Hi,<\/p>\n
How’s it going for you today? I hope you’re having a good day.<\/p>\n
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\u2026 Like a ballerina\u2026 Or a super hero\u2026 Or a fireman\u2026 Or a princess\u2026 Or an actor or actress\u2026<\/p>\n
Some kids don’t even need costumes for their “let’s pretend” sessions\u2026 They just pretend that they’re a dog\u2026 Or a monster\u2026 Or an alien\u2026 Or even an adult! LOL<\/p>\n
Some adults would love to pretend to be a child again\u2026 To not have to make decisions\u2026 To not have so many responsibilities\u2026 To not have so many problems\u2026 To not have to deal with so many things\u2026 To be wild and carefree again\u2026 To be unconditionally loved and taken care of\u2026<\/p>\n
To have all your needs met\u2026 To have toys and presents and birthday parties\u2026 You know, all the regular kid things\u2026<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
It would be great if we could play “let’s pretend” when it comes to bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
disorder\u2026 You start seeing results\u2026 And then your loved one will start getting better.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
How’s it going for you today? I hope you’re having a good day.<\/p>\n
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\u2026 Like a ballerina\u2026 Or a super hero\u2026 Or a fireman\u2026 Or a princess\u2026 Or an actor or actress\u2026<\/p>\n
Some kids don’t even need costumes for their “let’s pretend” sessions\u2026 They just pretend that they’re a dog\u2026 Or a monster\u2026 Or an alien\u2026 Or even an adult!<\/p>\n