Life is a wreck!

I was just diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder and I have just started a combination of Abilify and Lamictal. Its too soon to tell if it is working yet. I am having issues at home and just with life in general. I have no motivation to do anything right now and my last mania phase was horrible I ended up going on break at work and never coming back, so now I am jobless. Not to mention friendless, and my life is falling apart. My family seems very dissapointed in me and I can tell everytime Im around them. They want me to be normal and hold a job and have a normal happy life, but they dont understand how horrible I feel. I think they think I am just lazy and dont want to work. It really bothers me. I just dont know what to do and I hope this medicine starts working fast.
Anyways this is my first post on these forums so any advice from anyone who maybe can relate would be much appreciated.

Welcome to PC

Im sorry you are going thru all this But, Im glad you got diagnosed and started on medication. The medication can take sometime to get in your system and work properly.

Do you have a Therapist to see ? "Most" medicated Bipolars' need Meds and talk Therapy .

Having family not really understanding is unfortunate but family can "come around" once they start to realize there are parts of bipolar that can and cannot just "fix its self "

Again welcome to PC we are all a really friendly bunch around here . Feel free to post all you need .

I'm sorry your family isn't understanding. You may not want to sugar coat it for them if you are. It's hard to accept your child has a biological issue that you (as the parent) did not cause. You may want someone you trust to go to your therapist with you to learn about how bipolar affects you. Then they could kind of advocate for you when you aren't there.

hello and welcome to the family!.

i understand.

Dear Chain Wreck:

I am a male 60 years old. I didn't know I was bipolar for forty years. I was told I had a anixety/depression disorder. The cost to me personnally has been enormous. My career is ruined, my kids are hostile to me and I have a loveless marriage. Like many who suffer from Bipolar, I was nasty and thought I had all the answers. Family members got mad and then withdraw to preserve their own sanity. Now medication does work to control my feelings, but not all the time. However, the window of opportunity to change will not be received by my family.....it's too late.

Bipolar disorder is very perplexing. There may be times when a person appears normal. He/she may hold a good job and have a decent income. So, I think, in general, family and others feel that the illogical behavior is something that one can control. My wife believes that my behavior was done on purpose. Therefore, she said that she can't forget or forgive. It was too painful. I try to understand, but it hurts.

I have found that people cannot do not understand the disorder and they don't want to learn. My wife said to me, "it's your problem." Be assured if I had a physical illness, she would not have said it's my problem,

So, I have concluded that I must grieve my losses, lose family members and perhaps friends and be strong to care for myself. Educate yourself, get emotional support from professionals and do the best you can for yourself. Like most things in life, no one really cares, they are just glad it's not them. Remember, things will never be "normal" for us. One can only do the best that one can.

I believe, if there is a spiritual side to life, then I will, at some time, be at peace. If not, then I go back to the darkness. Never to matter, never to feel pain and never to suffer! Be strong and never give in to the disorder or all the doubters win. I'm determined to go down swinging!