Hi,
How are you? I wanted to write you today
about a major bipolar disorder success
story. I have been getting a ton lately.
I think it’s because I have been doing
this for so long. I was reminded the other
day that it’s been almost three years. That’s
kind of amazing considering that 99% of people
that I spoke to about the idea 3 years ago
said it was impossible.
They said things like:
People would not listen to me
I am not a good writer and nobody would read it
Everyone on my list would be crazy and impossible
to deal with
I wouldn’t be able to buy advertising at a cheap
enough price to make it all work
Well this has all come a long way. About 2 years ago
someone contacted me and his wife was totally out
of control.
His wife had left him, was kind of missing but
would call. She was cheating on him with another
guy. She spent tons of money and said and did
a long list of really bad things.
This person got one of my courses about
what he should do. He then used the f.ree
consultation certificate that came with it
and sent it in. NOTE this is for NON
medical and NON legal questions because
I am NOT a doctor, lawyer, financial advisor,
professional anything, etc.
Anyway, he called and he was completely
distraught. His wife’s bipolar was destroying
him. He was going to the doctor himself
and was taking anxiety medication and medication
for depression.
He said he never ate and only worried. His
work was suffering tremendously. He said
he couldn’t sleep and needed sleeping medication.
Even though I am NOT a doctor it seemed odd
to me how many medications he was taking.
Anyway, we talked and he asked me what he
should do. I said the key is to focus on
getting her into treatment.
When I was talking to him, he was not focused.
He had no real goal. Maybe his goal was
to have his old wife back. That really wasn’t
going to cut it with me.
I told him about the get her in to treatment
goal and then other things would fall into place.
He was worried that was a bad goal. I told him
I can’t make any promises and I gave him my cell
to call because he needed a friend and my list
was way smaller back then and I had more
f.ree time.
So anyway, it took about a month for him to
get her into treatment. He probably had to try
about 12 of my 21 ways before one worked.
After she was in treatment, within the first
day, she had been brought down from her manic
high and was able to be reasoned with.
Over the months there were ups and downs
but eventually she really started to become
stable.
Then he called and I warned him of the
doomsday scenario which had just almost
happen to me.
I told him how he has to hope for the best
but plan for the worst. I told him
about putting the systems together
to prevent future episodes.
After all this time, things are going great
for him and he is really happy. He is off
all his medications.
NOTE-Again, I am NOT a doctor
remember and not recommending, diagnosing,
or making any medical suggestions only
pointing out facts.
It’s nice to get such stories. I remember
how sad he was back in the day and now
everything is going great.
I wanted to write so you hear something positive
today. There is hope and things can turn around
if you or your loved one aren’t doing well.
It just takes time. And it takes knowledge.
SUPPORTING AN ADULT?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
Your Friend,
Dave
P.S. Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/
P.P.S Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can’t learn anywhere else.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com
i am very happy for the people who can encourage their loved ones to get help….if it had been just me maybe things wouldnt have ended up the same..he would have gotten more attention…if i had been the man perhaps ….i being a woman had no power over a husband who was bigger in size when he threw and broke things he had more power ….he i figured one day during an episode would kill me….very seldom do women back up their larger husband into a wall and hold them there by their throats…while their children are screaming in terror …i had to think about my children to get them thru by making it fun daddys not feeling well lets go to the lake and feed the ducks or go to th library and be totally sane while doing so. not knowing what a mess i was coming back into …oh look what happened i’ll fix it….i could only fix so much he didnt want to be fixed and i had two children i had to keep happy and safe…and surprising thru all they had seen i must have done a good job because they are very well adjusted…….a few therapy sessions to sort out what it was all about and why it wasted so much of the good we could have had….my daughter is very strong my son goes along with the ride but doesnt really put a lot of trust in people.mainly because my daughter paid attention and survived her way by staying clear of him and my son would be called horrible things and put down then when the episode was done the two of them him and his dad were watching a movie..so it must be mom.
