Interesting question- many of us would say no. But I’ve found that people who love those with bi-polar disorder do get used to some very stressful, aggressive, scary, uncontrolled and confusing behavior. It’s often easier to let things go than face the issues and know that your life may be miserable for awile.
This is one of my main areas of focus in my family member and partner coaching. It’s so easy to get used to truly unacceptable bipolar behavior- recognizing this and making changes is a huge step towards stability for everyone in the family.
Cleck here for the blog. I’d love to read your comments.
Julie
Click here for more information on my family member and partner coaching.
its been a few years since recovering from social anxiety disorder, but it is never over. Its like a shadow , always there but silent as it seldom sleeps. Silent killer. To cover this i try to be happy when a dragging force pushes me down to the ground, and that my friend is depression. When i want to be normal i become “hyper manic” , well buddy i’m afriad i’ve been dead for too long. im not trying to be overly friendly. i’m trying to be normal but all the happiness the past hardly gave me has suddenly transferred now. im crazy, insane and mad. its better than being silent , quite and internally bruised , beaten. i can’t explain this is in just words, because you need a walk in my shoes to understand. i just require help so 🙂 is not 😀 or :'( … DevilLived
Hi Julie, I am desperately seeking a copy of an example of the “bipolar conversation” that you posted in one of the earliest versions of your original on-line newsletter. The way it was written made a tremendous impact and saved my relationship with my bipolar husband. It was actually a conversation between a mother and her adult daughter, who was have symptoms of schizophrenia. I can recall some detail of the conversation. They are talking and the daughter tells her mother that the mother has been spending all their money on careless things etc. You give two versions of how the conversation can go and show how the mother responds to turn it around, vs. escalate the BP conversation. I have your books but can not find this particular example. If I could have it, it would mean so much. It perfectly illustrated so many of the conversations my husband has with unsuspecting friends. I wish to use this conversation to help them see the effects of their response, and also to intro duce your works and books to them in hopes they will take the time to read them if they truly wish to be of help in the situation. I am so, hoping you can give me a reference or even post this particular version of the BP conversation example. Thanks much, MJ
Hi Julie… Honestly I didn’t recognize the mania until last fall when I was diagnosed. I was 35. I be had a hard time dealing with it all. I was what you call euphoric manic at that time. It all spiraled out of control. I wasn’t sleeping and pumping out art like a machine. It all came to happen due to Celexa because I finally sought out help the winter before because of my depression. I thought the depression had to do with the winter or my jobs and I couldn’t figure out why it was always happening. I was really happy with the diagnosis at the time. I also thought I was invincible, going to be on the Dr Phil show and completely out of control. I spent money that wasn’t coming in, I told everyone and their mother and I thought I was in my right mind. When I got talked into resigning from my job I went into the worst depression ever. Everyday is still difficult and it’s been 7 months later. I know my husband has put up with a lot and luckily we have been together for 15 years. I stumbled onto your website last night and listened to all of your podcasts and for the first time in months I feel hope. I deserve to be happy again and I self medicated for 18 years with marijuana. It doesn’t work with the medication anymore. It makes me feel horrible and think the worst thoughts. It’s been a hard transition to not use. I feel anxiety everyday and I never felt that before. I am a very outgoing person but I feel like a shell of myself; insecure and always worrying. I just want to feel the balance and recognize my talents again. I feel like I have to change everything I once new and it’s so overwhelming. I didn’t answer your question at all but I feel better just sharing my experience with you.
I wrote to You on Your website today. I watched videos chanel, i’m reading Your blog. I don’t know if You would get to be able to help me or anserw my message, I realise one person can’t always be able to help every each one who seek help, but what You wrote here in such a simple way was so comforting i just wanted to thank You. Thank You for helping people. Everyone deserve to be love and be accepted complitely.
Hania
I really can’t imagine how people could find this helpful. You have a ton of misinformation in all of your blogs. You are in no way qualified to understand anything but bipolar 2 which fyi isn’t the same in its presentation and you every few blogs you are selling something. You disgust me.