Hey, y’all –
Thank God for good bipolar supporters. I know I appreciate my husband, who is my primary supporter, in more ways than one. But as a supporter, he helps me keep on my toes regarding my bipolar disorder.
Having a supporter is like having a check and balance system. You may not necessarily be able to tell when you are showing signs and symptoms of a bipolar episode, but if you have a good supporter, they will be able to tell (usually before you).
My mom is in another episode or, at least, was going into one. I noticed that she was headed that way because of two things: 1. She started shopping more, and 2. Whenever she goes into an episode, we reverse roles, and I become the mom.
My mom also has other people in her support system – my two brothers and my father. And we all noticed the same things, so we told her we were concerned about her.
The thing about a good support system is this – they are only as good as you let them be.
You have to allow your bipolar supporters to help you. You need to listen to them, because they may see something that you don’t.
My mom listened to us, and called her psychiatrist, who adjusted her medications, and now she is much better. She had gotten kinda out in “manic-land,” but the increased dose of medication kept her from going there, and brought her right back.
I can’t imagine where she’d be if she hadn’t listened to her supporters. But she has learned over time, as I have, that we don’t always see ourselves in a realistic light. Sometimes our bipolar disorder distorts our thoughts, so that we don’t see anything wrong.
We need a good strong support system to catch us like a safety net, so that we can avoid bipolar episodes. Sometimes we can’t correctly judge our own behavior, and they can be more objective.
Then, of course, we need to listen to our bipolar supporters when they tell us that our behavior is “out of whack.” We can’t let pride stand in the way of emotional health and stability or a bipolar episode.
If you’re still trying to fight this dragon all by yourself, you will lose. You need at least one supporter who can help you.
Wishing you peace and stability,
Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele
I know I have been very grateful for my friend and my husband. Especially since I’m trying to stay off meds, I can’t afford to go into an episode without knowing something’s up. They watch me like a hawk, and let me know if I’m getting overly stressed, or shopping too much, or my house is suffering. All big signs for me. So far it’s working, when they tell me I’m not acting quite right, I can take a look at things and see where I can cut back, or talk to my husband and see if he can help me figure out the trigger and have him help get me back on track. Usually lots of de-stressing, time without the kids, and hugs works well enough for now.
And we have been very careful with my diet, since I have gestational diabetes again, and we’ve both noticed that when my sugars are very stable, so are my emotions. Hmmmmm…. It’s nice to have somebody else noticing things like that, so I know I’m not just grasping at straws at trying to stay off meds. 10 weeks until full term and then any time after that!!!!