Your story touched my heart; your pain and anguish definately came through.
I'm seeing a really good psychiatrist and she recommended a book called The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide. I ordered it from Amazon.com and got it in only a few days. I'm only on the second chapter (I have trouble staying focused long enough to get too far) but my God it has helped so much already. It is helping me understand how others see me during my manic or depressive episodes, how I see myself, and how my doctors see me. Just understanding that has helped me immensely.
Because my husband doesn't understand my disorder at all, and thinks that if I just try harder I wouldn't have the 'problems' I have, I invited him to come to one of my sessions with my psychiatrist. She was able to answer some of his questions (he didn't hold back; he asked questions about things he was mad about) and she was able to explain from a medical point of view why it happened or is happening and how to help me and himself. This one-hour session greatly helped our relationship because it went from me and my crazyiness trying to explain the unexplainable to my husband to a professional cutting through the garbage and giving a simple medical explanation and providing tools I can use, and my family, during a manic/depressive episode.
Its not perfect, and it never will be, but my husband has a better understand of my disorder and is less inclined to try to 'fix' me or have me 'fix' myself.
I hope this helps, and I truly hope it works out between you and your husband.
Cathy (dencat36)
(Personal email address removed by EmpowHER moderator. )
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Dear DarkAngell81
Your story touched my heart; your pain and anguish definately came through.
I'm seeing a really good psychiatrist and she recommended a book called The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide. I ordered it from Amazon.com and got it in only a few days. I'm only on the second chapter (I have trouble staying focused long enough to get too far) but my God it has helped so much already. It is helping me understand how others see me during my manic or depressive episodes, how I see myself, and how my doctors see me. Just understanding that has helped me immensely.
Because my husband doesn't understand my disorder at all, and thinks that if I just try harder I wouldn't have the 'problems' I have, I invited him to come to one of my sessions with my psychiatrist. She was able to answer some of his questions (he didn't hold back; he asked questions about things he was mad about) and she was able to explain from a medical point of view why it happened or is happening and how to help me and himself. This one-hour session greatly helped our relationship because it went from me and my crazyiness trying to explain the unexplainable to my husband to a professional cutting through the garbage and giving a simple medical explanation and providing tools I can use, and my family, during a manic/depressive episode.
Its not perfect, and it never will be, but my husband has a better understand of my disorder and is less inclined to try to 'fix' me or have me 'fix' myself.
I hope this helps, and I truly hope it works out between you and your husband.
Cathy (dencat36)
June 9, 2010 - 11:46am(Personal email address removed by EmpowHER moderator. )
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