Parents of Bipolar Children Support Group

arichardson - I've been in your place, barely hanging on by a thread and playing the "what if" game. The truth is, this disease is so unpredictable that you can't begin to guess what "might" happen in the future. In my case alone, each time I feel things are bad they change on a dime and we have three or four weeks of great times, sometimes more. Last year we enjoyed the entire summer! I've learned to savor each precious moment and pray for a higher help during the bad. My faith keeps me strong, and this support group has been a lifesaver at times. It certainly helps to know that there are others who care and have walked in your shoes, because as you stated, so many times the ones closest to us simply do not understand. We are all here for each other.

Thank you Jackie!

I hate you bipolar because you ARE.

I hate that you are so unreliable and unpredictable. I hate that I can't schedule you into my calendar. I hate that you make it seem like my daughter is living in slow motion and other times like she's speeding down a rollercoaster. We're in slow motion right now. Nothing gets done. I hate that you take away all of her motivation to be the person I know she should be.

I hate you bipolar bcause you ARE.

I think it was Zin, but not certain, who wrote a poem I read on this site. It expresses my feelings exactly. To roughly paraphrase- I hate you bipolar for coming in the night and stealing my daughter and then my grandson.

I will fight you until the end of my days by learning about you as much as I possibly can and by advocating for all diagnosed people and their loved ones in any way possible.

I missed the post before and I can't believe it hasn't come up more often. It's a great post/thread.

I hate you bipolar because it makes our love ones act out in ways they never would. It makes us act out in ways we never imagined. We pray for simple things in a very complex life. We pray for moments of peace, a tranquil feeling in our gut, a short burst of happiness for our child so we can all enjoy that moment.

I hate you bipolar because expectations for our child are stripped away and others take it all for granted.

I hate you bipolar because it affects all of those close to us. We lose ourselves, our normal thought pattern and it costs us more than just a financial commitment.

I hate you bipolar because it is so misunderstood and so hard to understand.

I hate to say the "hate" word so much. I hate being negative. So I want to end on a good note:

AT LEAST WE HAVE OUR FORUM WITH PEOPLE WHO DO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR CHILDREN AND OURSELVES ARE GOING THROUGH!

So raise your glasses and share a toast: Thank you all for being here and supporting each other! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

I hate you bipolar, for turning my son into someone I didn't even recognize anymore. Thank you for making him ashamed to talk to any of his old high school friends, for embarrassing him in front of his new college friends, for making him lose his scholarship, and for making him feel like a stupid fool in front of his family. Thank you for making him toss and turn all night, thank you for making him sleep half the day away, and...oh yeah... thank you very much for making him feel like he needed to lie about everything and hide in his room to escape what was going wrong in his life. Thanks for making him feel helpless, out of control, and sobbing in nearly every corner of this house because he didn't know what was wrong. By the way, bipolar, you're not as strong as his mother's love, and I can take you on any day of the week... blindfolded. You can't have my son, he has too much to offer this world.

Thanks, Kim. I am SO very thankful for stumbling upon this site, and for all of the wonderful people I've met already. Knowing that people out there totally understand is incredibly comforting. Yesterday was a rough one...psychiatrist visit confirmed Bipolar 1, even though there's no recorded family history. She said it doesn't necessarily have to be a close relative, and it could even be that family member at the reunions that has always seemed a little off. Just because no one in the family has been diagnosed doesn't mean it's not there. Wonderful. At least I know for sure what we're up against now. In addition to that, I went to a number of graduation open houses and was able to see so much excitement for plans ahead. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little jealous of it all. But, it is what it is...and I can't change the past, I can only look forward to what comes next. Hugs to you and your family as well! ~Beverly

bgeorge...I sooo know your pain about expectations being stripped away (my paraphrasing). Yes, things are different with BP. We will still have good times. There is hope. There are success stories. It's just that we have to work like hell for them!

We can do this...we just need to help each other through it!

Thanks guys yep I was so bummed week of all the graduations,Her Birthday as well,all the happy parents and mine was in hospital again wanting to die

I am so sorry xceldanes. How devastating. I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers. This illness is evil. Robs us of our children. To others, our child loooks normal..so people think it is due to bad parenting. Mine spent our family vacation last year in the hospital and the week leading up to christmas this year. I understand your loss. I hope she does well. Please take care