HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Stigma no more, I am blessed in all that I am

Support Forums
>
Bipolar Disorder
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/9/2013 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I have just joined this forum to find out how others are dealing with their own diagnosis.  I was diagnosed about 12 years ago after a very dramatic experience in my life.  I have been hospitalized 5 times due to bipolar...all because of not following a good program to maintain stability in my life.  Fortunately, I have been able to maintain my marriage and job through my ordeal but not without some wounds.  After realizing that my doctor was keeping me over medicated and not committed to helping me get well...his only interest was keeping me out of the hospital...I switched doctors and found out that I can be productive and the person I was before my diagnosis even on medication.  It was a vicious cycle before this discovery...I would go off my meds to get "normal" and productive but then stress would trigger my mania followed by depression.   Now I take my medication without argument because I feel fine with them and they keep me from going into mania.  I also lead a very rewarding life with a job that respects me, a social life with friends that enjoy my company, a family life which is peaceful and loving with my husband and two children,.....this was not always the case. 

I had a young friend over that is also bipolar and he told me that he was glad that he was bipolar because it makes him who he is.  I learned a lot from my young friend that day.  Don't allow being bipolar take away your life but let it give you life.  We are some of the most passionate, caring people there are we just need to appreciate ourselves and take control of getting well.

Posted 5/10/2013 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Amen.
Posted 5/10/2013 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome! I am a new member too. I hope the forum serves us well. :) I am glad to hear your situation is stable now, it is reassuring. I am just curious, did you know you were Bipolar before you had your children? I'm just curious because I've been a bit scared due to things I have read about having to go off meds when you're pregnant and such. I am not currently pregnant, but would like to have children in the not too far future. I am scared that I won't be able to though because if I go off my meds, I will probably go nuts and sink into a suicidal depression again. Was it a terrible ordeal for you, or do I have hope still? I'm scared as well that I will pass on all my problems to my child and I don't want that either...
Anyways, have a great day and best of luck! :)
Posted 5/11/2013 5:05 AM (GMT 0)
Do not let your illness stop your life from progressing you can be all that you dream. The only thing that let me slide into depression was the realization that I had unrealistic expectations that I needed help meeting. In other words I think you need to look at what you can handle and what you need help with and devise a plan that will work for you. I was not bipolar before I had children but got diagnosed when they were in there teens. I would say this is something you need to talk over with your spouse about and make sure he is on board with the mutual nurturing care. Raising children is a very rewarding experiencing and can bringing you out of the depressive state into a loving and rewarding state that God has intended for us. But if we slide into depression we do need a backup plan and we need to have a husband, family, or friend who understands the important to the situation that will step in and backfill when you are not able to do what you need to do. Also, you need to make a commitment to follow through with your treatment plans to stay well so that you can care for your children. BTW Being a parent is great and the best gift that God gave to us. I hope you will take advantage of it. BTW I also volunteer for a crisis pregnancy center, so I am very compassionate for the desire to have children.

Much Love
Posted 5/11/2013 5:38 AM (GMT 0)
Backup plans are definitely a MUST with kids in the house. When I was struggling most a couple of years ago, one of my neighbors was his babysitter. Their daughter can also babysit. We have 3 other neighbors that are backup babysitters. Not to mention my coworkers that he knows (he gets off the school bus at my work). My parents will come up, although it takes an hour for them to get here. My bf will step in and take care of everything from cooking supper to checking homework when I crash at the end of the day (which is most days).

Kids are a team effort. Getting support from dependable, safe people is not always easy. If you wait until you're impaired by symptoms, it would be even harder.
Posted 5/12/2013 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Children are a blessing and can bring a lot of joy to your life...they are worth the effort of making the plan to make it work. It is a team effort but it is worth the effort....good luck...may God bless you with the joy of children.
Posted 5/12/2013 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
I cycle so well, Tour de France here I come! :)
Posted 5/12/2013 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
lol jade! :)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply