Share a story where your diagnosis\/symptoms significantly impacted your life. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was most significantly impacted by my diagnosis\/symptoms when I hit rock bottom and was planning suicide, which ultimately landed me in a mental hospital. My mental illness led me to dropping out of college one semester away from receiving my Master\u2019s Degree, living on my own in a place I couldn\u2019t afford, drowning in credit card debt, \u201cworking for myself\u201d as a designer then unemployed, abusing alcohol and drugs in addition to being on stimulants and multiple other medicines for my mental illness. Things were spiraling faster than I knew what to do and I felt SO LOST. I felt no other way out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How have you seen yourself grow because (or in spite of) your mental illness? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve seen myself grow because of my mental illness because I had to learn what it takes to keep going no matter how hard things get. There is hope and I truly do believe in a saving grace. Since I was redeemed, I learned that you not only have to be strong for yourself but for others. I\u2019ve grown by being more self aware and not selfish, living to my fullest potential for those bigger than myself; my loved ones and those who need me. I\u2019m here for them. And I didn\u2019t see that so clearly before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Counselor reaction:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
General comments or reactions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bi-Polar is a very frustrating diagnosis in the sense that you are unable to control your mood changes. Some would say that they prefer to be manic, some would say that they prefer to be in a depressed state, but unfortunately, Bi-Polar Disorder does not let you choose which mood you want to be in and when you want to be in it. That makes the disorder even more stressful and frustrating for the person battling the illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can friends and family members support someone who suffers from bipolar disorder? How does it affect their relationships and work life?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bi-polar disorder can be an extremely difficult disorder for friends and family to witness due to the ups and downs that come with the disorder. A person may appear manic and be extremely happy, extremely productive, and seem as if they have \u201covercome\u201d this illness. And then as short as a few hours or days later the same person may be struggling to get out of bed, claim to have no energy, and be extremely sad. It is devastating for friends and family to watch this switch and consistently watch this vicious cycle go around and around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of this constant roller-coaster, relationships both personal and professional become extremely difficult to maintain. Behaviors and moods can change vastly and unexpectedly, which makes it impossible to predict a person\u2019s behaviors; even for the person. This is extremely difficult for friends and family to understand, but from an employment perspective, it makes it even more difficult for the ill person to maintain a professional position, when their reliability is often at question.<\/p>\n\n\n