Could use some words of encouragement

New here and also living with Bipolar. What helps you the most to live a meaningful fulfilling life? Once you get this under control can you have a normal life?

@Dadinmichigan welcome to MSF. I hope you are finding ways to cope with Bipolar. That can be challenging for sure.

I can only answer your questions from my perspective as a person in a relationship with someone that has struggled with Bipolar Disorder for quite a while. Different people have different experiences. This situation has had challenges like meds only keep stable for a few years, med resistant Bipolar, my partner periodically refuses treatment, cycling Bipolar from depression to mania, and giving up on themselves.

Needless to say all these challenges have not resulted in a stable situation but instead one that is fluid and always changing. Others may have a more stable situation.

What is your experience like?

CANDC

[If you want me to see your reply to this post please include @CANDC in your message - not in requoting my message]

Yes you can live a normal life. It took me a long time to stop quitting meds and roller costing. But it was complicated by my also having pstd. Once I got the pstd under control it was much easier to get control of the bipolar. I’m on only one medication a AP (antipsychotics) but a couple meds for sleep. I’ve been stable now for I think it’s been at least 10 yrs. I make sure to get my sleep.

I was chucking along then my med stopped working, then There were some traumatic life situations that lead me to being hospitalized and full blown manic with psychosis.
Eventually we got the meds situation under control. I was still hypomanic when I came home. and went to an iop intensive out patient program. where I had time to get to know some people and learned to how I needed to get back home to my business. I left the 6 week stay to 5 weeks.
Went home to a shambles of my business. I still had enough hypo mania going on the work diligently on my business. It so happened that it was covid and I used that as an excuse for letting go of my business. I was gone from my job for 9 weeks.
Things are pretty good now I have reached stability.And now need to give this drinking habit a kick in the butt.
bizi

These are words of encouragement We are celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary on June 12th, and we own our own home.We are on the road to see our daughter’s hooding ceremony for her PhD in Japanese literature/comp. Lit. She has a tenure track position ata fine university. Therewas a time they didn’tknow what i had and I was about to leave for long term at the. State Hospital. Instead I went to graduate school an taught both full-time and part-time English, got sober and taught for 25 yrs. My wife worked for the government for 32 years retired with full benefits, and at one time I was called paranoid schizophrenic. I changed to the best hospital and diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began to respond to treatment. Don’t give up. Life is worth it. Keep up the work. I know it’s hard but every bit is worth it.
Gassho
sat/lah

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@Dadinmichigan always a pleasure to meet someone new. I was dx'd bipolar back around 2006. Boy it has been a wild ride, but hey I'm still here. A found this group back when it was psych central (new account) and it helped me so much. I learned things to watch for and that bipolars like to stop taking their meds. I read a lot about it but talking to people actually made it all make more sense. I like to research and learn how to be proactive. Definitely can take a while to slow down the med rollercoaster. At this point, my med changes are minimal, although I am still fighting the beast called anxiety. I guess I could deem my life "normal" although normal is over-rated. Life still blows, but it is situational. Which goes to show I can handle situational a lot better. There are still those times my emotions run wild. I do still do therapy when I need it, sometimes them coping skills kinda get misplaced. But yeah, I believe you can live a well adjusted life. I learned how important mindfulness is on here as well.