Hi,<\/p>\n
You know, recently I heard this saying, “Bipolar disorder is like candy \u2013 if you don’t manage it right, it can make you really, really sick.” It sounds almost funny, but it’s true. You can almost compare the bipolar manic episodes to too much candy\/too much sugar.<\/p>\n
You get really, really high, really hyper. You feel great \u2013 on top of the world! All your ideas (grandiose ideas) are great ideas \u2013 you don’t understand why they’ve never been thought of before. You have so much energy, you could go on forever \u2013 who needs to sleep, anyway?<\/p>\n
And money IS like candy \u2013 you think you have an endless supply of it, you go through it until
\nit’s gone, with no thought of how you’re going to feel afterwards (or of what the consequences
\nare going to be). And the fun \u2013 oh the fun! What a grand time you’re having! \u2026until the inevitable crash. Just like the crash you’d have after eating a lot of candy. That high does not last forever.<\/p>\n
And there are always consequences to pay (sometimes some pretty harsh ones). That feeling-great-on-top-of-the-world feeling becomes a deep depression. So deep, in fact, that you may even become suicidal (some people have even killed themselves).<\/p>\n
Your great ideas are only great to you \u2013 to other people they may seem a bit odd, or even
\ncrazy. After all that energy is gone, and that lack of sleep catches up to you, you may hit the bed
\nand not emerge for days (or weeks) at a time.<\/p>\n
And that spending spree? The overdrawn checking account\u2026The credit card debt\u2026The loss of your car\u2026 your home\u2026The loss of your\/your family’s possessions\u2026The bankruptcy\u2026The financial ruin\u2026<\/p>\n
But worst of all\u2026Is the loss of trust from your supporter. Because the consequences of your behavior may extend beyond everything I already listed. You may not remember what you’ve done during a bipolar episode, but your supporter, family, and friends do.<\/p>\n
You may have done or said things that truly hurt your supporter, and they are still stinging
\nfrom them. They may be feeling mistrustful, hurt, angry, resentful, embarrassed (because of things you’ve done in public)\u2026isolated, lonely\u2026 among other negative feelings\/emotions.
\nAll because of you.<\/p>\n
You might want them to feel sorry for you, and may not understand their distance (after all,
\nthey’ve been through a lot, too). What you need to remember is that bipolar disorder is not only your disorder. Because of you, it’s your supporter’s disorder as well.<\/p>\n
They have to deal with the consequences of your behavior when you’ve had an episode. You may have even lied to them during a bipolar episode and not remember it now\u2026But they do. There are always consequences from a bipolar episode.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
You know, recently I heard this saying, “Bipolar disorder is like candy \u2013 if you don’t manage it right, it can make you really, really sick.” It sounds almost funny, but it’s true. You can almost compare the bipolar manic episodes to too much candy\/too much sugar.<\/p>\n
You get really, really high, really hyper. You feel great \u2013 on top of the world! All your ideas (grandiose ideas) are great ideas \u2013 you don’t understand why they’ve never been thought of before.<\/p>\n