Comments on: How Has Bipolar Disorder Changed You?

By: Bipolar Disorder Books | People with Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder Books | People with Bipolar Disorder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:24:35 +0000

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By: Melkys

Melkys — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:31:16 +0000

I have no doubt that I am bipolar, it’s 6 am and have been awake for hours. I guess I have been Bipolar II for many years, in my late teens I was really depress and was given medicine for depression and anxiety, after 6 months I took myself out of the meds I was CURE I had no depressions, it was as if I never had it. Through ou the years I had my ups and downs but nothing was as bad as after I had I child 2-1/2 yrs ago. He is the best thing that ever happened to me but I was changed forever.
I was diagnose a year ago, and was given lamitrogine, not sure if is working I’m usually depress, it’s been hard, my son was diagnose with ACC while I was pregnant was born a moh early and in NICU for 9 days, I had my gallbladdr remove a year ago a few months before been diagnose maybe the painkillers also had aggravated the mental illness. I am 28 till now I was… Very competent I was the best at what I did, ran a small company, had my Real Estate license, graduated high school by 16, very smart, pretty, and sweet… Now I am depress, hypomanic, separated from my husband, living with my parents, almost lost my job, bu after been in this site I have come to see with some stories hat I need to do something about it I cannot sit and wait to eventually get better I need to make myself et better… I say that now but I really hope I feel like this tomorrow… Well let’s pray and have faith that God almightily will give us the strength and desire to go on.

By: Teri

Teri — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:30:57 +0000

I have a younger Sister, 47 years old, that has been diagnosed as bi-polar with paranoid episodes. She refuses her diagnosis and explains her behavior away by telling everyone that she has PTSD and the “family” is the cause of her problems. She cannot accept the truth of the matter and is pushing everyone that loves her away with behaviors that are angry, aggressive, and damaging to her relationships. Everything that happens is someone else’s fault. She rages at people, cannot control her emotions, has been fired from jobs, has lost her children, and the list goes on. It is heartbreaking to watch this happen to her but until she is willing to help herself nothing will change. Each year that goes by takes her further and further from people that love her but are fed up with her abusive behaviors. She does not work and lives with our elderly Mother. She rages at our Mom and demands money from her and the use of her car. Now she has gone over the edge and pushed our Mother. Mom luckily landed on a kitchen chair, but at 81 years of age it is becoming a dangerous situation. Looks like we will have to do a restraining order and have her put out on the streets. It is awful to say the least. Why can’t she do something to help herself?

By: Denise S

Denise S — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:06:50 +0000

I had been depressed all my life, and didn’t know it, until 5 years ago. When I was first diagnosed with depression, I knew there had to be something more that my doctor and therapist was not telling me. I went through the next year, trying different meds through my doctor’s advice, and none of them seemed to work. When I was on the anti-depressant Cymbalta, something changed, I was not the same. The medicine didn’t work, and I kept calling my doctor for 5 days straight.

In the process of not feeling well, the fourth day that I called her, I didn’t realize that I wanted to die, but that day I was tying ropes around my neck, and I finally came to the realization that I needed help. Luckily, I had the sense enough to call our crisis center. The next day I called my doctor, and told her about it, and she sent me to the hospital. When I was in the hospital, I was diagnosed with having Bipolar II. Ever since then, it has been a trial and error thing with medicines.

I have been put on disability. I can’t work, but about 2 years ago, I started writing poetry, and found out that was my calling. Because I had to change my doctor and therapist, it was my therapist’s recommendation for me to start writing to get my feelings down on paper. So I did.

About 7 months ago, I joined a site called All Poetry, and started writing on the site. Almost 3 months ago, I started a group on All Poetry to see if the group would work. I wanted to find a cure for all mental illnesses, and here I am 3 months later, my group is a success. I now have 55 members in my group, and it’s based on any type of mental illness. The reason for this should be clear.

For the past 3 years, I have always been told by psychiatrists and therapists that there are no cures for any type of mental illness. Only treatments. But, I say that if we can find a cure, it’s bound to be out there, and I will find it. I don’t like the fact, that most of us have to sit and wonder if there is a cure, when we can be out there trying to find the cure for ourselves. The doctors don’t have the answers, and the therapists don’t have the answers, so why not try to find the answers ourselves?

