I decided to come back to the Bipolar group after I returned to DS because I feel ready to listen to issues surrounding people with my illness. After a brief and intense in-patient hospital stay, I feel like I can listen to good advice and accept honest input from members of the group. I've got a bad habit of pushing people away when I feel depressed or manic. With the help of my therapist, I realized most of my family and my former psychiatrist dismissed my symptomatic behavior and refused to accept that I was taking time for myself to get healthy and stay healthy.

It's painful when people don't listen or when they listen they belittle me and tell me how I'm feeling like saying, "You're fine. Stop it. You're not bipolar." They say that because my treatment has been successful for decades. I'm not cured. No matter what they think, I'm not cured. I'm just successfully managing my symptoms. If they are not going to support that decision and recognize it's a result of my choices.

I've taken on the personal responsibility of participating in my treatment. I consider returning to DS one of many good decisions to give and get support and understanding.