Hope you’re doing well today.
Hey, I wanted to ask you something.
It’s getting REALLY hard for me to get up 365 days a year super early and type up these bipolar daily emails. I have been doing it for a long time.
I wanted to send out probably 3 messages a week a few hours later. I would probably send them out at 10am or 11:00am instead of 7am or 8am. This is all in Eastern Time.
Would that be okay?
If not, let me know on my blog by posting a comment.
Also, I sent out a questionnaire asking for some suggestions for new articles that we will be posting on our main bipolar website. I only sent it out to a small group of people and I got a huge response. Thanks.
We’ll be working on the articles that many people suggested.
Okay, I want to ask you something.
I was in the mall the other day, and this couple was fighting.
I mean, they were really going at it, shouting at each other so loud that I thought everyone in the mall could hear them!
I just wanted to get away from them, because I hate confrontations.
But it was like everyone was kind of attracted to them like moths to a flame – you couldn’t help but stare, because they were making such a scene.
I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I just wanted to go on with my shopping, but like I said, everyone was kind of gathered around this couple, and I couldn’t get by.
The only thing I could hear clearly was, “I’m not responsible for you!”
And the other person said, “Yea, well, I’m not responsible for you, either!”
Then I guess everything just broke up, because I was able to get through the throng of people.
But I couldn’t help thinking about what this couple said.
“I’m not responsible for you!”
And, of course, you know how I relate everything to bipolar disorder.
So I was thinking about whether a supporter is responsible for their loved one, and what that would really mean.
In my courses/systems, I talk about how important the role of a supporter is:
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 is part of the role of being a supporter to actually be “responsible” for their loved
one?
I mean, as adults, are we really responsible one for another? Or just ourselves?
And I don’t mean that selfishly, don’t get me wrong.
I just think that each of us has to take responsibility or ourselves and our own actions.
Like, take a parent.
Are they actually responsible for their child’s actions?
Or are they just responsible for teaching them right from wrong and hope they do the right thing, make the right choices and good decisions?
The best parents can do is to be the best role model for their children and hope that their children will take good responsibility for themselves.
Well, as a supporter, that’s all you can do, too, I think.
You can be the best supporter in the world, but when it comes down to it, your loved one has to take responsibility for their own choices, decisions, actions, and behavior.
They even have to take responsibility for who they are. They can’t blame that on you, or even on the bipolar disorder. Really. I’ve been to some of the support groups where I volunteer and heard people with bipolar disorder say that they blame the disorder for the way they are.
They take no responsibility for their behavior or their actions – they blame it all on their disorder.
So should you take responsibility for your loved one?
Or should they take responsibility for themselves?
If they’re an adult, shouldn’t they be responsible for their own behavior and the consequences of that behavior? They should know the difference between right and wrong, so why should you take responsibility for them?
Let me ask you this:
Does your loved one take responsibility for you?
Or do they trust that you’re mature enough, intelligent enough, and competent enough to take responsibility for yourself?
And isn’t that what we all should do?
Agree or disagree?
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David Oliver is the author of the shocking guide “Bipolar Disorder—The REAL Silent Killer.” Click Here to get FREE Information sent via email on how and why bipolar disorder kills.