G’morning Dave. First of all I would like to say “thank you” for all your have work & determination. I know how hard it can be when you stretch yourself a little thin, trying to help everyone. (We must also remember to take time for ourselves).
I have known the meaning of ‘ignorance’, but I also have to be careful in using the word, due to fact that some (most)people are ignorant to its meaning. It is sometimes not wise (from my experience) to use that word in dealing with someone who is BP… they think your are calling them ‘stupid’.
I am a strong believer in the truth… I am also an honest person… but I manage to come off as being a “b*#ch”. I have little patience for ignorance & dishonesty. I am a detective by nature, a problem solver, and a seeker of information… to lessen my ignorance, but to also find out the facts from all sides. I am a fair person, who does not like to judge… only ask questions, for information, to be more educated.
Thank you again for all your hard work… I look forward to hearing from you everyday… Keep up the good, “great” work. Have a nice weekend!!!

Hi Dave,this is Mira and I wont to tell you haw much I appreciate fact that you dicide to help people who have BP, also there is many good information for people who has loved ones, and do not know what to do, haw to help.I am personaly in situation when somebody who I love the most need help and every information is very precius. I am person who like to know about meny things, what is part of life and eternity.
Yust go on with your good and pasionate job.I am not one ignorant and I am proud of that.
Warmest regards.
Miki

Dave, first of all I want to thank you for your daily emails and thoughts. You have been very helpful over the past year since I have become engaged to my BP spouse. I was not new to this illnes but have learned a lot through your daily emails and blog. I agree, we can never have too much knowledge on the subject of mental illness.
Ignorance may be the #1 killer for those who are newly diagnosed or in denial but like Ana said, even the most educated don’t accept or follow their doctors orders. My spouse has been dealing with BP and doctors for 30 years. He has the knowledge but he still falls from taking his medication. He believes he knows how to manage things when it’s actually the BP and addictions taking over and managing him. I also get the “fishergirl” reputation of being a witch when I try to help him to see what is happening or call his doctor. He has now hit bottom from going off his antidepressant and turning to zanex and alcohol, which by the way messed up his lithium level. He couldn’t get a hold of his new doctor rihgt away yesterday so he called the old one. The old one does not know about the new one. Now he is on a different antidepressant and has asked me not to call the new doctor anymore and let him handle the doctors(they are in different states and the old one doesn’t think he has gotten a new doctor yet). His anxiety went sky high the first week off the alcohol and zanex and whenever I was around him this week it shot right through me and my reaction was to get away or get agitated with him. Yesterday he was down and desperate when he finally call his doctors for help. He has been very sad about all the lies he told during the 3 week period of hell prior to this week. As a far as my faith and trust, it is about spent and I am just beside myself. Do I continue supporting (not financially…yet) my fiancé and stand by his side? Or, do I ask him to leave until his actions match his words? As far as leaving and getting his addictions under control, his response is either we stay together or end the relationship so he can move on. He says he that he is not the man I need one day and the next he wants to do whatever it takes to make things work. It is true that he is not the man I need when he is letting the addictions take over. It seems to happen when my children or my job are most stressful. This is the very time that I need him for support. It usually makes him more needy though. So the answer is “no” he hasn’t been there for me. Right now he is fixing everything imaginable around the house to make it right and yet my heart hasn’t warmed up yet. It’s not the addictions or the BP, it’s the lying and not being open about his medications plus not being there when I need him that have caused the most damage. My suggestion is to wait until he is level again before making any kind of move so we can both heal. How many times can one heal and most important of all gain the trust back?
Any comments out there?

Good Morning:

Yes I know there is a major difference between ignorance and being unable to learn or whatever. I am ignorant in several areas and knowledgeable in some. There is also an old saying that ignorance is bliss. May be true for some things but when it comes to any type of medical situation ignorance can very well be death. The 1st time I was widowed I was 27 and my late husband had just turned 35. He had hypertension and would not take his medication because it had some libido side effects and didn’t believe his doctor when he told him to either take his med or don’t come back because dead patients don’t pay very well. I worked in a nursing home and knew the perils of high blood pressure but thought he was too young to die! He did too. IGNORANCE at it’s best and I knew better I ignored the signs and became a widow. He died of a massive heart attack 8 hours after the heart attack started. This was in 1982 in a small town hospital. His doctor did what he could for him but informed me that over 80% of his heart was blocked and his prognosis was death and about an hour after I heard that he was gone. He was my one of my 2 husbands who did not have BPD, treated me like a queen and I have to admit that I still miss him and always will. Classic example of what “ignorance” will do for you and needless to say that I make sure I take my hypertension meds as prescribed.

