Hi out there.

I just wanted to introduce myself. I have been diagnosed with bipolar, OCD, PTSD, fibromyliga and other assorted things. I am the oldest of seven children, all of which have some sort of mental health issue. Ranging from extreme arrogance to bipolar and substance abuse to autism. My mother's husband was very abusive. You name it, he did it.

I am married for eight years now. My husband has severe depressions and hair trigger temper from a ten year thankless military career. They broke him, sent him home and forgot his name.

I have three boys. The oldest is 17. He was diagnosed with bipolar shortly after I was. I can't get him to take any medication for it. One minute he will be talking calmly to me about it and how he can keep control, the next he is breaking a window in the truck because he didn't get the front seat. It took a house fire that claimed the life of my youngest brother to finally get the doctors to listen to me that something was wrong. I was about 30 when diagnosed. The middle boy is ADHD and in the gifted program in his school, though you wouldn't know it to look at his grades. The baby is seven and just diagnosed ADHD. He will be tested for the gifted program at the beginning of the school year. He is learning four extra languages and is way beyond his grade level in math and reading. Having been through the ADHD once, I have a better grip on how to deal with it this time.

I take so many medications that I wear a medical bracelet to see wallet card for the list. I try to keep busy with different things. I have a betta collection that takes a lot of time. I quilt and sew. I garden quite a bit. But mostly I break up fights within the family. I am tired. I live in an area that doesn't have a lot of neighbors, so I frequently feel very isolated. Right now I am having a religious argument with one of my brothers. He thinks he is god and I disagree. Unfortunately, he lives in the same house as my mother and another brother. this makes communication difficult at best. Oh well.

If anyone out there wants to compare sob stories, let me know. Perhaps we can share shoulders.