Dear Dave,
My husband has bipolar. He comes from a very tight family that was extremely disfunctional when he was growing up. Now they all live together in another part of the country except for us. They have no idea of the roller coaster ride I have been through with my husband these past ten years because he calls them and blames everything on me and tells them I am a terrible witch. This has not been too much of a problem in the past because I have just stayed away from all of them.
Anyway, last January my husband suddenly demanded a divorce. This is after ten years of him going in and out of episodes where he intermittently claimed to be completely disfunctional, yelling and shaking his fist in my face, threatening me, calling me “abusive”, etc. It has become one of those “doomsday bipolar events” that you have described.
The lawyers have told me that I will get primary custody of our child because I am obviously the more stable parent. I never wanted to split up the family to begin with, which is one of the reasons I have stayed so long in this marriage. But if he is going to insist on a divorce, then I feel my son should live with me, for his own sanity. My husband has gathered all of his family members from far away in a big rally to destroy me. The other day his brother called me and started yelling at me immediately. The other brother, who has money, is trying to pay me to move out of my house. They can’t buy my son’s wellbeing! It’s not for sale!
How can I communicate with these people? They won’t listen to anything I say. Partly this is because I have been protecting my husbands’s reputation this whole time by not spreading rumors about his behavior. Now no one believes me!
Is there a way to put them on your mailing list so at least they could become aware through your emails?
Desparate Mother…!!!!!
How can you help someone you think may be bipolar? And what if they don’t have insurance or a way to pay for treatment?
June
I have a friend that is depressed and does not want to talk to friend or family. I have not seen the angry side yet. Is this normal behavior also. They become overly sensitive to tradgedy on the news and start crying uncontrolably and have trouble leaving the house.
The positive aspect of having bipolar disorder is that those who have the illness learn to become survivors.
Thanks for the success story. My husband has just been diagnosed. It is good to know that there are good success stories. sometimes I have days that I wonder if my husband and I can ever make it through this. Yes he is in treatment and I tell you what, if he was not who knows where he or I would be. It is amazing at how this disorder affects all those that come into contact with it. In many ways I am glad that we received this diagnoses because now I don’t have to take everything so personally. It explains alot over the past 20 years. I do worry about my how this is going to effect my kids. Right now they are only 4 months and 2 years old.
Dear Dave,
I am very glad you got the “idea” 3 years ago. Your emails are helpful reminders for me when I “forget” what I’m dealing with at home.
You do help a lot!
Thanks,
Joan
Is it possible to have clonic seizures associated with bipolar disorder? I have been trying to help a friend who I believe is bipolar. I am trying to get him to change doctors from a general M.D. who just likes to treat aymptoms instead of getting to the root of the symptoms-I’ll keep trying.
Perfect day for a success story! After 20 years undiagnose, and 1 year diagnosed and putting your various steps and ideas into practice only recently, I seeing the coinciding results and this story led me to start thinking about all the positives in even a short time. Hard to not dwell on the negative aspects of BPD, or the list of Yet To Do’s, needed to be reminded of all I have regained, never thinking that I would. Thank You Dave!!!
AMEN – bmiller107!
BMiller says:
“The positive aspect of having bipolar disorder is that those who have the illness learn to become survivors.”
Typical “Bipolar-think” (oxymronic at best).
Surviving, by stealing, lying, manipulating, bearing false witness,
cheating, and taking advantage of people that love them most, and some deny everything. They leave nothing but a trail of tears.
Being prone to suicide is surviving?
Dear Dave, I really appreciate your help and things seems better nowadays. He is in medication (my husband the patient) only during bout of the disorder, but only during those times because he is also suffering from hepatities which the medicine for bifolar worsen the other sickness. I am really in a dilema. As you,ve advice I must know what triggers the episode and try to prevent it. The last one was in April during our vacation in the Phils. We are just working here in Saudi Arabia. Though it was still controllable but it made my vacation a terrible one that my looking forward for that particular vacation became a sad one. Now I’m thinking that it might be the factor that triggers i
how can I tell if I am bipolar? My psychiatrist says I am possibly bipolar.