We are the ones with the mental health issues, and I feel that it is up to us to find it. If any of you out there, would like to help find a cure, you may go to allpoetry.com and sign up as a member, and check out the groups. My group is the only group on that site, that is working to try to find a cure mental illnesses. My group is called The Bipolar Raiders-Race For a Cure. I would welcome everyone that has a mental illness, someone who lives with others with mental illnesses, or has the knowledge of how we can find a cure.

At first I thought me having Bipolar was a curse, now I count that as my blessing. I never thought that I would get as far as I have, but always count your blessings and things will look up.

By: Eliza

Eliza — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 03:34:56 +0000

I was diagnosed bipolar about 6 months ago. For me, it was a huge relief. From watching my mom struggle with so many psych disorders and studying psychology extensively in high school and college, I attached absolutely no stigma to the diagnosis. I was just happy to have an explanation for my continuing periods of outlandish, “delusional” behavior followed by months of suicidal depression.

Since I have bipolar 2, I was able to deal with life relatively successfully for what I believe were about 4 years of the disorder before its diagnosis. In those four years, I graduated from one of the best universities in the country and secured a very good job afterward. However, during a manic episode I quit my job believing I could actually follow through with one of my “crazy” ideas and spent two months doing nothing productive and behaving recklessly. Then, depression ensued and I moved home. I am going to graduate school next year, but every day is a struggle to try to keep myself busy. I have found that having a routine helps, as does exercising as early as possible in the morning.

I think the best thing the diagnosis did for me was get me on medication, and show me what parts of my life were real and what parts of my life were the disorder. I also recognize how I can work with the disorder and play up it’s benefits, such as creativity and an amazing imagination. Getting to know myself and who I truly am have been incredibly rewarding, and for that, I believe my diagnosis, and the disorder, are a blessing.

By: Moneypenny

Moneypenny — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:04:39 +0000

After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder I have been plagued by the unfortunate stigma of being “fragile.”

I am in no way fragile. I am a completely competent person who, until being laid off thanks to the crappy economy, was contributing to society. I am well educated and have a nice family. I can care for myself and my family without anyone’s assistance even without my meds.

With my meds, I have become better able to focus without the constant manic episodes or major depression.

I am angry about the stigma that is attached to bipolar disorder. We are NOT crazy people. Some of the things we do can sometimes be classified as crazy, but WE are not crazy.

It’s important to take the meds and do just as the doctor orders, but it’s just as important that we, as a group, do our best to make the stigma go away.

By: Jen B

Jen B — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:39:36 +0000

I was diagnosed BPII after my child was born. I was probably hypomanic throughout my life before that. I keep fighting the diagnosis. This has become a daily struggle for me. I spend lots of energy making sure my husband and daughter don’t have to deal with it.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:10:47 +0000

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type I in 2000. I had just had a full Hysterectomy and a few weeks later I began to change for the worst. I went and seen a Psychiatrist who told me I was Bipolar and that I probably had been all my life, but it took having the surgery to bring it out. I have lived through pure Hell ever since. I have been on every psychotropic and depression drug known to man and have been hospitalized 42 times. I have tried to commit suicide at least 2 dozen times. One I almost did end it, but they saved me. On top of that I have gone through numerous surgeries and had to be put on pain killers…which do mesh well with bipolar. Now I’m having to go through it again. I just found out yesterday I will have to have yet another back surgery, this time very evasive, I will be hospitalized and put on Morphine. Great!!! NO NOT GREAT!!! Yes there was a time a year or two ago that I began to get better but that all changed when I had to have all my teeth pulled and was put on some heavy duty pain killers. I began to abuse them like always and then ran out and began to detox. If you want to know what pure Hell is like, bipolar + pain killersM + detoxing = PURE HELL.
In the past I would hullicinate, see things, hear things. I was going to have ECT’s done, but chickend out. I could write a novel on what I’ve gone through and put my family through. But the one thing that has kept me going these past years is my Husband. He has stood by my side the whole time, even after threating to kill him and myself many times. He has never left me and said he will never leave me. He says he knows there is good inside of me and that I have to make the choice …. to live my life in Hell…or to try and make myself better…..I have chosen to not let this disease beat me…I have chosen to live again.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:06:32 +0000

I am Bipolar I. I have been suffering from organ damage from bipolar medication. It is such a tough road that the very same medicines that help my mental functioning, turn on my thyroid, kidneys or liver. I am starting Tegretol, but it’s side effects are daunting as well. The cure is sometimes more cruel than the disease.

By: rexx

rexx — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:33:07 +0000

Hello,
Im new to this site. I registered and now I can not locate the login….However, I am searching for support for myself and my bipolar son…..Rexx