Comments on: Can You Have Bipolar Disorder and Still Be Happy? http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/can-you-have-bipolar-disorder-and-still-be-happy/305/ Get an inside look at what its like to have bipolar disorder with Michele Soloway Sexton. Michele, a survivor herself, shares regularly on the ups and downs of dealing with the disorder, along with personal insights, lessons learned, and encouragement for others who also have bipolar disorder. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:02:51 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Michele http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/can-you-have-bipolar-disorder-and-still-be-happy/305/comment-page-1/#comment-824 Michele Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:42:22 +0000 http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/?p=305#comment-824 Zee-- I'm so pleased that you found my post a positive and encouraging one, as that is what my goal is. I do not believe that bipolar disorder is a death sentence. If you go to www.bipolarcentral.com, you'll find more positive articles that might help you. Also, read through some of my old posts, as they will help you as well. The biggest thing is to remember that YOU ARE NOT YOUR DISORDER! There is still a real, creative, intelligent, positive, successful and someday stable YOU inside there! Don't let the bipolar steal your identity from you, and don't be intimidated by the disorder. With practice, you will learn how to manage it instead of it managing you. Good luck, and God bless. Michele Zee–

I’m so pleased that you found my post a positive and encouraging one, as that is what my goal is. I do not believe that bipolar disorder is a death sentence. If you go to http://www.bipolarcentral.com, you’ll find more positive articles that might help you. Also, read through some of my old posts, as they will help you as well. The biggest thing is to remember that YOU ARE NOT YOUR DISORDER! There is still a real, creative, intelligent, positive, successful and someday stable YOU inside there! Don’t let the bipolar steal your identity from you, and don’t be intimidated by the disorder. With practice, you will learn how to manage it instead of it managing you. Good luck, and God bless.
Michele

]]> By: zee http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/can-you-have-bipolar-disorder-and-still-be-happy/305/comment-page-1/#comment-823 zee Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:50:42 +0000 http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/?p=305#comment-823 Thank you so much for this! I was also diagnosed with bipolar almost a year ago, but I still really really hope somehow it's not true. I knew I was having a depression but after I first started taking antidepressants, there were 3 days when I felt hyper and couln't sleep, so that apperantly means this is probably bipolar. The beginning involved lots of crying and sulking about my misery, and the constant thinking that I was a "damaged" person and expecting horrible things to happen in the future. Only after I was told by a therapist I visited once, that I am overthinking things and am being way too pathalogical about this, I realized that it is the diagnosis that brings me down, not the actual sypthomes. the constant thinking about this disorder and dreading I have no chance for the future is what makes me miserable. When I put that aside, I actually feel good, I keep going on with my life, and really appreciate what I have. I am happy, and this whole depression experience has made me more open to trying new things and be more present. This can change when I start digging again the information about bipolar, and mostly you find the negatives. However you inspired me - I'm so happy to see that you are coping so well. I wish there were more positive messages out there like yours. Thank you so much for this! I was also diagnosed with bipolar almost a year ago, but I still really really hope somehow it’s not true. I knew I was having a depression but after I first started taking antidepressants, there were 3 days when I felt hyper and couln’t sleep, so that apperantly means this is probably bipolar.
The beginning involved lots of crying and sulking about my misery, and the constant thinking that I was a “damaged” person and expecting horrible things to happen in the future. Only after I was told by a therapist I visited once, that I am overthinking things and am being way too pathalogical about this, I realized that it is the diagnosis that brings me down, not the actual sypthomes. the constant thinking about this disorder and dreading I have no chance for the future is what makes me miserable.
When I put that aside, I actually feel good, I keep going on with my life, and really appreciate what I have. I am happy, and this whole depression experience has made me more open to trying new things and be more present. This can change when I start digging again the information about bipolar, and mostly you find the negatives. However you inspired me – I’m so happy to see that you are coping so well. I wish there were more positive messages out there like yours.

]]> By: Mackeran http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/can-you-have-bipolar-disorder-and-still-be-happy/305/comment-page-1/#comment-614 Mackeran Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:40:25 +0000 http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsurvivorblog/?p=305#comment-614 Very interesting and amusing subject. I read with great pleasure. Very interesting and amusing subject. I read with great pleasure.

]]>