat stable. I am glad to hear you are doing much better. If it weren’t for the support system for all involved, many would not make it through. I have seen people who have been thrown aside by there families and friends because they just don’t understand the illness. My husband and I took the family to family 13 week course offered by NAMI last year and it really helped in many ways. It helped us to understand what my son is going thru but it also gave us support as the caregivers. What a journey we all have in this lifetime.
HI,
Caregiving is very difficult. I remember when my former partner Ivan was so ill in 1994. It was literally 24 hours a day to take care of him- there was so much fear and worry about his future. I am happy to say he is much better and doing fine in France. People do get better. I am so glad to hear he is finding some stability. It takes time. I just came out of a massive depression- so please let him know that change is possible. I agree that the NAMI Family to Family course is fantastic. Many NAMI support groups use my Health Cards system- it’s great for families- and the person with bipolar- That is what helped Ivan and myself find stability- but you know what? We still have the illness. I think that one of the biggest revelations a person with bipolar disorder can have is that the illness is an illness and for the moment it’s not going away. That changed me a lot. I wish that the family members you talk about could see that- it’s just an illness. I am glad your whole family found help! If you sign up for my newsletter- there are two great newsletters that you will get in the first week that are on this topic. Thanks for writing and wow, your son is so lucky to have you. I feel the same about my mother. Julie
I do not know where to post a comment that brings up a new topic, so I am doing it here. I have a habit of being very outgoing and cheerful to everyone, my efforts are to make them comfortable and so they do not worry about me or avoid me. It is exhausting work, and they do not even know it. I am only true to myself to elders in my congregation, as I would not get the spiritual help I need if they do not know what is really going on. I try to be my true self, and every single time I end up being what others need to see. It is a catch 22, since they also think there is nothing really wrong at all. I do not want to keep doing this. I do not know how to stop being the cheerful one, able to make people comfortable and to laugh. There is a quote from Hugo Wolfe.. “To be sure, I appear at times merry, and in good heart, too, before others quite reasonably, and it looks as if I felt it too, God knows how well within my skin. Yet the soul maintains its deathly sleep and the heart bleeds from a thousand wounds.”
Hi Lyn,
I just answered this on a blog post. Julie