Hi,
I hope you’re doing well today.
Many people ask me what’s the key to success with bipolar disorder?
Well, the key could be taking medication.
And yes, that’s crucial to success.
But is it the key?
And it could be seeing a therapist.
But is that the key?
People with bipolar disorder should have a strong support system.
Well, that’s important, too, but is it the key to success?
What about going to a bipolar support group?
Many people do that, and it helps them to deal with their bipolar disorder, but is it the key to success?
Now, you’re probably going to think I’m crazy (I’m really not : ) when I tell you what the real key to success with bipolar disorder is.
I can tell you this, all people I know who are a success with bipolar disorder had this happen to them.
Can you guess?
Scroll down for the answer….
Keep scrolling…
Do you know what it is?
They all got off to a bad start.
What’s that mean?
Well the biggest successes wound up in a situation where they didn’t do well with bipolar disorder from the start.
Over time they learned things and improved.
They gathered information either through personal experience, from others, books or courses/systems like I have below:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
But they just didn’t sit back and wait and do nothing, hoping that things would get better.
They tried to do things to help themselves get better, and they made mistakes.
But they didn’t give up.
Then they tried other things to help themselves, and some things worked, but other things didn’t.
Some of them even listened to other people, and tried what worked for those other people (mistake, everyone’s different).
So they made mistakes.
Those who didn’t learn from their mistakes, are still suffering from them.
Those who did learn from them, are now finding success with their bipolar disorder.
But people who are now successful with their bipolar disorder got off to a bad start.
Like not all medications work the first time around.
In fact, most of them don’t.
So you probably have to switch doses, or switch medications, until you find the right one for you.
See what I’m talking about? Bad start.
But those who were willing to stick with it became successful with their bipolar disorder.
Over time, they got better and better.
What about you?
Were you successful from the beginning (lucky you), or did you have a bad start at the beginning like most people with bipolar disorder?
How did you deal with that, and are you successful now?
Post response below
Well right now is the very, very begginning to learning of my bipolar, and accepting it is the hardest. The medication i am on right now is helping with my manic episodes, and my irritability, but i am sooooo depressed, i have cried three days straight. So i would have to say this is a very rough start, i am only 19. I can understabd that it takes patience to find the perfect medication, but i find that every morning i cannot wait for the day to end, and the next, and the next. Living seems like such a struggle. ALso how am i to cope with this aside my severe and chronic back problems, which is enough in itself. ALready i have undergone one surgery adn it has only gotton worse. I have to thnak you for you words of advie and encouragement as well.
HI DAVIE BABE………..
YE A THINK I GOT OFF TO A BAD START. AM WORKING ME WAY TO A GOOD FINISH. 🙂
I had a rough start after I was diagnosed with bipolar. I had a great counselor, but a psychiatrist I couldn’t get a hold of, and I was having a reaction to my medication, which caused my to go into a depression/suicidal. I tried to call my dr. twice that day, no response from him or his service/office, and my counselor tried to call him from her office while I was I got an emergency appt. with my counselor and after talking to her, she walked me across the street to the hospital. (Luckily it was that close to the hospital.) My counselor told me to ask for a different psychiatrist on staff at the hospital since the other one was unresponsive, even in an emergency he was unavailable. While I was hospitalized, I got lucky and got a wonderful new psychiatrist. He totally changed my medication. The last 18 months have been pretty stable, with the exceptions of a few times. When I have had problems, too hyper or too depressed, the doctor has called me back within that day-either with verbal suggestions or with medication adjustments. What a difference in helping me to be stable-able to work and fuction as a mother and a wife. Thank goodness for that counselor who took time to advocate for me, when I couldn’t do it for myself.
