what is it? i read a bunch of posts, but i still don't know. a kid in my class just got diagnosed, but what is it?
-
The General Mental Health Forum is now a Read Only Forum. As we had two large areas making it difficult for many to find, we decided to combine the Mental Health & the Recovery sections of the forum into Mental Health & Recovery as a whole. Physical Health still remains as it's own area within the entire Recovery area.
If you are having struggles, need support in a particular area that you aren't finding a specific recovery area forum, you may find the General Struggles forum a great place to post. Any any that is related to emotions, self-esteem, insomnia, anger, relationship dynamics due to mental health and recovery and other issues that don't fit better in another forum would be examples of topics that might go there.
If you have spiritual issues related to a mental health and recovery issue, please use the Recovery Related Spiritual Advice forum. This forum is designed to be like Christian Advice, only for recovery type of issues. Recovery being like a family in many ways, allows us to support one another together. May you be blessed today and each day.
Kristen.NewCreation and FreeinChrist
-
Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
-
CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
what's bipolar?
- Thread starter pixieprincess
- Start date
- Status
i figured it out. i forgot about google. im sorry that people are diagnosed with that. now i know what my friend has, it explains his mood and stuff.
Upvote
0
tiredmom
Active Member
- Aug 30, 2005
- 306
- 2
- 61
- Faith
- Non-Denom
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Republican
pixieprincess said:
Hi, pixie! Welcome to the board. Hey, I hope you will do ALL the research you can, so that you can understand somewhat better what your friend may be dealing with, and maybe you'll be able to guide him/her to some information for him/herself to read, to help HIM/HER learn about it, and find ways to cope. This is a very helpful message board group, as far as fellowship and support goes. another one, one that I visit on occasion is www.moodgarden.org. It's a secular board, unlike this one, but also, very helpful and knowledgeable people that are kind and supportive.
There are some helpful book titles available, to give insight from others who battle this illness, as well as some titles by doctors/psychiatrists who can give some insight. Some of those written by doctors can be a little dry or too technical, however. at any rate, feel free to PM me, if you'd like a little more direction. Glad to help!
Bipolar disorder, as you say your freind has been diagnosed, is also known as "manic depression". In a way, this is a very descriptive term, for some of us. For others, it's a little too extreme, depending on what degree of the disorder we may experience. The term "bipolar disorder" more accurately describes the illness, without necessarily describing the extreme to which one might experience it. The terms simply refers to mood swings that shift from one extreme to the complete opposite,(different "poles") with different rates of fluctuation, times of duration, and most of the time, varying degrees of uncontrolability. (Is that actually a word...?) Anyway, you get the picture.
If your friend has been diagnosed by a good psychiatrist, and has been directed to take prescribed medication(s), please encourage your friend to take them REGULARLY as prescribed, to see the p-doc AS DIRECTED, to CALL THE PDOC ANYTIME he/she has a concern...and if there seems to be a discomfort or negative side effect with the medication, to contact the pdoc right away, and do not change the medication or quit it without working with your doc. A good psychiatrist will be invaluable to your friend's struggle, and eventual "remission" as I call it. Also, a good one will really be dedicated to working with you to adjust medication use as needed, to tailor it to his/her own system and degree of illnes, and to help with learning to deal with life while learning to manage the illness.
I have been officially dx'ed (diagnosed) as bipolar since last December, after several years with a wrong dx of clinical depression. I recently began having anxiety attacks as well. But I know now, looking back at my own history, and family history, that I have had this disorder since my teens. I just thought it was normal for many many years. I know now, it really isn't. Took a while to find out though!
I'm lucky-- I have a pdoc who is all the above I mentioned. Hopefully your friend will as well. If not, be open and honest with the doc as to what he/she feels he/she needs to help, and maybe see a therapist in addition, if the budget allows, and the p-doc hasn't time for further discussion or therapy. I'm lucky-- mine does. And my health insurance FINALLY covers outpatient mental health services!
I'll keep you an your friend in my prayers...I know how hard it can be-- from BOTH sides. My mom, grandma, brother, and two uncles also suffered from this, and I now know both sides of it. Be supportive, and just be there, even if all you can do right now is give a hug or a non-judgemental listening ear. And I encourage you, do ALL the research you can! That will be the biggest help to begin with, I assure you! I'm still trying to find ways to educate my wonderful husband on it, but not overwhelm him with it, as we go along.
Hope to hear from you again...this is a good group here! and don't forget to check out www.moodgarden.org as welll. Good folks there too. There is also a Friends and Family board there that can be helpful to folks like you. God bless you for being there for your friend! What a fortunate friend you have!
~~Laurie, aka, "tiredmom"
aka "learning2fly", on Moodgarden.org
Upvote
0
tiredmom
Active Member
- Aug 30, 2005
- 306
- 2
- 61
- Faith
- Non-Denom
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Republican
Again-- tell your friend DO NOT stop meds, be good about them, and regular! And tell your friend, he/she can talk to me too, if he/she would like. I can be emailed too, if that's better. Either of you can.
Something else I wanted to add--- there IS hope for living with this stupid illness--- I am, for the first time in a year, beginning to stabilize somewhat, after a trial of finding the right medication and dosage, and also educating myself, and talking with others about it. I've been in a fairly balanced place now for almost two weeks...amazing, for me!
I also write/journal, and I've gotten into photography this year. All of those things seem to help me. If your friend is creative (most bipolars are to a great degree...not to say that there aren't "stable" people who are too!) then a creative outlet, when he/she is able to deal with something creative, is helpful. But journaling is helpful anytime. It's a good place to get stuff out of one's head, and later, to look back and see where you were, and where you've progressed or still need to work. Works for me... let your friend think on these ideas, okay?
And always begin suggestions to your friend with, "This is just an idea, but maybe you'd like to try..." what ever it is. We bipolars sometimes tend to take things wrong, or don't always listen real well. But I'm learning that this presentation doesn't bug me, AND it seems to be a good way to talk with my kids, too! (I have an 11 y.o. son who I suspect may be bipolar as welll...sheesh! Poor kid!)
Anyway, write me anytime!
~~Laurie
Something else I wanted to add--- there IS hope for living with this stupid illness--- I am, for the first time in a year, beginning to stabilize somewhat, after a trial of finding the right medication and dosage, and also educating myself, and talking with others about it. I've been in a fairly balanced place now for almost two weeks...amazing, for me!
I also write/journal, and I've gotten into photography this year. All of those things seem to help me. If your friend is creative (most bipolars are to a great degree...not to say that there aren't "stable" people who are too!) then a creative outlet, when he/she is able to deal with something creative, is helpful. But journaling is helpful anytime. It's a good place to get stuff out of one's head, and later, to look back and see where you were, and where you've progressed or still need to work. Works for me... let your friend think on these ideas, okay?
And always begin suggestions to your friend with, "This is just an idea, but maybe you'd like to try..." what ever it is. We bipolars sometimes tend to take things wrong, or don't always listen real well. But I'm learning that this presentation doesn't bug me, AND it seems to be a good way to talk with my kids, too! (I have an 11 y.o. son who I suspect may be bipolar as welll...sheesh! Poor kid!)
Anyway, write me anytime!
~~Laurie
Upvote
0
- Status
Similar threads
