Dear Weathered: I'm Pat and I was diagnosed, after years and years of frustration, BP in February of this year. You don't have to do lithium now. There are tons of good drugs available and a good psych doc will tweak them til she gets it right for you. I take depakote and lamictal. All my drugs are free. I went to the local mental health facility and it worked beautifully. My income is so low that I qualified for the drugs that the big companies give to the mental health clinics....
Going to this clinic was a huge leap of faith for me and an incredible show of strength.....it embarrassed me and I felt very vulnerable when I took that step. I couldn't do anything better for myself than I did that day. To admit that I was suicidal and then to seek the help was really, really hard. BUT I did it!!! You can do it and especially if you love your family! You have to look out for your wife and your children. Drop that stuff about the weakness and put your mind around how hard this has all been for them..and they are still with you! How very strong they've had to be to live with the ups and downs and various moods that only BP sufferers know about. Please keep us posted..xoxo Pat