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.
It's official when I first started seeing her 8 years ago I was really messed up (sick- her word) I have been up and down over the years and now am pretty stable for some time. When asked if I am good to re-enter the work force permanently she says she cant guarentee I am better for life so she says yes "for now"
Well I appriciate her honesty but it bums me out she is right. There is no cure but I can live a productive life. That is not too bad. I know I have the control over the quality of my life but it requires the help of others. That is the hard part letting others in.
Life as a Bipolar is unique no wonder we are so special =)
Well I appriciate her honesty but it bums me out she is right. There is no cure but I can live a productive life. That is not too bad. I know I have the control over the quality of my life but it requires the help of others. That is the hard part letting others in.
Life as a Bipolar is unique no wonder we are so special =)
As time has gone on, I'm less stable. I get really upset over small things to the point that I start breathing hard and shaking. I am not able to conceal my negative emotions. I want to go back to work, but I'm scared of both my mental and physical problems.
I may not ever get cured, but I wish I could be stable enough to work around people.
Not so mental illness, for me Bipolar 1, PTSD (what I now think is CPTSD), OCD, Panic and Anxiety Disorders. I have worked my arse on all that and unfortunately I was mis-prescribed for 6 years of the 9 years I have been seeing psychs and I lost everything and nearly died as a result. I also work really hard in therapy. I haven't worked for 4 years and am on the Disability Support Pension (Australia). I also wanted to go back to my career, and tried to go back to work two years ago (my career was in PR/Media/Communications which is extremely high pressure). I got a job easily enough - my Resume is very impressive - I was very good at my career for most of 14 years except toward the end when the progress of my illnesses plus the mis-prescribing, took over. So I started in this job, at a lower level than where I left my career and only part time, but I had a meltdown after a short period. I went into a suicidal depression but was well looked after by my shrink who added Lamictal to my meds mix and in doing so he saved my life for a second time as he had taken me off the SSRI's that had been killing me some time before.
I have now had to accept I won't be able to work in that career again, and it's a real blow because I loved it. I now have to keep trying different things (I had a go at study and volunteering and other interests I have but I would always relapse into one or more of my illnesses and not be able to make committments I'd made - and its' terrible for one's self esteem and confidence to get up and have another go). But I'm not giving up.
I guess that learning one's limitations that come from mental illness is like the Jack Nicholson movie, "As Good as it Gets".