Here I go again

By tinab1970 Thursday, April 16, 2009

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I just got out this past friday from Oak View Mental hospital because my meds were not working. This is the 2nd time this year i was there the 1st time being in late January for the same reason. I really have so support group at home with family or friends. they say they can't understand what im going through and leave it at that. I kn ow they can't but it's not that it's that they don't even try or ask me how im doing. So that's why i joined this group to chat with other people who are going through the same things as i am.

had a good day

Comments (10) | Add comment

knowthyself

4/16/09 11:39pm

Hi Tina,

Glad to see you have reached out to find others who have had similiar experience and are a bit more understanding of what you have gone through. I've been here a short while and spend most of my time trying to answer questions and posts. It seems most of the individuals that ask questions drop in to get an answer and once given one they do not return. Some people that post, return for more information, until they have enough to solve whatever dilemma they are dealing with. Though there are a few here who seem to respond to questions and posts on a regular basis. There are the experts who post a topic they see is in need of discussion. John McManamy posts something each week and he also has a blog http://www.mcmanweb.com/blog.htm with many interesting and educational articles.

Look around the site, read the articles, read some of the community alerts and replies, so you can get a feel of the site. I'm not an expert, though it has been thirty years since my first episode, so I have some experience and experiences. I also have a bachelors degree in social work and spent a few years working with a private mental health agency. Write back, I am sure you will get some more comments from the others here.

tinab1970

4/16/09 11:49pm

thank you so much. im trying to find my way around the site thanks again.

Eric

4/17/09 3:24am

Hi Tina,

All I can say is welcome to the nuthouse. Sorry to hear that you have had to do two inpatients in the past four months, but sometimes thats just the way it goes with our illness. It's not that uncommon for family and friends not to ask much about the illness and the stay.

It's kind of a two fold answer in that one, they don't want to bring it up to embarrass or upset you, and the other line of thinking is to move past it like nothing ever happened. It really scares a lot of so called normal people because they start to think if it could happen to you, then it also could happen to them which is totally correct.

I would also check in to local in person support groups around your area. Check the NAMI websites and the local newspaper to find meetings. You should also be able to get this information from your therapist. And of course there is US here that do have an understanding of your situation and it makes it nice in the fact that you don't need to try to put to words what has actually taken place...as we know it all to well.

Give your daughter a hug and then take a good look at her...she is the main reason to get and stay on your meds and to try and live as normal of a life as you can. She needs mom to stay well!

tinab1970

4/17/09 9:21am

thanks for the kind words . i went to a NAMI metting this tuesday at the hospital. they have one every tuesday from 6:30 to 8:00. i hope to make it at least twice a month.

marsha

4/17/09 11:54am

I know exactly what you are going through. I am also a mother and have had a lot of trouble with meds "not working". And I also have had a lack of a support group who understands what I'm going through. Have you tried DBSA? I just joined a new group that is starting this weekend. I'm hoping that this group will be as helpful as this website has been for me. Good luck! Marsha www.didyoutakeyourmeds.com

tinab1970

4/17/09 2:42pm

no i never hear of DBSA were can i find that group at?

marsha

4/17/09 4:39pm

there is a DBSA link at the bottom of this page. dbsaalliance.org.

HAL9000

4/18/09 12:09am

I've noticed this too: non-bipolar people seem to clam up whenever I mention anything about being bipolar. I'm beginning to think that it's because people generally want to speak about themselves and things they can relate to, and they can't relate to this at all, so they don't speak about it. The only people I can share my craziness with are other crazy friends, and I only have a couple of those. Those conversations are quite animated--we'll talk about favorite delusions, possible suicide methods, the pros and cons of various meds.

So I recommend you make some bipolar friends. That's what I'm looking for here.

tinab1970

4/18/09 9:32am

that's what i noticed too. i really have no one to talk to about this either so that's why i hoined this group. so i can talk about what im feeling with out being thought that im crazy. i need some crazy friends too. lol

Denise C

5/11/09 6:12pm

I am not bipolar but my son is bipolar II. I do understand when you say that your family and friends don't understand you or what you are going through. My son was diagnosed 3 years ago (I had custody) of him, then he went to live with father and step-mother. She didn't want him to be bipolar so she took him to a doctor over in Germany (that is where they were stationed at the time) and lied. He was taken off all medications. He was being both physically and mentally abused by her, thinking that she could control his bipolar through abuse. I have since gotten custody back and we are now going through the whole process over again, except this time there is abuse involved. I feel sometimes the same way you do, that no one understands and thinks that all he needs is a whoopin. I will be praying for you and your family. Through the grace of God, I have made it this far and I will not give up on my son! A support group is where you get support for those that are going through the same thing. I commend you for reaching out and sharing so that you will be able to heal. God Bless you.

Here I go again

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