Glad I found this Forum

I notice that I was having an issue, unable to get out of bed, always tired , even after boot camp and of course serious depression that I can't explain more than that, but needless to say it was bad bouts that lasted for 7 -10 days , and that was in the beginning. So I went to the psychiatrist on base and told him that I was having an issue. All he did was write up a misdiagnosis and offer to put me in the brig(military way of handle most issues). Of course I sad no but ended up in the brig for 2 months because of my Bipolar which was not diagnosed yet. You can't be in the Military and not be able to get out of bed.

All the ridiculous trouble I got in was a manifestation of my Bipolar Disorder. I hated the man and was not able to do anything consistently. I was just always angry and depressed for no real reason that I could think of and I still am much of the time. This issue has caused me alot of problems since I was discharded, from ridiculous poverty(where everybody around me was living much better, even roommates), to destroying good friendships cause I woke up on the seriously wrong side of the bed. I've been jailed for over reacting and fighting twice and in the last 14 years, I have only been able to keep a job for only about 2 weeks before something happened or I would perceive a problem that wasn't there. I went to jail back in 06 cause my boss screwed me over and of course I called him out but my reaction was way over top. That job was only 2 weeks and I ended up spending 10 days in jail for very minor charges cause I wouldn't shut up and was overly angry. In retrospect I could just taken the guy to court but I was so angry that I couldn't control myself. This Bipolar issue that started in the Navy. I think they are responsible but I know now what my problem was and I feel relieved to know cause , Maybe I wasn't such an idiot during these last 14years, I had this issue for a long time, most of my adult life. It took my doctor all of 5min to figure out after I told him what I'd been going thru in these last 14 years.Im on Trileptal and it seems to help but I think I need something stronger as the my therapist said I have BP1.

But I have a serious problem. Because of my undiagnosed BP , I have not been able to keep a job long enough to pay child support for my kid. I have tried and tried to get a consistent job for the last 14years and pay this support with no luck at all. I would like to pay this support but I am unable to keep a job and after all these years of trying I feel horrible about it and would like to fix this one thing before all. I've had at least 500-600 jobs (This is not an exaggeration). I am highly skilled, I was a Photographer in the Navy, and I have a Photography Degree from ASU, Also I'm an I.T. technician with 5 computer certificians. I've been a financial planner, webmaster, SEO specialist, mortgage broker and these are just the skilled careers. I can walk down Tempe , Az and my hometown and just point at places that I've worked. I've had so many jobs but the only consistent thing in there is the fact that almost all these jobs only lasted about 2 weeks. Imagine being the only poor guy around a bunch of rich people on your level or being an incredibly smart person surrounded by people not nearly as smart as you but you are poor and they have money and jobs. That has been my situation since I've been out of the Navy. I've considered suicide and the biggest reason that I probably never committed suicide is because I've always thought that this problem will have a solution. I am a problem solver and I learn thing fairly quick that is why I have so many skills. I imagine that I have a little OCD but not much it allows me to quickly learn a skill when I've burned too many bridges in careers in particular towns. Anyway I'm a guy with a ridiculous amount of skills and knowledge but can't maintain a job to stay out of jail which is where I'm going if I don't get this Child Support paid up. The Friend Of The Court sent me a letter just yesterday saying that they are going to come get me and I can do nothing but wait. My doctors sent them letters stating my issues but they still said they are going to continue with the warrant. I'm screwed. Telling the judge that you've tried is not going to fly and I really want to be responsible but after 14 years of trying to work , I know now that I'm not going to be able to work consistently. Thats my particular weirdness, anything that i have to do more than a day or two, I get bored and can't consentrate. The harded the project, the longer I will stick with but when I've mastered it, there is no way I can keep doing.

Anyway, if feels good to get this off my Chest and I would appreciate any advice as to how I can keep my butt out of jail and try my best to help my kid who I love and would very much like to support.

I wish I had some words of wisdom for you in your situation. There are some things we just have to go through, there isn't any way around them.

Hang around, there are many people here with lots of experience. I am sure that someone will be able to help.

God Bless

RED

I don't know that it would work, but have you tried legal aid? perhaps there is someone there that can help you, you can't pay since you don't have a job, and you can't hold a job because of the bipolar, you can ask for a reduction of Child support based on your income or lack there of, they have to do what they have to do, and i have never understood the mentality of locking up someone because they could not pay, hell you lock them up if they have a job, they lose it and then where are you in getting the money? not to mention the fact that the state or county has to pay to keep you up...

Have you thought about doing free lance? that way you are not on one jobsite for very long and should be able to avoid the problem of concentration on a project that is on going... have you also thought about filing with the VA and SSI for disability? you have records in the service proving you have had these problems while in there, and you ought to be able to collect, with the issues you have now, getting disability should not take you that long, but be prepared for a fight.. not literally of course, but a paperwork battle..

Your in a tough spot right now, but your doctor can help to get you settled down, and you can work on figuring out what you need to do.. list all of your many talents, and apply them to something... I believe the current term for free lance is consultant..lol, put together something listing your talents, and then bomb the local businesses with it.. hopefully something will open up for you.

Now, to your situation, unfortunately, the child support back payments are going to be a problem...the court system may not be sympathetic to your mental issues, because there are so many people who are trying to get out of paying child support.

I wish I had some answers for you....on the forum there are so many people who come here there may be someone else who can give you some insight....and you may have things that you can share with others to give them help. Carmen had some good suggestions...

Keep coming back....Norma

Also, if they come to arrest you try to stay calm...it might be difficult but, police are real serious people...they are just doing their job.

Please keep posting...I wish I could be of more help. Norma

Welcome. I am gald you found us. I am sorry you are going through this.

You can still be eligible forr SSD even if your wife makes money. I am filing, and my fiance works.I also know others who's spouses work who are recieving SSD.

I have been to jail. You have to beable to go to court. If you have gotten a diagnosis and are on meds, and in therapy, you can show that to the courts, and child support enforcement. I just did that a couple of weeks ago. They were just happy I had support, and am getting help.

I would call these people and deal with it. That's all you can do.

I was talking to the ppl down at the Social Security office and they told me that my wife makes too much money to apply for SSI. There's a limit before you can qualify for SSI. Should I still apply for SSI eventhough my wife makes according to them too much? She makes close to $100K.

I think Im good to go for SSD but it takes time. Time I may not have.

Thanks pixie , Im not having problems but I was in the hospital back in Jan for pancreantitis. If you know anything about that it takes along time to recover from it, months, maybe years. But that's neither here nor there. I'd rather go to jail than back to the hospital, no joke. I was in the hospital for like 1 and a half months and it was no different than jail (hardly no one to talk to, bad food , no freedom to move). But the petition idea is great and I will use it.