I would like to think I am a bipolar success! But I am bipolar so I would think that!? Anyway, I’m being serious now. IT was a 20 year journey and I have plenty of burnt bridges, lost friends and pissed-off family members to show for it! I have to say, even though I couldn’t live without my “medications”, (I would NOT want to),it was finally realizing this is a desease and I have no more CONTROL over it as I might have if I’d been diagnosed with cancer. In order to live you must do what todays technology has afforded you. Period! Surviving this “disorder” is about giving in to the course of therapy they tell you you need in order to live. I’ve used that term twice now because YOUR THERAPY is what is going to allow you to LIVE!!!! For thse of you reading this going “what an ass”, twenty years is a LONG time to SUFFER (like me) when you don’t have to……..there is help!! You only need to ACCEPT the fact that as much as you may think this is something you can HANDLE ….. you can’t. Accepting this, and learning to give up thinking you CAN….you are not the little engine that could…is a gift. Think I’m crazy? You give problems up to God don’t you? ( This is for those of you that are total control freaks). Letting YOUR CONTROL go is going to the hardest thing you will ever do, but it will also be the most freeingand the BEST GIFT you or anyone else will EVER give you. ” Dear God, I don’t have the strength to “manage” this anymore and I give IT to You and I ask that You wrap me in Your Loving protection. amen ( YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE IT BACK.)( Find your own “God” and LET IT GOOO!!!!) You won’t believe how “light and beautiful” your life will become. signed, someone who could’nt let go for 20 YEARS (long,long time).
My Son (who is now 11) showed signs when he was very young. I began seeking help for him very early. It took several years to get his diagnosis. In the beginning they tried anti-depressants (that made it worse), then anxiety meds (still not much help). They finally put him on mood stabilizers (Depakote) which help dramatically. He started gaining a bunch of weight so we added Topomax and he dropped the extra weight. More recently we added an anti-depressant (Prozac) and that has helped tremendously. If he gets stressed, he occasionally requires a small dosage of an antipsychotic (Risperdal). If he starts seeing or hearing things (hallucinations) the Risperdal usually gets rid of it in one day.
My Son was diagnosed before his Uncle (my brother) and his biological father. He has been in therapy for most of his life. He has been “stable” for most of his life now. Occasionally we just have to tweak his medications. He has been learning coping strategies since he was very young and this has helped a lot. He is very aware of his illness and is developing more self-control and understanding to his health condition. If he begins to show certain symptoms, he comes to me and tells me about them so we correct them (for example if he starts to hear voices, he tells me and I give him the medication that gets rid of them).
He is a wonderful person with a lot to offer in this world. He is dealing with an illness that many adults cannot fathom. I think he is an inspiration to many!
The road here was followed by many tears and fears. My brother died in 2006. I got him help in 2001 and he looked like he was doing great too. I have learned to be more tenacious on my Son’s future. For sometimes, they slip and need support around them to keep a watchful eye. It’s an illness that requires loved ones to be attentive. I learned that, the hard way.
Thank you David, for all your great support and information over the years of your e-mails. I am a great believer in God and his powers, but this illness has nothing to do with God, but life in general as other diseases exists too.
Most important is that as a supporter, we comunicate with our love ones, but that is not always possible. My man has put a wall around himself and I cannot enter. He won’t talk or go to counciling, or get regular blood work done. It has been 6 years since an episode, and after 3 weeks in the hospital, they changed his meds and he got balanced and has been o.k. so far, but has great mood swings and sleeps a lot and gets nasty with his words at times. I support him by letting him do his thing and overlooking all the remarks and mood swings, and try and make him laugh and keep him healthy with good diet and lots of rest and lots of Love.
If he should stop sleeping in the night, I now know it is a sign of an imbalance in his system and the pills need to be changed. It’s best to get to the Doctor as soon as possible while they are willing.
Again thank David you are wonderful alice
My sister’s situation, started when she was in her preteen years. They attempted shock therapy, which didn’t seem to help much, and worse it took away what memory that she had for spelling, and other areas. They put her on the stuff that they had at the time, but I wasn’t the one giving it to her, nor could I keep track of it, as they changed it when they thought that they had something better to help. She isn’t taking the things that have been mentioned by the previous writer, but her status is such with my mom’s health being not good, i.e. in the hospital with broken hip and acute therapy for that, and her memory is long gone it seems, and that is so stressful both to me,and also my sister. I a having to take over handling the business stuff that I will need my husband to help me with. So he is hopefully going to be able to do that. But everything now has to be mailed to me, and that’s going to delay things. So I hope that during the time here that my sister will be able to hold up well, and with the support of friends there do as much as she can . It’s not an easy road to follow, and needs much wisdom. She isn’t going to try to do any of the stuff that I have to do,and hopefully my husband will be able to support me in all that I have to do. But in the meanwhile, the mention of the various meds. that have helped others is encouraging, I only so desire for my sister to continue to do better. So far she is doing ok, and I am glad for that. I don’t need to have more than one in the hospital with all the stuff that they both are going through currently. Since my mom has osteoporosis, her tendency to break bones is very easy, and she seems to not want to use her ‘walker’ as she ought to do so, and that is hard to keep her doing that when one is so far away. So it is’t looking good for my mom. That will be another stress factor here, as we know that she will need to have hospital,/ nursing care once she is done with the rehab, (mom), and my sister will need support to get through on all of this too. So that is the status here that we are going through, and long distance away at that. I will be summoned up when the time comes to attend to matters regarding my mom. So there is a lot going on with my mom and sister.
I am purposing and choosing to make my bipolar “manageble.” I was diagnosed 4 years ago and it has been hard coming to terms that I truly am bipolar. I’m sure you can relate if you are older and “all of a sudden” have bipolar disease. Also, although it is a disease, the guilt and shame are always with you because unlike Diabetes, bipolar affects your personality. I am taking Abilify and altho it is helping me I worry about side effects-The doc has given me more medication to take to control the side effects. I tried to kill myself a year ago and know I need to stay on meds if I want to live. The bottom line is, I am trying to educate myself and learn all I can about bipolar and hope in the near future a new medicine is created without the dangerous side effects.
I had been treated as just being depressed so was only every given anti depressents. In 2007 i had my worst episode to date and had to insite on my doctor letting me a psychiatrist. Whom was brillant went i got to see him and placed me on mood stabilisers, Sadly the first lot did not suit me so they were changhed to litium which again did not suit until everntually i was placed on eplim with a different anti depressent also. Sadly i lost my job as a nurse which i loved due to time of work and also my husband and i split as he couldn’t cope. But all this has made me stronger and i now more able to cope than ever. I was lucky to have great parents and children who have supported me through this time.It is very hard when your in an episode and its very hard for the people who love you to see you like it. But with help and medication, and support you can get stronger and learn how to live with it.
DEAR DAVE—I have a Bipolar son who started his episodes at age 17 and it took us 7 awful years before we got a diagnosis.He was 24 years old by then but this led to him being put on a maintenance dose of Lithium.We have learned many things along with him about this disorder,especially the fact that he needs to keep stress low in his life.If he does this,he stays well,but if not,he will become ill.However,he has developed a drinking habit over the years and is now hopefully going to face the fact that he must stop drinking alcohol if he wants to have a better life.He is in Hospital recovering from his latest breakdown and we are hoping and praying he will start attending AA and have his heart grabbed by the program.He is 55 years old so this could be his last chance at changing his lifestyle! Thank you for putting out good information about this disease.It has been a burden in my son’s life that has affected all the family thru the years,but we have been luckier than some because Lithium works so well for my son most of the time!! Thank you again as the public need to understand this disease as well as sufferers and loved ones of the sufferer.! regards,Joyce.
Well, I think I have finally reached the bottom of dispair. I think my life is over. There is nothing more I can do. I have been taking three kinds of opiates, tranquilizers, sleeping pills,antidepressants; you name it, I got it. Driving home from work tonight, I could not even feel my brake or gas pedal and the roads were really wet from all the rain we got today. I could have gotten into an accident. I have been drinking to make the euphoric feeling last because the opiates stop woking after a few hours. I just have this feeling in my heart that something tragic is goingto happen, whether it be an intentional suicide or an accidental overdose or even a big car accident.
Hope everyone is well. I struggle big time and have been struggling for a very very long time. I’m only 23.
Bipolar Disorder ii Rapid Cycling. Nice, huh?
If you wanna support me visit my blog. Just started it. Can’t say it will always be good, funny or insightful but it will be honest.
