Hi,
How’s it going for you today? I hope you’re having a good day.
Remember when you were little and you played “let’s pretend?” Maybe you even had a little trunk filled with costumes that you would dress up in… Like a ballerina… Or a super hero… Or a fireman… Or a princess… Or an actor or actress…
Some kids don’t even need costumes for their “let’s pretend” sessions… They just pretend that they’re a dog… Or a monster… Or an alien… Or even an adult! LOL
Some adults would love to pretend to be a child again… To not have to make decisions… To not have so many responsibilities… To not have so many problems… To not have to deal with so many things… To be wild and carefree again… To be unconditionally loved and taken care of…
To have all your needs met… To have toys and presents and birthday parties… You know, all the regular kid things…
But the problem is, you can’t stay a kid forever. You can’t play “let’s pretend.” You have to face up to your responsibilities as an adult.
It would be great if we could play “let’s pretend” when it comes to bipolar disorder.
Let’s pretend that bipolar disorder is not the devastating disorder that it is. Then it wouldn’t hurt us so bad. But we have to face the fact that, without fighting it, it has the power to destroy us.
Let’s pretend that, without medication, bipolar disorder can be managed. Then our loved ones wouldn’t need to take that medication every day. But we have to face the fact that it is that very medication that is keeping our loved ones stable.
Let’s pretend that our loved ones won’t ever go into another bipolar episode. Then we can believe that they’re perfectly fine without us, and we can go on living our lives just like they were before bipolar disorder invaded them. Nope. It doesn’t work that way.
The reality is that your loved one will go into another episode at some point or another, and only your being prepared for it will limit the scope of its damage to the both of you.
Your loved one is NOT perfectly fine, and playing “let’s pretend” that they are is just not going to fly in the face of reality. It’s a hard fact, I know. I had to face it with my mother. I know how hard that can be. But once you stop denying it, once you stop playing “let’s pretend,” and get down to the hard work of fighting bipolar disorder, you start learning how to manage the
disorder… You start seeing results… And then your loved one will start getting better.
Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
Post responses below
Hi Just want to Thank you for e-mails I appreciate them so much.
Also, I don`t have a credit card or I would have ordered the CD…No printer either.
Have a nice day
Tanya
it may lead to a career of a lifetime – all you have to do is PRETEND
sometimes, WE REALLY DON’T CARE- BUT IT’S SAFER TO PRETEND YOU CARE – ISN’T IT????
LIKE A GOOD MARRIAGE (THE CUSTOMER, PATIENT, LOVED ONE WITH BIPOLAR) will never know – sometimes what you really don’t know can help you………
I’m an aspiring Actress, so far so good – I pretend I live with my mother and sister all the time…why? because all my friends have THAT GOOD ITALIAN MOTHER AND SISTER THAT “AN ONLY CHILD-ADULT” WITH GOOD PRIVILEGES COULD ONLY HOPE FOR – see, my fiancee knows I was an only child so……
it’s easy to pretend I have those things that i don’t; why? he never sees my lack
the truth – i enjoyed not ever having to share my toys
i enjoyed having pets of my own, undivided attention from good parental figures and even having such good female friends that i could even trust my boyfriends around – but like the princess – we want it all; we got this far, we want to go all the way…..
My parents are really living in a different country, My fiancee is living in a different state but the relationship is good – I’m currently living with friends so it is fun to pretend……..A friend’s name is Marline and a Friend’s name is Olga both in Sarasota
so it fun to pretend!!!
should call him “Jean” right?
We have found out that my grandson is not bi-polar. He is depressed, which is bad at the age of 21. Please do not send me anymore dvd’s or literature. I want to be cancelled from your program immediately.
Beverley DeWitt
I love getting e-mail from David. It feels as though he is the only one that understands Bipolar. I have a daughter that has been dealing with this since she was 11 years old. It has really been a long hard road for her and the family. Most of the family likes to “pretend” that this is not Bipolar. I love my daughter very much and havin someone like David that really understands Bipolar is a blessing to me & my daughter. Thanks for all u do David! This is not just pretend…this is very real!
OK
I love getting e-mail from David. It feels as though he is the only one that understands Bipolar. I have been dealing with this since I was 13 years old. It has really been a long hard road for me and my family. Most of the family likes to “pretend” that this is not Bipolar.David that really understands Bipolar .IT IS is a blessing to me. Thanks for all u do David!if i could only order ur guide i would immediatley ive beenn struggling so much
We have a family member that “pretends” he is working, normal, cured, doing deals, fun to be with, doesn’t have any problems, is responsible, not abusive, that he does not have anger problems, etc etc.
It is no fun for the rest of us to pretend with him, it is not reality and it is very difficult, actually it is impossible, to have a relationship with someone who pretends and is not in reality about most everything, because he loves to pretend he is. It causes alot of problems and we do not like being lied to about his pretend life.
I enjoy receiving emails from Dave. My husband is in the lets pretend game. I think he really knows.. he just doesn’t like to admit it.
My son is bipolar and will not accept that he needs help, he has tried a few things to help him be calmer…but now he likes who this loud abnicious person he has conjured up….but he is beyond unkind, more like cruel and has no empathy for others and the pain he causes them, when it is children theey have no way to defend them selves or to understand what the roller coaster is all about.
I am BP, but have been diagnosed for 4 yrs now and have medication, not much but with that and the understanding os BP. I have learned to change my behavior….. I am nothing like the person I was 5yrs ago, the past 2 yrs, have seen the greatest change and, while I still suffer from the problems connected with BP and borderline personality disorder, I would say that the understanding of both conditions has helped me get rid of ….at least 70% of the thoughts and feelings that I have suffered all my life, problem is that my son is BP and reeks havoc with his family’s lives and will no get help and so the children suffer. I have tried in the past to interviene, but I cannot anymore as he has decided to keep his life a secred from me….. he doesnt know that I can read him so well even as he believes I cannot.
How do I help him to get help…..not only for him but his children????????