Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
HOW DO FRIENDS AND FAMILY REACT WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE A MOOD DISORDER; THAT IS A LOADED QUESTION. I KNOW THAT IT MUST BE DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE BUT FOR EACH OF US IT PROBABLY FEELS SOME WHAT THE SAME... "ISOLATING".
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A OUTGOING AND FRIENDLY KIND OF PERSON. MOST PEOPLE WHO MET/MEET ME WOULD SAY THAT THEY REALLY LIKE ME AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT MIND HAVING ME AS A FRIEND. THE CATCH IS NOT MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THAT I DON'T WISH / HAVE MANY FRIENDS. SO IN A WAY YOU MAY SAY I HAVE CHOSEN TO ISOLATE MYSELF.
EMOTIONALLY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SAFER THAT WAY.
I WAS IN THE MILITARY WHEN I WAS FIRST DIAGNOISED WITH BI-POLAR. "WEAPONS AND CRAZY PEOPLE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK MAKE A GOOD COMBINATION." MY BOSSES (CHAIN OF COMMAND) COULD NOT UNDERSTAND OR COMPREHEND MY DISABILITY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SEE IT. IF I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IN A CAST FROM MY NECK DOWN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A PROBLEM; THEY JUST COULD NOT IMAGINE A CAST FROM THE NECK UP. MENTAL HEALTH IS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY IN TODAYS MILITARY AND MY CHAIN OF COMMAND HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT THAT I WAS NO LONGER FIT TO BE A SOILDER.
AS FAR AS MY FAMILY, IT WAS EAISER FOR THEM TO ACCEPT. MY FATHER, WHEN HE WAS ALIVE HAD BEEN DIAGNOISED BI-POLAR (DEPRESSIVE). ALL MY SIBLINGS HAD GROWN UP UNDERSTANG THE WORLD OF PSYCHATRIC LIFE AND DEALING WITH MOOD DISORDER. I'VE NEVER BEEN SHUNNED BY THEM BUT THEY ARE PROTECTIVE OF THEIR FAMILIES EXPOSIER TO THE SITUATION AS WELL.
SO I GUESS THAT IT LEAVES ME WHERE I ALWAYS WAS MOST COMFORTABLE, ISOLATED, AND SOMETIMES ALONE.
WHEN I LEFT THE MILITARY THOUGH I FOUND A GREAT SUPPORT NETWORK THROUGH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND FORMER SOILDERS WITH MOOD DISORDERS (SOME WORSE THAN I AM COMFORTABLE WITH). AND JUST RECENTLY I FOUND THIS WEBSITE "DAILY STRENGTH" YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF IT. THERE I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF LIFE ARE EAISER SOMETIMES THAN OTHERS AND THAT I AM WHO I AM AND DON'T HAVE TO BE ANY THING ELSE.
NORMAL LIFE MUST BE HARD ENOUGH, AT LEAST I HAVE PILLS (AND OTHERS LIKE ME) TO HELP ME THROUGH EACH DAY. LOL ...TRS
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A OUTGOING AND FRIENDLY KIND OF PERSON. MOST PEOPLE WHO MET/MEET ME WOULD SAY THAT THEY REALLY LIKE ME AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT MIND HAVING ME AS A FRIEND. THE CATCH IS NOT MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THAT I DON'T WISH / HAVE MANY FRIENDS. SO IN A WAY YOU MAY SAY I HAVE CHOSEN TO ISOLATE MYSELF.
EMOTIONALLY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SAFER THAT WAY.
I WAS IN THE MILITARY WHEN I WAS FIRST DIAGNOISED WITH BI-POLAR. "WEAPONS AND CRAZY PEOPLE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK MAKE A GOOD COMBINATION." MY BOSSES (CHAIN OF COMMAND) COULD NOT UNDERSTAND OR COMPREHEND MY DISABILITY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SEE IT. IF I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IN A CAST FROM MY NECK DOWN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A PROBLEM; THEY JUST COULD NOT IMAGINE A CAST FROM THE NECK UP. MENTAL HEALTH IS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY IN TODAYS MILITARY AND MY CHAIN OF COMMAND HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT THAT I WAS NO LONGER FIT TO BE A SOILDER.
AS FAR AS MY FAMILY, IT WAS EAISER FOR THEM TO ACCEPT. MY FATHER, WHEN HE WAS ALIVE HAD BEEN DIAGNOISED BI-POLAR (DEPRESSIVE). ALL MY SIBLINGS HAD GROWN UP UNDERSTANG THE WORLD OF PSYCHATRIC LIFE AND DEALING WITH MOOD DISORDER. I'VE NEVER BEEN SHUNNED BY THEM BUT THEY ARE PROTECTIVE OF THEIR FAMILIES EXPOSIER TO THE SITUATION AS WELL.
SO I GUESS THAT IT LEAVES ME WHERE I ALWAYS WAS MOST COMFORTABLE, ISOLATED, AND SOMETIMES ALONE.
WHEN I LEFT THE MILITARY THOUGH I FOUND A GREAT SUPPORT NETWORK THROUGH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND FORMER SOILDERS WITH MOOD DISORDERS (SOME WORSE THAN I AM COMFORTABLE WITH). AND JUST RECENTLY I FOUND THIS WEBSITE "DAILY STRENGTH" YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF IT. THERE I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF LIFE ARE EAISER SOMETIMES THAN OTHERS AND THAT I AM WHO I AM AND DON'T HAVE TO BE ANY THING ELSE.
NORMAL LIFE MUST BE HARD ENOUGH, AT LEAST I HAVE PILLS (AND OTHERS LIKE ME) TO HELP ME THROUGH EACH DAY. LOL ...TRS
My real support system comes from my church, they are all more family to me than my own parents.
and yet I don't take hold of it the way I should, don't want to bother anyone don't want people to get tired of me and my "stuff". So yes I tend to isolate myself as well, done it all my life, it's comfortable there and I know I won't get hurt or rejected. Currently I am doing outpatient therapy 3 times a week, to work on the isolating issue, takes alot of work though. A pill- or alot of pills- just don't do it alone.
My last husband abused pain pills and was in a drug stupor most of the time. His behavior embarassed me and I gave up on trying to have friends. After seeing his other addict friends rip him of and vandalize his home and cars, I lost all faith in people as friends. Maybe I do choose to isolate myself but I've had my feelings stepped on too many times for me to fully trust people.
It took me a few years to feel comfortable with my diagnosis, but since then I tell everyone with no feeling of vulnerability.
It is up to others how they react to my act of telling them :-)