Dearest Liz:
I still am enjoying reading your post and articles, even today’s; which was a wee bit on the dark side! Don’t you love it when we can vent publicly. Especially with you, the masses are actually listening to the vent
I thought I would write a little more serious babble this time around in the comments section. I don’t want you yelling at me, like you did in that article I read this morning
As far as research goes in the scientific community concerning Bipolar. They really know very little about the cause and exactly how this chemical imbalance works. They can only say with some sense of knowledge it appears to be a chemical imbalance in brain chemistry and they think it has a genetic connection and roots.
Now, neither of these opinions is proven fact; just an evaluation of data, research, and real life experimentation has shown to be the most likely causes. Brain research is in its infancy at this time within the medical and scientific community. Talk to any neurosurgeon and they will plainly admit that undeniable truth.
So, Pdoc’s can’t actually treat Bipolar per say, they can only treat our symptoms. So it makes perfect senses that since all of us are biochemically different and individual at some level. The same drugs (Like SSRI’s) can and do work completely different on each individual. Some Drugs have proven to be more or less effective over time, use, clinical trial, and research than others. But only a lucky few bipolar catch that so called magic drug bullet the first time around. For many it’s takes years to find a combination that can give us functionality in our lives, and control some of the most severe symptoms of this disorder. For others the combination doesn’t exist as of yet. As I said earlier, Bipolar is more than likely a genetic mood disorder that makes having a good and healthy relationship just that much harder. Bipolar is not a one size fits all disorder. Every one of us that has this disorder is different and unique in the way it affects our lives and the relationships within the confines of our treatment and living process. We all usually make lots of mistakes along that road, and leave a few casualties along the roadside as well. It’s not easy having a mental disorder, even when the medications are working well and you have great support systems in place. Some of us struggle a life time just to get this disorder in relative control and have some functionality, some never get it under control and have unmeasured troubles every step of the journey, some of us function incredibly, and people would never even know we had this disorder unless we choose to tell them, and the saddest fact of all is that 15% to 20% of us will literally kill ourselves during the process of discovery and learning to live with bipolar.
I personally sure wish I had medications that worked many a day when I’m struggling to stay afloat. (I personally have been through almost everyone in the book with horrible and painful results). Who would have “thunk it”
We each have to accept our reality, take responsibility for our disorder and actions related to it, as well as learn the best methods of treatment for us. Therapy is always a good idea, because in certain stages of these conditions we need support, and just a place to unload the all baggage. Life style, attitude, diet, outlook, and humor are great just to mention a few tools that are also essential in us living with this disorder. Your bipolar is not going away; it’s there for the rest of your life. So as with any hurdle we know isn’t going anywhere, we learn to live with it. It’s always a sobering fact to look in the mirror and realize that many of us don’t keep fighting on. That is why having good support systems in place (whether they being involved in a support group, having caring friends, and family, etc.) are such a tremendous tool in allowing us to express ourselves freely and help create support and friendships with like others. I don’t know a whole bunch, and every day I feel like I know even less. But I do know it takes a lot of hard work, and struggle to stay healthy. Having a great sense of humor can never hurt though .
Yours truly
Stan

Would it be possible to have a little elucidation of what is meant by Stan's statement - "I don’t want you yelling at me, like you did in that article I read this morning" ? It's probably not all that important, and I don't want to intrude or anything like that, but I can't see anything here that explains what article is being referred to, and I'm dying of curiousity. It would nice to know more, if possible, just so this would all seem more logical and easy to understand. But I suppose it's not essential - I've survived unrequited curiousity before.

Liz, thanks for pointing the way to this article on "Furious Seasons". Personally, I get rather tired of Phil from time to time (he's a bit too anti-psychiatry and callous for my taste), but it's quite clear that he is simply covering many sides of the story and is not like the nutjobs who left disturbing comments on his site.

Incidentally, I have given you another blogger award!

Keep on keepin' on,
K.