You Can Always Improve with Bipolar Disorder

I just got back from doing an In Our Own Voice training weekend for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). It went great! We trained 10 new presenters. IOOV is a program where you go out to different places and tell your story about recovery from mental illness, hopefully lowering the public's stigma against it. It's a great program, and I'm proud not just to be a presenter, but to be a national trainer as well.

Anyway, it made me think of today's topic: There's always room for improvement with bipolar disorder. Because getting trained to be a presenter and trainer for IOOV was one of the ways I improved myself in my recovery from bipolar.

There was a time when I was too sick to even attempt something like this, so being able to accomplish this is a real success for me, and shows that recovery is possible, even for someone with ultra rapid cycling bipolar disorder like I have.

I don't think anyone should be satisfied with their diagnosis and that's it. I think you should try to better yourself any way you can. I mean it breaks my heart when I see that commercial for depression on TV that says, "Who does depression hurt? Everyone. Where does depression hurt? Everywhere." And it shows all these people really hurting from it. It makes it seem so hopeless.

There are many, many people struggling with bipolar disorder right now. But that doesn't mean that they'll be hopeless forever. That's one of the things that I stress in my IOOV talk - that recovery is possible. For some people, it's the first time they've ever heard that! Some people actually think they are hopeless just because they've been diagnosed with bipolar.

But there is always room for improvement with bipolar disorder. You won't always stay in bed, if that's where you are. I know, I was there. There was a whole month where I couldn't get out of bed even if I tried. I thought I was hopeless, helpless, worthless, and I just wanted to die. Yes, for someone with bipolar disorder, life can seem that bad sometimes. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

With a good treatment plan, including medication and a good doctor, psychiatrist and therapist, improvement will happen. But you've got to be motivated, and you have to believe that recovery is not only possible, but that it is possible for you.

There are others like me who were "throwaways" - people thought we'd never recover. But look at me now! I've been stable now for five years, and during that time I've been able to accomplish so much, including the fact that I now have 4 books available on amazon.com! My lifelong dream was to be a writer, and now I am!

So that just goes to show you that if you don't give up, if you keep striving toward stability and recovery, that you may very well attain some of those hopes and dreams yourself! The point is NOT to give up! No matter what the doctors say. Remember, I was one of the worst cases the doctors had ever seen, and look at me now! They'd never believe it! But I proved them wrong.

Never give up hope. And always try to improve yourself. Keep taking your medication religiously, and seeing your medical and mental health professionals. Mostly, believe in yourself and your ability to reach stability and to recover. You need to be your own biggest cheerleader!

Don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele