That's a good question...I guess all we can do is try over and over again.
I manage to accomplish things a little at a time...when I can't do something, I give up trying for a little while until I feel stronger, then go back at it.
It's the best that I can come up with.

Will it make people mad if I say I strive to have the "mind of Christ". Because I will never make it on my own without God's help. And God is so good, in that every time I think I have got that mind, he cuts me down a peg or two and makes me realize I have a lot more work to do to think like him.

And I don't mind the off colour languages and posts. I hope you will not "mind" my way of dealing with this struggle.

still trying to figure it out i'll get back to you

We are all unique in our own way and illness as it affects us at various times in different ways. I can get frustrated real easy and angry in a heart beat and loving the next minute. At times I do not know if I am coming or going and my mind is going 150 miles per hour or more spinning with thoughts. I worry about the future, the world, the economy, the presidential race. I am on social security disability and do not want to loose that or medicare as I worked over 40 yrs into it.
Let me be honest here and tell you about me. I was a Certified Licensed Addictions Counselor up til 5 years ago. I had my own out-patient clinic with a staff of 7 and due to my bipolar, COPD, OCD, anxiety disorder and long distant relationships online and married I did not care about any one or anything but me and as a result I had to give my practice up. I have let my certification lapse also my license lapse as I do not feel I can do that type of work anymore, plus I had close to30 years of sobriety and blew that.
I myself have been in therapy now for over 7 years and take medication. I gave up on all my long distant relationships and am now close to 8 weeks of sobriety. I am not here to counsel anyone, I am here to get support and give support.
My illnesses made me a very sick person as I forgot everything I had achieved in life and my illnesses dictated to me instead of me trying to work on myself. Having online relationships gave me an ego boost, alcohol allowed me to feel like everyone else. I thought I was the center of the universe and everything had to revolve around me. I wanted instant gradifcation like alcohol gave me. I started to drink at my office. I hid a bottle of vodka in my desk drawer, thinking nobody would notice. I was not sending in the the number of new clients each month to state like I should on time and I was my own worst enemy.
I was considered to be an expert witness on substance abuse in my state in the court system. Near the end of career I showed up in court late a few times and up excuses and then they could tell I was under the influence myself and that was a very humiliating thing for me and I blamed them because I thought no body could do the work better than me. I had a very good practice and I ruined it. Alcohol seemed like the best drug to help my bipolar.
I had to make some deep soul searching inventory of myself and came to the realization that the woman online that I was have LDR with was another way of cheating on my wife.
If you ever get the chance please read my diary about me and where I came from and why I have been in therapy for so long.
Angela stated she believes in God, I believe in a higher power that I choose to call God but not in a religious way, more in a spiritual way. I don't care what any ones belief system is but when we are at our bottom of the barrel most of us will say God help me.
Heretic you mind maybe disabled but it is not broken, you can have it fixed with proper therapy and medication.

I like this. Somedays I feel like superwoman and I can do anything. Other days I feel like a waste of space and just stare at my computer screen at work all day (today is one of those days).

I try to meditate my mind on the outside world instead of internal meditation. I take in all the noise, signals, people etc and try to use that as motivation to get things done. of course it doesnt work all the time. But in the long run, i guess we just have to keep on fighting and remembering things we have accomplished....even if they are small accomlishments.

mental illnesses manifest in different ways just like snowflakes each ones journey is different...there have been many successful bipolars.....I struggle with this too though its a little better now. take care.you are more
than your illness....infinite power and potential rests in all of us...and I guess we all have chosen our mission.take care