I must be honest, there are times when I’ve thought about getting off this e-mail list. The push to buy the program, and the occasional borderline manic tone can sometimes be overwhelming. Especially when the topics really don’t apply to our particular situation. Having a bi-polar child and dealing with her bi-polar biological Mom leaves me sometimes wondering if Dave is not himself bi-polar. No doubt the guy does enough it makes you think he must be manic 24/7.

E-mails like this one though, keep me reading. We need reminders and support. We need to be able to know that it takes time, time to stabilize moods, time to find triggers. It took us 2 years to discover caffiene throws our little angel into full blown monster mode. Our whole family (extended as well) is having to eliminate choclate from birthdays and other holidays.

Gotta know though Dave,… your exercise regimine,… it sounds so much like Body-For-Life (would explain the incredible energy level). Is that the basis of your exercise program?

Thanks for the article. Your family and your Mom are always in my prayers.

Laura

You are rihht, thanks for writting every week. Thanks a lot. Jorge.

My wife, cristina noble (noblecris@yahoo.com.ar), have not been getting your emails lately which always read. Do you know the reason?

Dear Dave,
I liked this article. I was diagnosed at 27…I am now 54 and I have a “normal” life. I learned right away to take my meds faithfully. I don’t hide the fact that I am bi-polar, or that I take meds. I push, push, push those who think they can take their meds when they are “down” and quit taking it when they are ” feeling great”. I have a daughter that does this. I have also learned over the years to monitor my moods minute by minute. This certainly helps with getting overwhelmed. It isn’t the easiest affliction to have, but it is livable, just in a different way than most people. I raised 4 of my own children and foster kids, have grandchildren I adore, a steady job..an almost “normal” life. It can be done, but not overnight. My life has been made easier because my doctor explained it this way to me years ago, after I decided one day that I was fine…and stopping my meds….landing me in the ER. The dialogue went like this..
“Shannon, would you take insulin everyday as prescribed if you were a diabetic?”
“Of course, Dr. Jackson.”
“Why”?
“Because if I didn’t, I would die” I said.
Dr. Jackson’s reply? “If you don’t take your meds as prescribed you can also die …by your own hand.”
I have never failed to take my meds since that day 25 years ago.
So, Dave…I agree. Long cooking Oatmeal for me, please.
Shannon Ford
Michigan

Dave, I hope you will be rewarded for all your time, effort, money, etc. It is called unconditional love and it pays back. In my society people do not put too much attention to mental illness. I remember going to the doctors of the social security many times I felt awful, and they acted as if I were pretending (if one is actually ill, doctors are to evaluate whether one should be absent to work, and for how long, and they don’t like giving workers permission to be absent, cause those absencies are paid by the institution).

There must be thousand of ill people around not knowing what’s going on, and suicide is not the worst that could happen to an ill person, we have read about crimes too.

In the meantime, all I do is thanking you, but I’ll get to study your material and buy from you some time soon, not only to pay back but also to help others. In the meantime I am very grateful.

I’ve lived with “mental illness” (regardless of the diagnosis – bi-polar came in 2000) for 40 years. It is definitely NOT an “instant” recovery. I’ve had to work HARD to get a handle on managing the disorder, and becoming, what I HOPE is a highly functioning person with bipolar.

But – I have learned MORE from you, Dave, on your emails, than I ever found out from the many (too many to count) mental health professionals I’ve dealt with in the last 40 years! You provide such a blessed service to us; before I found your site, there was literally NOWHERE that gave such practical information as your emails give us EVERY day. So, I for one, appreciate all the hard work you put into BipolarCentral; and to think how far you’ve come in THREE years! THANK YOU so MUCH for taking the time to write us, and open our minds to different ways of helping ourselves.

Even after 40 years, I don’t expect anything to be an “instant” “cure” for bipolar. I’m managed on what seem to be the right meds for me right now, and although I’m under too much stress right now, your emails keep me grounded, in that I can “vent” every night, and share and learn from the other bloggers. What the younger bipolar survivors have to learn is – there’s no EASY FIX to this disorder. It’s a life-long illness, and we ALL need to learn to follow our treatment plans and strive to be as “normal” as possible, especially in our interpersonal relationships.

BIG HUGS to all bipolar survivors and those who love us. Your prayers are welcome; thank you.

Yes I have to agree that most things in life worth having usually take a lot of time, energy, and effort. Rarely does anything worthwhile come easy and the ones who get everything the easy way seem to not appreciate it. After all if you have never been sad you can not really tell how happy you are when you are happy. However, and I do not mean to sound negative, If the Bi-polar person you love refuses to get help, you can’t make that person get help and then it is time for you to cut bait and count your loses but get on with life. Been down this road before and am traveling this road again but this time is different I do not have to cut bait.

David-

I just want you to know how helpful your emails are to me, and how much I appreciate what you are doing. Hang in there, and keep up the good work. I wish that there were more people like you!

Raymond

I have to agree that there is nothing instant about controlling bi-polar disease because just like the technology world is everchanging so is someone with bi-polar at least in my case. I have been dealing with this for over 20 years, my mother, my brother, and both of my children. Somehow it bypassed me although I am not without any mental illness I suffer from depression and anxiety. My daughter right now is so up and down I can’t keep up with it, her moods switch as quit as a light switch, my son is a little more stable but is still convinced the world hates him and gets in a bad mood real quick if someone looks at him wrong, I think most of his days are up and down depending on who he is around. Honestly some days I don’t think I can take it anymore and just want to cry, but then the next day I realize I have to take it I have to be there and I know there is no instant fix so I have to keep going and supporting and trying to figure out the best ways to do that, and thank you dave for your emails and this blog I have learned so much, and if anything I don’t feel alone in this, I just wish I could get my children to read these so they wouldn’t feel alone and realize how many other ppl deal with this on a daily basis, I hear so many times “why can’t I just be normal, why do I have to be like this and depend on meds, why can’t I just be happy” (and then about ten minutes later she is bouncing around and all happy) and it just breaks my heart!

Anyone that wants to share with me any ideas I am so totally open to it! And I am willing to share with you anything I have that can help!

Dave, Thanks for your emails they have helped. just wanted to say I have bipolar and Iam not very stable right now its a hard illness and not only do I have bipolar but I have Add/hd and dyslexia so life has been really hard. Sometimes Iam really sad because so many people have have support or family that wants to be there for there loved ones, those people are very blessed to have that. Iam 40yrs. old and my family will not educate them selves about my illness it hurts really bad. Any how I was wondering if I could leave my email for the people on your list for support? I really need the support,Ive been really suicide at times and that can be really difficult espesially when there is no support. so hears my email stricklandmtsj@msn.com I would appreicate any support from the folks out there.

thanks Michelle