I will start from the beginning, I was diagnosed at the age of 11 with Bipolar disorder. Through out my teen years I was rediagnosed many times because "bipolar doesn't happen in kids." At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1, PTSD, OCD, Anxiety disorder, Paranoid Schizophrenia, among many other things. Needless to say I was doped to the max. I still ended up going through about 4 yrs of rapid cycling starting after the birth of my second daughter at the age of 23 and ending after I landed in jail 2 years ago. I was then diagnosed (much to my relief) with Bipolar 1 with psychosis, OCD, and PTSD. Meds went from 12 to 2, and now only 1.

I went through one marriage and one significant other as well as the health and well-being of my children being stubborn and listening to my family telling me that there was nothing wrong with me other than selfishness.

I am now on my second marriage and have found stability in my world of chaos. I have 3 biological children 11, 6, and 4; 3 step-chldren 11, 10, and 4. 3 of them live with us full-time, my two youngest and my husband's oldest. My eldest chose to live with her father 2 yrs ago and I can't blame her though I miss her with all my heart. Every other weekend we have the pleasure and pain of all 6 being with us, as well as all summer long. Yes, these are very trying times for me. But I deal with them and keep moving foward.

I have learned that the support of those closest to you is a wonderful thing, I quit blaming others for my mistakes and crawled through the tough times. And at the time in my life where I thought nothing is gonna change, things did. I am on a med that works, I have the love and support of my husband, children, and my husband's family. I am a full time student in college. I am also a tutor in math, english, and accounting. I have short term goals, and long term goals that I see being accomplished everyday of my life.

As for the bad days, I have many hobbies to keep me occupied and to help pull out of the depression, and they help on Manic days more than you can imagine. I work with jewelry, mostly chainmaille, do bookbinding, paint, write, and play computer games (mostly World of Warcraft, it helps me to lose reality for a while, the good thing is I can come back to reality when necessary).

I have found hope through all the hell of my life, this hope is what guides me through the days. I am here to pass on this hope to others and help in any way I can.

Lady Melody

How the heck do you manage 6 kids and all the other stuff?

Repeating this to myself and the support of my wonderful husband and friends. It is not an easy task, but as they say nothing is impossible only improbable.

Seeing or hearing that someone among us has learned to cope, to manage, and even to find moments of happiness and balance, sets a standard for all of us.

Encouragement and support, as you say, makes all the difference to some of us!

Thanks again, and keep comin' back!

Respectfully,

Jim

I dont know if being bipolar if your patience runs thin

I can say there are times that my patience is very thin, most especially with my oldest child (i really don't like using the term step) he is diagnosed PDD which for those that don't know what it is, he has symptoms of ADHD, Bipolar, Autism, and Oppositional Defiance. He recently came to live with us and I am homeschooling him until we can make other arrangments, he was expelled from his last school.

I don't want to use the bipolar as a crutch or excuse for the things i say or do, I try to stop and think even if it is after the fact. It takes great will power and perserverance to keep my patience.

Jim

C