I'm Glad I Have Bipolar Disorder

Ok, before you start thinking I'm crazy or in a bipolar episode, let me explain the title of this post. I'm glad that I have bipolar disorder, and not another untreatable disease. On my other blog, I compared it to cancer, where you can go into "remission," if you recognize remission as "absence of symptoms."

Like someone in remission with cancer, we can also have an absence of symptoms with our bipolar disorder. We call that "stability."

Yes, bipolar disorder is incurable - I'm not disputing that. But I am saying that at least it's a treatable condition.

Of course, you have to cooperate in your own recovery, doing things like taking your medication religiously, seeing a doctor, psychiatrist and/or therapist, sleeping right and eating right, taking care of yourself and keeping a balance between your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. But the fact is that it IS possible to recover from bipolar disorder.

Sometimes I hear from supporters who are so frustrated and discouraged, and say that they only wish their loved one were more like me, but that they really struggle with their bipolar disorder. My heart breaks for them. I wish I could help each and every one of them, but the only thing I can do is tell the truth as I know it and share my experience, strength, and hope with others, through my blogs and articles, encouraging others that if I can recover, so can they.

One thing I would stress is that if you don't take your medication religiously, I can't promise you recovery from bipolar disorder (I couldn't promise you recovery anyway, but you know what I mean). I am totally FOR medication. Of course, it may be a trial to find the right medication, but you're listening to someone who knows about that - I definitely went through a struggle trying to find the right "sanity cocktail" for me. I've even had shock treatments (ECT) as part of my treatment, so I know how difficult it can be to control bipolar symptoms at times.

One reason I'm glad I have bipolar disorder is that it forces me to be more in control of myself and the meeting of my needs. I have grown so much in self-development since I was diagnosed - and remember, I wasn't diagnosed until my mid-40's. Many people who don't struggle with a mental illness take their mental (and physical, emotional, and spiritual) health for granted. We have to be more on guard.

I don't believe that people who don't have bipolar disorder "work at it" as hard as we do. And by "work at it," I mean work at keeping a balance and lack of stress in our lives. Because that is what leads to stability - our eternal goal.

Yet once you reach stability, you can really enjoy your life again. At least I have. Yes, I have to make certain concessions to the disorder, but for the most part, I live a relatively stress-free, successful, happy, "normal" life (defining "normal" by bipolar standards).

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele