This is all good, David. My only problem is that I have read your materials, and educated myself ad infinitum about bipolar. Now my husband needs to take charge of his own health and wellness. Any systems I put into place will be to protect me from his financial blunders. And his poor decisions that affect me and the children. I don’t exactly have the focus that I need to “help him” anymore. I think that’s too tall an order.

Hi Dave
What i have realised with bipolar ist o be ever on the alert. My husband is bipolar, and although he is nearing the year-mark for being stable, ie no episodes, we are both always vigilant. obviously with medication, but also with sleep, exercise, and his visiting an excellent psychiatrist once a month. Since we married, he has settled down considerably, as his bipolar meant frequent hospitalisations (around 4 a year) over the last 10 years. a lot of this was from a lack of family support. the structure and love has turned a lot of this around. i value your newsletter, because it reminds me every day what my husband and i are dealing with on a day to day basis. several times since our marriage in december, there have been close calls, but in both instances we decided to increas his dose of the anti psychotic he is on, and then i would stay with him him until he had calmed down enough, and was asleep. both times after he woke up he was rested and settled. i never underestimate the power of this disease to catch one unawares though, as before our marriage, i experienced his psychosis three times, and it was terrible. we are still working on things like money management etc, but i now insist that he gives me his bank card, so i am effectively the minster of finance in the house. the wonderful thing was that he was very willing to do this. i realise there are baby steps to follow here, but it is a journey that i have found truly amazing. he is joyous, beautiful person, and actually has a lot of insight into his illness, so i learn all the time from him. thanks for the newsletter, and greetings from Cape Town, South Africa!

Hi Dave, Everyone, I am not doing great, I said I have the tools to educate myself. I have not killed any one. I am a human guini pig, can not get hired anywhere, losing my home. However, I know I will get through it because I am way better than I was, due to Daves books. I do not cry and give up because I am mentally ill. If I had not have Dave pushing the med thing I would never have believed I was sick. When I took that medicine, my brain calmed, profoundly, I new I was one sick bitch. I have no one my husband hung himself. I like to fight and I understand I have to fight the rest of my life. I use to use knifes, guns, even hot iron on someone once. Now I fight with the tools in Daves books. I do not like the shampoo in jail it is watered down. In fact today I just brought my daughter home from a doctor appt. I was prepared her actions were bipo. The doctor just told me that my loving beautiful model daughter needs to be medicated. She was crying, I feeling like the guy that molested her woke up the beast she got from me. I said this is not you, separate my Trina from this beast because we are going to war. My Trina has the most loving sole, with Daves educational materials i WILL HAVE HER BACK, I WILL NOT GO KILL THE MAN WHO WOKE UP THE BEAST EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO! I have a fight to concentrate on getting my daughter back. I have peace of mind knowing I am armed with the tools to kick bipo ass. So I quess I am a sucess story, I have not given up I understand I can coprehend, It does not happen over night. I am new at this, not new at being sick, new at knowing I am sick, this beast is slick, Dave knows the beast, like better than any doctor or therapist I have to deal with. I did not get to go to school due to the fact my mom left me me in a hospital when I was 11, I did do some college work through the job I use to have, GPA 3.15. Are we all reading the same books here, and staying positive in a cruel place, and remembering the harder we fight the harder it is to surrender! My grandfather hung me when I was 4, I am alive because my sister told on me for shitting myself, raped so many times by him I overdosed at age 11, where I was left to go survive on the streets. I was successfull, and there is no dought in my mind I will be successful again.I would be in jail with out Dave, thanks for my sucess. Thank you Dave, Karen

Dave,
I look forward to your e-mails each day. I only wish I had this info. when I was still with my friend Dave. I think I may have been able to be a more stable supporter had I been armed with the proper info. Dave has found a new girlfriend. Wonder how long this one will last?? I doubt that she knows he’s Bipolar. Oh well. I thought all his problems were from cocaine & alcohol, but they weren’t. I think he used both of them as a result of or to mask the Bipolar. For several years I tried to read up on Bipolar, but you already know the kind of “clinical info.” out there that really tells the general public NOTHING. You are the first person who can put the material in laymen’s terms with real lessons attached to everyday life. Keep up the great work. Carol

Hi,I am worry about my boyfriend ..he was sober for 1 year and 3 month ,control ,bossy,different moods,anger,hit to me and someday..he was see counseling every week and they find out that he have Bipolar and moods..they gave him new medical is Risperdal..he told me that medical help him clam and better moods..I wonder he will stop hit me and medical will help him and he keep go see his counseling every week ..please let me know as soon ..

Yay, I like what you wrote about your mom. Yay, wonderful, kudos!!! Keep up the good work, all three of you! It is working. There is an important lesson here, Keep trying!!!! Just like a baby learning to walk, they do not get discouraged, they keep trying.

Thanks to what I have been reading things are getting better for me. I have made some med changes, my husband and I have a plan for dealing with a major episode, and we continue to work on our marriage, and we continue to be the best parents we can.