Bipolanon

>>17372495
Hi anon,

My mother, brother, and I have been diagnosed with bipolar type 1. My mom, when she was 21 (before I was born), my brother was diagnosed about a year ago at age 27, and I was diagnosed as a 15 year old.

My mom and brother are more severe than I am. My mom has an inevitable episode every 2-3 years, but it has been more frequent since she has the hormonal stress of menopause.

My brother is also very severe, but this is because he is an addict. He was actually prediagnosed at 8 years old, but my mom didn't want to go any further into treatment, and avoided it until it was likely far too late.

My brother has been a victim to the system of the criminalization of mental disorders. He had a delusional manic episode which brought on his full diagnosis. And he went out into the streets one night, drunk, manic, and hallucinating. The police thought he was on a hallucinogenic drug, restrained, tazed him several times, and he went to jail for assault. We tried to fight for him, explaining his mental illness, but the judge would not take it. He spent over a year in prison, still manic for several months. And he had to deny any strange behaviors to not go to the mental asylum with all the violent psychos in prison in which they basically just sedate people and throw them in with each other.

Some mantras I have learned along the way are:
-Bipolar disorder is not fixable, and I have to work to be normal
-Bipolar disorder is not my fault. Like a diabetic needs insulin to stabilize, I need medication and self awareness to regulate myself as well.


One way I've really started is to, as objectively as I can, analyze myself and behaviors at the end of each day. Recognize when I am feeling escalated or low and combat it.

Therapy has worked wonders for me. I try to get my mom and brother into it too, but they only want medication. Do not get stuck in that thought. Therapy has helped me more than lithium has.

>>17372524
I'm very sorry to hear that and it makes me angry as fuck because when I was manic, I THOUGHT I was persecuted when I wasn't, but your brother really was. No offense, but are you an American? Your story sounds very American to me and your English skills are rather good.

And yeah, it makes me kinda bitter knowing that a lot of this shit coudld've been avoided if my dad wouldn't have been such an asscunt.

>>17372552
Yes, I am American.

I also had a lot of parenting issues growing up. Which is why I think therapy was much more beneficial than medication. My dad left my mom because he could not handle her episodes. And growing up with a bipolar mother was tough.

Several times, my mom abandoned me and my siblings. Especially when she started dating someone. Changes like that always triggered a manic episode. And she'd leave for days at a time, when I was like 7 or 8, she'd leave for days and my brother was in charge, and he was only like 13 at the time. He'd always go out, which I think was the starts of his addiction. He was always hanging out with the wrong crowd, got into alcohol and drugs at an early age. My grandma took the role of mother to us, she was loving, strict, but really enabled my mom.

When I was 10, my family revealed my mom's disorder to me when she was having an episode. I walked in on her attempting suicide. And all she could tell me was "I'm doing this for the benefit of mankind" It was really scarring and confusing to see that as a child.

My mom, still, is around 50, and when she has a manic episode, she acts like a teenager. She is very hard to care for.

My mom was probably the biggest "role model" in the sense that I realized what I can become if I don't take care of myself mentally.

I suggest using the struggles with your dad as an example to drive you to better yourself. Changing your attitude on these people in our lives is so beneficial.

>>17372566
Ah. Wow, that.. I really can't 1 up that. But yeah, I understand. How old are you now? I've been 'officially' bipolar for 5 years ish this winter, but I've had symptoms (e.g. being extremely sensitive) for my whole life, didn't realize it was that until fairly recently. Only had 2 manic episodes (2012-2013 1-2 months ish) and 2014, 3 months. I'm glad not to be alone. In bad moments I can feel like I'm a freak or something, but in reality it's just my brain malfunctioning.

I guess I could try to do that but I'm already almost overcompensating in that manner. He was incredibly neglectful and uncaring, I on the other hand am almost too caring.

>>17372697
I'm 24, so it's been 9 years for me. When I was 14, I started hearing voices, not sleeping, doing strange, obsessive things, like cleaning rituals. I got really violent and would get very irritated/overstimulated and fight people for no reason at school.

I had manic/depressive episodes at 14, 16, 18, then the last one I've had was at 20. It feels like an itching aching feeling that it may come on again. Like an earthquake, you know? one hasn't happened for a while, so it's likely that one will hit soon.

I feel that way too. I feel like bipolar disorder is so misconstrued to most. People think of it as "being moody" or easily irritated. It's not that at all. In my "normal" time, I'm a bit anxious at times, but I'm really calm. The build up of stress usually triggers my episodes.