Svet, I can only tell you why my fiance’ never had children. It wasn’t about him wanting children. He said he would never want to pass on the gene becuase he would never want anyone to suffer the way he has had to suffer. He filled the need with many beloved dogs and caring for animals. He is 50 and does not have any regrets. My best to you in finding an answer.

Dearest Svet:

I am going to write you a personal e-mail (in the usual way). I think that would be best.

Love you, Susan

Actually, Dave, jnowledge ISN’T power! The APPLICARION of knowledge is power. Another one that gets me is Practice makes perfect; practice actually makes PERMANENT! If you practice something incorrectly, you’re simply imprinting your vrain with erroneous information! I learned tht one when many third/fourt graders couldn’t seem to pass a simple multiplication test!

Dave – Don’t you know that the only reason I come to your BipolarCentral emails is to LEARN more and MORE about what ails me? As you say, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, and it is. The more I learn from you – and the other people on this Blog – the better I’m able to “master” bipolar disorder, and keep it from “creeping” up on me.

Yes – this blog is a TEACHING mechanism that those of us who contribute can LEARN techniques and methods of dealing DAILY with our disorder. Before I found your emails, I wasn’t exactly the most knowledgeable about bipolar as I am now. You’ve given all of us a LEARNING tool that opens up the deep, dark secret of mental illness, to the bright sunshine of KNOWING how to take care of ourselves.

Yes – taking our meds religiously, getting plenty of sleep, and following a treatment plan are all important. But – the fact that you are THERE, and that you CARE sooo much that you email us EVERY DAY – is the foundation, or the pillar, if you will – of making us ALL better informed so that we can take better care of OURSELVES and the ones who love us.

BIG HUGS to all bipolar survivors and those who love us. My prayers are with Susan tonight; may the dawning of the new day bring you clarity of thought and meaningful purpose for the rest of your day. God bless you real good.

Hey Howard,

Just let me know how to get google.com a whole host of advertisers, my printing/shipping company, and all the people who work for me to not charge me and it would be free.

Dave

Brian,

You have to have a doctor evaluate her. That’s the only way. But remember it’s an art not a science. Meaning there are no tests.

Dave

This for svet:

My heart goes out to you as my 21 y/o daughter is in the same condition as you and your husband regarding having a baby. She is more afraid of passing this disorder on to any children she may have because we believe BPD and other mental illnesses and mood disorders are hereditary as she apparently inherited the BPD from her father. My side of the family seems to pass on deadly, suicidal Depression. I know if she were to get pregnant she would foolishly stop taking her medication because she is so dead set against abortion so I know it will definitely be God’s will if I should become a Grandmother because she is the only child I have. Prayers going out for you from all out this way.

Hiya, David!

I’ve just been updated from ‘Dial-Up’ to ‘Broadband’ and am just sending you a “Test” E-mail, after spending an hour last night writing you a “masterpiece”, then promptly losing the text before I could send it! When my brother brought my Computer back yesterday, after five days, I had over 750 E-mails to sift through, so when I failed to correctly send you a message, I was tired and decided to try again today.

So, here’s hoping that you receive this!

Take care,

Sue and all the animals. x

Good Morning,I am in such peril,my daughter who is thirty three is ruining her and my granddaughters life.She met a man who is a drunk and has three domestic violence charges on record now four as of a year back.He beat my daughter badly and went to jail for thirty days.But about six months later she went back to him.She has quit taking her meds and is self medicating with burbon and rum and stoped seeing her counciler and doctor.My granddaughter was living in this until she ran away and came to me and I sent her to her father.My granddaughter is fourteen and now has decided she wants to come back home the end of the summer scares me to death.I evan talked to the state but as most bipolars due she came off so well in the interview.My daughter is so well educated and was diagnosed with bipolar at thirteen and has tryed to kill her self three times in the last fifteen years.Now her man will not allow me to talk to her because he does not want her to get help.I do not know what to do please help me.Becky