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.
I was having a bad week.Now it's all gotten to me.Friends don't seem to understand and try to give motivating talks and advice.All of which I don't need to hear as I've thought enough about depression and how it has affected my life.They talk about medications and give views against pharmaceutical companies....and doctors.
I wasn't feeling that great to begin with and now I'm completely fed up and discouraged because of certain people's expectations of me.They tell me to take a trade and get a career.!!! As if I hadn't thought about that myself and wished that I felt well enough to take on a trade or job at the airport or any of the opportunities that are out there.Of course I have thought about how not being able to do these has made me feel badly,...but it just makes it feel a whole lot worse when I hear and hour and a half motivational speech from someone on how I should be running my life in order to improve it.
I just feel that I should be able to tell a friend that it's been a crappy week without having to hear all of that....because when friends don't understand and put pressure on me then things just got a lot crappier for me because now I feel stressed,worried and just plain bad about myself here.
I'm confused by the difference between the health professionals and the friends that I haves opinions.
I wasn't feeling that great to begin with and now I'm completely fed up and discouraged because of certain people's expectations of me.They tell me to take a trade and get a career.!!! As if I hadn't thought about that myself and wished that I felt well enough to take on a trade or job at the airport or any of the opportunities that are out there.Of course I have thought about how not being able to do these has made me feel badly,...but it just makes it feel a whole lot worse when I hear and hour and a half motivational speech from someone on how I should be running my life in order to improve it.
I just feel that I should be able to tell a friend that it's been a crappy week without having to hear all of that....because when friends don't understand and put pressure on me then things just got a lot crappier for me because now I feel stressed,worried and just plain bad about myself here.
I'm confused by the difference between the health professionals and the friends that I haves opinions.
truthfully, we don't need to hear it over and over. we know what we should do, and we know what we can do. it would be nice if people understood that.
live your life for yourself and try (i know it's hard) to tune the others out. hugs and puppy kisses
I struggle with the same health professionals versus friends/family influence constantly. Maybe it'll get better as I grow more accustomed to the diagnosis (only been 3 1/2 years) and accept the illness and its treatment. At this point, though, 99% of the non-health professionals I talk to, whom I consider friends or family, respond in the same frustrating way: they usually start searching for something I'm forgetting to do that would change my whole life and make everything better, or they stay quiet and seem to be judging me for being dramatic. Occasionally, someone will tell me meds are unnecessary and I was made to be who I am without the meds and I should just embrace it.
Lately, I've tried to be more open and not censor or temper what I am feeling. It is harder (but some still do!) for people to hear, "I am suffering, badly," and reply with, "Well, that's who you are! Embrace it!" It has frustrated me lately that I fail to make those close to me comprehend how difficult just getting out of bed and caring for myself is on some days. To them, I fear, it just sounds like a problem akin to buying a shirt and realizing that I really don't like the color and I can't return it now. A minor nuisance, in their view.
I have been tempted to go off meds because of the messages I hear from family and friends, and I have completely done so at times. I've learned that I ultimately suffer most from that decision.
It's an unexpected challenge since being diagnosed -- I find that I have to have courage and faith in my intuition about my doctor's diagnosis and the treatment, and walk forward even when people are whispering doubt on every side of me. It is tiring, because these are the people closest to me and I wish they would be there when I feel weak about the illness or treatment. They are limited, though, in their experience and I am trying to trust my own experience and not be confused by looking through others' eyes.
I hear your struggle. Fortunately, it seems like there are good people here who do understand and listen.
it is frustrating and it does put a strain on a friendship. sorry you're going through that.