Stace
x
OK I have a big issue with some of you”supporters’ ESPECIALLY YOU WOMEN. you do not have to be abused to be a full supporter!!! I my self tolerate alot of garbage to get through to my son. but when your husband or grown one is verbally or phsycaly abusive, that is crossing a line . they’re bipolar not stupid they can understand that if they abuse you they go to jail or you need to leave ( especially if there are young kids involved)
David please address this soon! your not a supporter if you tollerate abuse. Its the hardest job ever
This is an excellent post. I totally agree though I wish it were not true. Every bad episode I went through spurred me on to find more help, more strategies, better meds. From living at a 10 and a 0 most of the time, I now live at a 7 and a 3. That is some improvement. I would love to live at a 6 and a 4, or even a perfect 5 (stability)!
To everyone on this site,
I am a mom to my nearly 21 year old son. I don’t know for sure that he is bipolar; I have not gotten a diagnosis. He went, at my request, to a therapist and psychiatrist who prescribed for him ADHD medications. I KNOW he does not have ADHD. He had no symptoms or problems until his junior year of high school. He went from mostly A’s and no trouble at all in school to not graduating with his class. He has in the past 3 years gotten 4 speeding tickets, been in 3 serious accidents, dui, driving with a suspended license. He has gone to 1 year of college, which he failed. Joined the Navy and been discharged for depression and admitted drug abuse. He ran up his credit cards, once, while on leave he hosted a homeless man in a fancy hotel so he could do heroin. He is very moody. He has been sure in the past months since he has been back from the Navy that he wants to be chef, philosopher,or writer. He has lost about 40 pounds and sleeps at erratic hours. He drinks heavily and smokes pot. He has had arguments with most of his friends. At times, he is honest with me and tells me in teary eyes these things, at other times he insists and yells that nothing is wrong. Currently, he plans to move to Boston. He still has legal problems in our state (2 hours away) which require him to be home on the weekends. He doesn’t see a problem with finding a ride home. There is more. So, I ask you all what do you think? Bipolar?
Dave the Pusher;
ALL who are succesful, have NEVER been to a “psychiatrist”, NEVER taken “medicine” or they have weaned themselves off it, as I though my Mind is still GONE.
Need more POM Pomagranite Juice to rebuild those Neaurotransmitters….
Tried them all;
The reason you R like you are is beacause of Polypharmacy.
I know from personal experience & Medical Science BiPolar, the Disorder is entirly Iatrogenic Via PolyPharmacy.
ALL “psychiatric” “treatments” CAUSE Brain Damage, such BD is Proven & Known to CAUSE ALL the Behaiviours listed in the DSM.
Tried them all, please taper off this garbage slowly, good diet excercise, Love…
The “antipsychotics” & “mood stabilizers” have me scuicidal and then some also.
Trust me it is NOT you. It is the Garbage they are forcing into you, it is doing as it is designed to.
Come clean.
Troy.
Another of my emails have disapeared DAVE?
Bring on the Debate Clown.
Why Are you SO scared?
OK send in your best “psychiatrist, prof. of” or otherwise send the best money can buy, for thr TRUTH will stand alone anywhere.
Fact cannot be proven otherwise, hence it is FACT.
Why is it Dave Homosexuality is no longer listed in the DSM?
However if you get high up enough in the US Military, or US Government, it is still listed as a Disease.
Odd, you quacks say it now isn’t. The President & his Men still say it is.
Odd it is still around?
Perhaps they should Vote AIDS out, that would be great.
How can AIDS be listed, then NOT?
Facts do NOT change, thus the DSM is Garbage.
Dave?
Troy,
I have no idea why you keep saying your posts vanish. There are tons of
your posts. You do however keep avoiding my questions.
Dave
What?
You ask me NO questions.
ASK ME ANYTHING YOU PLEASE LITTLE ONE, I WILL ANSWER, I MAY SUCCEED YET IN EDUCATING YOU.
Also only the odd one disapears, you know which ones.
When is the Debate, FULL Member of the GENOCIDAL CULT which calls itself “psychiatry.”
Psychiatry:
Soul, the study of. Odd in 1911 Weihlem Wundt told the World Man has NO Soul, for he had No Mind.
Thus the Cult of Genocide is even then Fraudently Named?