I have been married for 19 years and have considered my husband to be very strong willed and energetic. I have learned to make a lot of excuses for some of his “odd behaviors”, but have never considered him to have a disorder. We moved away 1 year ago due to his job and the family had a lot of trouble adjusting. The stress was very high. Out of the blue, he announced that he loved me was not in love with me anymore. He had a girlfriend at work. He became obsessed with his looks and talked about how everyone thought he was younger than he actually was. He started meeting co-workers at Happy Hour and acted like I should be fine with all of this. After 6 weeks of begging him to come to his senses and becoming so depressed myself, I went to a lawyer and moved away with our three children. He now says that I have awakened a “sleeping giant” and that he loves me. He states that he won’t take all the blame for this. He is back to my old loving husband, but I no longer trust him. My therapist says he sounds like he has Bipolar disorder, and he even agreed to try some of the medications. He didn’t like the side effects and has gone off of them. He is trying to move here with me and the kids now, but I’m scared of another episode. The last one almost did me in.
hi David, thanks for encouraging us bipolars to seek help and treatment. Your letters and blog have helped me a lot to keep it in mind that we are sick and notjkust “eccentric” or “brilliant”. Well, I also have a story to tell. I searched for the first time for psychiatric help, encouraged by your support via email, and started taking meds about 2 months ago after a really bad manic episode. I lost 3 houses spending and traveling and chasing dreams, so I have no where to live right now but since i am taking meds and under medical control, I have started working and plan to pay my debts. I am aware of my limits so I don’t get violent anymore. So, you have been a really important influence for me. I couldn’t even pick up the phone and call a psychiatrist. I finally got it that there was something wrong withme, not the rest of the world. Thank you once again. Best regards -Irene
Yes can help a person will cheer oneself up, other people’s aring happy is also an own happiness!
I have BPD and am soooo fed up with my GP. In his eyes I now suffer from somatization…
My understanding of that is that all my physical problems are in my head or to do with the nervous system… I’m a nutter!!!
A few weeks ago I wasn’t feeling great so after work I attended an after hours medical centre. I didn’t mention my mental health issues just the physical. I was amazed how differently I was treated. ECG.. Blood test.. CT scan.. Chest Xray..
And guess what! I’m not well my GP was WRONG!!!
Now I have to consider having a dye test to see if I have had a TIA/stroke all symptoms are pointing to that not to mention finding I have a serious blood disorder blah blah blah!
Why can’t I be treated normally? Why is every thing judged by my BPD?
People with mental health issues do occationally get sick…
I am sick… sick and tired of being treated like a lunatic.
Dear Dave,Thank you for the amazing support you give Bipolar supporters.I really admire your committment and passion to get information out there to those who need it.My partner,s first wife is bipolar,his eldest daughter and his son also have bipolar.The son lives in Australia and we don,t know where he is.The daugther lives in our town and has done some pretty frightening and abusive things to my partner.Twice he has had a heart attack after episodes from his son and daughter so he is now very reluctant to have anything to do with them. I can understand this as his first wife was hard going for 25 years and no one really diagnosed her problem. He has medication for blood pressure which started during that time.He is a really sane person but from the stories I don,t know how he stayed sane!It is really sad. The daughter has a married son who is very religious and refuses to believe that his mum is mentally ill and won,t have anything to do with us.Even if we wanted to help we are out on a limb.However your information and encourgement gives me hope that at the right time we may be able to pass on the strategies you have suggested. May God be with you to strenghten your ability to do this work and to bless you greatly. Thank you again, Jan
I have suffered from bipolar disorder for almost 40 years.
I had a lot of rough years but I am doing very will at this time. I am going back to school to study writing and music. I want to give back some of the support that I have recieved from friends and family.
My advice to anyone who has bipolar disorder or has a loved one with it is to make sure you have a good doctor. Make sure the person gets plenty of Love and understanding, get as much info as you can on this subject. Make sure the person takes their medication on time and eveyday.
And this last one is very important. Do not let them drink alcohol.
I self-medicated with alcohol fo 32 years. I went through 3 marriages and pretty much missed seeing my kids grow up.
But I have been sober and on my meds faithfully for 22 months. My life has turned around completely. I am back with Linda, my second wife and I have a great relationship with my kids.
It can happen!
Steven