Bipolar Support Group

absent form the body, present with the Lord? This is what my boyfriend always tell's me when he is suffering from mental illness, COPD (lung disease) and me being mentally and physically ill too.

I was just diagnosed with bipolar one. Here all this time i thought I was odd. hehe. anyways I have been looking for an adult support group since im older than dinasours. well not really but close.. my attitude is ussally good however i have bad days and it has been hard to accept the diagnosis and some meds however its life. well that is my story for now. thanks

That gave me hope! I have always thought I will never change. Never really came to terms until recently that I did have this disease, you would think after 10 years of destruction I would have realized. Thanks for your post. Kudos for you Jimmy!!!

This is a really good thread for new members to read.

The other day I was in a good mood (for a moment) and acting silly, making fun of something in myself in a positive way. My fiance then said, "how could I ever find another honeybunny as crazy as you, in good things as well in bad?" That made me smile, because we've had it rough recently. Very difficult discussions at couples counseling, and worrying whether we can really live together, being both mentally ill. It gave me hope; I'm crazy but still (and also because of it) dear to him. And that goes both ways too.

Hi SuzieWho,

What a sweet story! I'm so sorry you've had it rough recently. But I'm very glad you have a supportive fiance. When is the happy date?

We haven't exactly decided when to get married. Earlier we thought we weren't interested in it at all, but then we just decided to get engaged for fun. That was when we'd been together for over 9 years. Neither one of us wants a big wedding, so if we ever get there we will just do it at the registry office. I think it will happen when we've overcome the worst issues; they've been there ever since we got together, and I think we're very close to really understanding them. 11 years, and I'm still not ready to quit. Because the good part is so much better than "average" (if it does even exist), in a very deep level we connect very well, always have. And just as deep lie the issues - because they have a lot to do with the deep traumas we both have since childhood - but they will not overcome the good things. I'm sure of it. I've seen friends struggle with numerous relationships, all ended sooner or later, and I believe this is worth fighting for. We lived apart for a couple of years, so we've seen that too. I don't want that anymore, even though at times I think it would be for the best. But it's not. I need him to keep myself from spinning out of control, and he needs me to, well, take care of him. He also said one day, when I asked whether he thinks this is too much, that he believes together we are something better than neither one of us would be alone. Besides we're so crazy, who else would put up with either one of us?

I know there are couples with mental issues that really shouldn't be together. For example, my father was crazy in a very bad way, very narcissistic and very cruel to my mother, who has some sort of a mood disorder as well (never diagnosed.) She should've left him at the very beginning, and not endure 19 years of marriage and have three children who are all broken now one way or other. But the constructive part of this message is this: people who do not have "evil" tendencies, who don't hurt each other intentionally, should NOT quit too easily. It is hard to continue with difficult issues, but it pays off, even if you still have to end it eventually. We will not grow and learn things about ourselves and we will repeat our mistakes if we just quit.

Wow, that sounded a bit arrogant. I didn't mean it though, I just want to share what I've learned. And maybe give hope to those who are unsure if it ever will get better...

im 18 and live in the uk, earlier this year i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, i was giving counciling, anti depressants and had to attend monthly check ups.iv only got worse over the months, i go through weird phases that include walking for miles in the early hours of the morning everyday just out of the blue, arguing and picking fights with people who love me and look after me and worrying and getting paranoid about little things like my friends ringing to see where i am when im on my way to his house, it makes me think hes planning to attack me or set me up. i discussed with my mum the cause but my mum just calls me spoilt and tells me im being stupid. when i was younger i was beaten and thrown about by my step dad that made me a very angry but sensitive person that can and will react to near enough everything.sometimes i can wake up with joy and look at the day as an oppurtinty to have fun and do stuff, but some days i will wake up and not even bother to get out of bed because i dont see the point in wasting another day doing nothing, iv had a good relationship with my girlfriend, we have been together 10 months but she now wants a "break" because she sees me as obsevvive, paranoid and unstable but the more i try to explain i cant help help it and im just trying to see what shes upto when she doesnt call the more she resents me i got stabbed twice in the stomach by my so called best friend in febuary with a broken bottle and in august my friends got me drunk, THEY went out and caused criminal damage to 8 cars and then told the police it was me because they see me as unstable and an easy target. my grandma who was the rock in my life and the only person in my family who actually paid attention to me died last august but for some reason i didnt show any emotion at the funeral. everybody told me they expected me to break down infront of them, i dont know if they were mocking me or were just genuinly surprised but it felt like a stab in the back, that same month i got a decent job as an apprentice but when i was diagnosed with depression my boss sacked me telling me there was no work for me now iv got no more, no friends, no family, no girlfriend and pretty much no life to live, i often get suicidle thoughts that range from visions of sitting in the kitchen with slit wrists to hanging in the woods looking down at the grass, but i dont think i would ever go so far as to do it as i believe it wouldnt make any difference, it would improve alot more lives than it would destroy i can tell you that, im not the type of person that looks for sympathy thats why i have anomynsly written this on this site so i can get some feedback on what i should do. i love my girlfriend to bits and i know it will destroy me if we officially break up i have a medical assessment in 2 days to get checked for bipolar my family believes iv got it and i would be surprised if i havnt im sorry about the message being so long but i desperatly need help at the minute because i dont know how long i can last i sleep uto 2-3 hours a night and just sit around listening to beethoven and thomas newman because thats all that keeps my mind at ease at the moment thank you for reading and please reply and give me some advice because im lost in my own tracks at the minute and really need a way out

Hello everyone I suppose I am here to ask a few questions about Bipolar disorder. A few of my "friends", from the past had mentioned to my mother while visiting.. that they feel as if I'm bipolar. (mom denied this) but ever since... I've been analyzing myself. I guess my question is, how do I find out if I'm Bipolar?

Some interesting things noted about my personality.

I have a history of OCD, currently not having issues with this at the moment. (Knock on wood). However, have anxiety and panic issues. I don't like to leave my house lately, I have fear of going to new places outside my comfort zone. (this is very new to me).

I get hyper fixated on things that I get joy from, such as movies-- I become engrossed and my mind takes off. (almost like tunnel vision) everything else in the world sort of fades away, and I get lost in silly things. Each month, its a new phase-- it's something new that grabs my attention and I am 100 percent engrossed in either a book, a movie character, or something.

I over think quite a bit. I am flaky and sometimes seem to be self centered, (not intentionally). I get so consumed with trying to feel "okay". I usually start things and never finish them. I get super excited about things, or an idea.. then, I lose confidence and give up. I aim big, and then get sad and depressed when the goal is accomplished.

I have mood swings-- I'm up and down, and tend to be very emotional and sensitive. I get defensive and angry when i feel ganged up on, and overreact to things that aren't that big of a deal. Others can ignore or move on, but i focus on it and usually make a big deal about things.

Every month its something new-- a new inspiration. And then, I drop it for something else that makes me feel inspired.

Any ideas?

[edited per terms and conditions of membership] u should c a doctor 2 be diganoised n there r some gr8 meds that can help with some of ur issues

Post edited by: sarahtroy, at: 01/18/2013 12:33 PM