[Secretum]

I've enjoyed the recent trend of survey-style questions so much that I'm starting my own.

Everyone with bipolar suffers some sort of life impairment; it is a pre-requisite for diagnosis. The impairment can be academic, social, home-related, or work-related. Of course, most of us have experienced difficulties in more than one area. However, if you had to identity in what way you have been most affected by bp, which category would you choose?

Bp has affected me in all four areas. It makes it hard for me to study, makes me wary to trust my own family, isolated me, and made it difficult for me to reach my full potential when at work. Without a doubt, however, it has affected me most socially. I have very few close friends, and feel like I have lost the ability to make new ones. I feel very lonely most of the time, and yearn for companionship that I do not think I'm worthy of.

Ok; your turn!

It's affected everything for me, except for work since I've never held a job.
I failed through highschool & middle school with flying colours, except for 1/2 a year when I didn't have any friends to talk to, but I wound up dropping out due to home problems. Now my attention span & my intellectual capacity have suffered due to my BP & I am scared about the upcoming semester.
I used to be a lot worse off in the social category-- Making friends that were detrimental to me & putting myself in danger just to be sexually involved with someone. Most of my social problems are mainly NPD related now.
Home-life used to be very hard for me, but it's also mainly an NPD problem. (I'm really good at just up & leaving people, argument beforehand or not... I tend to be really demeaning & have high standards when I am surrounded by incompetent morons.) Now it's making me unable to feel comfortable due to the remittent psychotic episodes & makes things shakey between my boyfriend & I.

my ability to work. I have been on disability for five years. I had previously gone to college twice.. And had lofty career ideas. When I am I'll my cognitive skill take a beating. I suffer from a lot of psychotic episodes and go from high functioning to low functioning. It really makes me want to cry. I am a mom so I go from being the caretaker to struggling to be the caretaker almost needing a care-aide for myself. This is the hardest part for me and hardest to accept. My pride is most comprimised

I have no friends, I am not sure why. I don't want to make friends with the soccer stereo typed moms, because I cannot commit to things the way they can. I don't know where to meet people since I am a stay at home mom. I live in a small city where my interests don't seem to be very big. Like no knitting group, no painting, unless with seniors, oh yes it's a retirement city.. Or athletic city, I am neither. Although I've hit early retirement, maybe I can do some lawn bowling, or crotchet toilet seat covers?

I did hear that we have a secret knit graffiti group here in town, but again it's a secret.

[Miss Laura]

Affects my relationships with my parents/friends
Affects my inability to work
Affects my inability to trust people who have hurt me in the past
Affects my ability to trust myself
Affetcs my judgement
Affects my social life
Affects my intelligence and makes me question my sanity

BP has/is affecting my life full stop!! Until I learn to accept who I am now... I will never be rid of the demons. In time I wish and hope they will disappear

[BNLsMOM]

Bipolar has been life changeing for me, however I think since being diagnosed I feel better about my life. I used to follow every impulse for any great idea I thought I had, and while it was wonderful to feel the excitement of starting a new endeavor every few months, it usually took me down a bad financial path and ruined my first marriage. Now I have a name for what happens to me and a strategy to keep my life as even as possible, even if my moods aren't.

I don't work now, but I am home with my kids and I collect disability so bp has affected that part of my life.
I also have a hard time in social situations. Group activities are very hard. My husband has a big group and sometimes I feel like I fit in and other times I don't. They all know about my dx and just treat me the way they would if I didn't have bp, which I like. Out of all of them, I might call one on the phone (haven't yet) to hang out with.

[popeye]

I effects my memory,work,diet,socializing,and hobbies.

Originally Posted by BNLsMOM

I also have a hard time in social situations. Group activities are very hard. My husband has a big group and sometimes I feel like I fit in and other times I don't. They all know about my dx and just treat me the way they would if I didn't have bp, which I like. Out of all of them, I might call one on the phone (haven't yet) to hang out with.

Thanks for that, that's just how I feel.

[SunAngel]

Work, loss of friends & social life, lonliness, lack of concentration so I cannot read anymore and my relationship with my husband

[lad007]

Mine is social relationships. I have like a social anxiety thing, and have trouble forming friendships. I am not easy with people, and have a lot of anxiety over the possibility of saying stupid things, which I have done, being bp and all. Especially things I think are funny, and others don't.

[moxycrayon]

Currently it is affecting my relationship with my husband. We are no longer living together because of my mixed episodes. Because not only do I end up hurting myself and possibly breaking things and scaring him, they also end up making him angry which then causes him to say very hurtful things that make my episodes worse on both the mania and depression sides. I feel angry sometimes realizing that we would probably get along pretty well if I weren't the way I am.

But overall I'd say I've been affected socially most as well. I have few friends and feel so awkward sometimes just trying to talk to or relate to someone else. Before I was diagnosed I just thought I really was a freak and would drink, which was the only way I think I could just blend in and feel normal and happy. Now I've just accepted that I'm different and I try to be ok with having only a few friends (all of which I still can't relate to half the time, but they accept me the way I am so they rock!).

[missnthekids]

My home life is most affected by my bipolar. My children at times suffer because of me being the way I am. Stress affects me so badly that is most often comes out as anger. I am a single mom of three and it just becomes too much at times. Tonight was a horrible night. I screamed at the top of my lungs at my three beautiful kids and made them cry. Now I hate myself. Such a vicous circle at times.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by lad007

Mine is social relationships. I have like a social anxiety thing, and have trouble forming friendships. I am not easy with people, and have a lot of anxiety over the possibility of saying stupid things, which I have done, being bp and all. Especially things I think are funny, and others don't.

I felt this way as a teenager. I always seemed to say the wrong thing to the wrong person.

[Moose72]

Mine is having a job. I haven't studied and got a career. I seem to go in circles. I'm intelligent and funny. I failed at school- mostly. Sometimes I excel hugely. I can write brilliantly yet fail chemistry or anatomy. Things that take lots of rote memorization just set me up to fail. Yet things like music theory is nearly like math (failed that every attempt) yet I got good grades; its a lot of memorization and rules. Putting information in is sometimes like water off a duck's back. Yet other times I can absorb amazing things and come up with associations nobody else has thought of.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by missnthekids

My home life is most affected by my bipolar. My children at times suffer because of me being the way I am. Stress affects me so badly that is most often comes out as anger. I am a single mom of three and it just becomes too much at times. Tonight was a horrible night. I screamed at the top of my lungs at my three beautiful kids and made them cry. Now I hate myself. Such a vicous circle at times.

awww.... I have 3 kids too. You're still a good mom. Think of all the great things you don't with your kids. The things you taught them. Books you've read with them.