I believe that I’m fortunate for having so much support from my family and friends. However, I have some people who want to understand, but they don’t. They ask me questions such as, “Why are you depressed?” or “What’s wrong?” and I have no clue how to answer them. I’m depressed because I am, not because of something that happened (at least most of the time). I honestly feel that people can’t understand bipolar disorder unless they experience it themselves, and I don’t wish that upon anyone. Nonetheless, I’m lucky to have people in my life that support me and try to understand. They are open to learning and they listen to what I have to say.

I'm a 32 year old married woman who has been dealing with Bipolar disorder since the age of 14. This is all about my life, diagnoses, and treatments. If you have any questions, just ask me. I hope that others with Bipolar Disorder or PTSD can relate to my blog and find it helpful.

12 thoughts on “Support From Others”

  2. So glad that you are posting again. I look forward to reading It in my email when It comes across my feed. You are very correct that non BP people are not able to understand. I am not BP…my husband is BP1 and I struggle daily to try to relate so that I can give him all the love and support that he needs and deserves. A lot of times he has difficulty putting his thoughts into words. So I subscribe to blogs and read articles to try to understand. You are very lucky to be surrounded and supported by such friends and family. Keep on fighting and best of luck getting through this.

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    1. Thanks for your thoughts. Your husband is lucky to have you in his life. It’s hard to try and continually relate to something you don’t have, but it’s great that you keep trying. You will comprehend pieces here and there. I don’t even understand it most of the time, and I’m diagnosed as bipolar.

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  4. My suggestion, FWIW, is to have an answer that makes them understand that you can’t explain what it is really like to live in your skin and head anymore than they could explain what it is like to live in theirs. Either of you could state facts or give examples, but unless you live the experiences you don’t truly know. So while you appreciate their interest, you don’t feel you are in the place to put them in your shoes.

    Might not be the right answer for you – but it is what I would do. And for the record, I have depression (MDD) but not bi-polar, but I have family I love that are bi-polar. While I do not know what their life/disease is like, I can relate to parts of it, like feeling like you are not in control of your own life, the feeling of immobility, the negative thoughts etc. Sometimes people can grasp parts but not the whole.

    Just one person’s opinion. 🙂

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  5. I understand what your situation. It’s wonderful that you have family and friends who understand you and accept you. For the people who don’t, and ask insensitive questions, there are no simple words to make them understand. Just smile, give them a short answer and don’t feel frustrated or disjointed! Thank you for your post!

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  7. you don’t have to be told that support that works in valuable, support that doesn’t work is devaluing. when support doesn’t work, i’m left scratching my head, and questioning myself at a time i don’t need thatcher least.

    try speaking in metaphors. at least if someone can understand one of your metaphors, they are a little closer to understanding what is going on with you.

    i don’t have bipolar, but from what i’ve heard from my friends, this would be a metrical description of bipolar. modify it for your own use, if you like:

    imagine your best day. you’re getting everything done, you’re clicking, your engine is reving, you’re go go go. at bed time that energy isn’t gone so you stay up until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. you’re jittery like you’ve drank 10 cups of coffee, but you haven’t had one. now multiple that by 4. imagine that goes on for 2 months.

    then it hits.

    imagine your worst day. you can get motivated, everything you touch turns to poop, you’re not even trying to do anything because you know you’ll do wrong. you don’t trust yourself, like yourself or even care about yourself. the thought of why goes on creeps into your head. now, multiple that 5. that goes on for 6 months.

    these are not choices i make, they just happen. the thing is, when i’m done with that, i get to do it over and over and over again…until i die.

    that’s bipolar.

    someone being told that, i hope would have better understanding of what you are going through.

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