Netflix bipolar movie

Of two minds.. had to quit watching it halfway through...felt it was triggering.. not sure.if it ended decently... it was mostly depressing as hell...

I saw that on Netflix. I'm sorry it triggered you; I can understand why. It was very close to home. But I appreciated how the film had stories of real life experiences with the Bipolar illness, instead of just being based on a work of fiction. Others outside of the illness can view this film and see what having bipolar is all about. It can be good education for family members or friends of those who are diagnosed.

i got a netflix free month trial JUST to see this movie
sorry that you found it triggering. it was confronting but i did enjoy watching it.

i liked that it showed that people with the same illness can have such varied experiences and symptoms. apparently the makers of the documentary are now working on a film about suicide called "the S word". i hope they follow the same course and put together a film that is open, unbiased and not sensational.

I agree it was nice to see the "common mindset of a bipolar person" kind of squashed.... I've read books similar.... I guess seeing these people in their lives in a more personal way just upset me a bit more to where it was just too real... especially the gal out in vegas... too close to home.... sometimes I just have a hard time excepting the reality of it.... I probably will finish it...

I'm so introverted and alone in my battles... I fight it most the time with no one knowing.. people close to me pick up on it easily.. but the world hasn't a clue.. I'm just weird or different to most... so these movies would be good for my wife to see what's really going good through my mind.. unfortunately she's been there for most of my extroverted scenes... highs and lows... taking big chances and depression. ...... but still be good.. I've learned it's basically impossible to comprehend for people.... but at least it helps them to understand a little more if this makes any sense..

I had a similar experience to watching "Silver linings Playbook".

I started crying and was all wigged out for a week after watching it!

I learned its not safe for me to watch movies or tv shows that hit too close to home!

What is the name of the movie, please?

I don't know if I want to watch it either. I avoid all depressing stuff at all costs, and it works well! I avoid all depressing movies, books, etc. I EVEN STOPPED WATCHING THE NEWS OR EVEN CHECKING THE NEWS ONLINE! It really does work for me, I just avoid all depressing triggers as much as I can, and I usually stay fairly happy this way.

"Of Two Minds" Sister Rags
there are 2 films from the same year with the same title...
one is a documentary about bipolar disorder, the other is what looks like a tv movie about a woman taking care of her schizophenic sister. I had zero luck finding the bipolar one online for free so i watched it via netflix. i believe its also available through amazon.

Watching more of it now....NA bit aggravated there isn't one with a guy or gal with a couple kids trying to raise and be and the right things.... this all is just a bit of a stretch... for someone to.watch to help them understand. .

Thank you, rosie! How does everyone on this thread know which movie the OP was referring to?

I've watched about a third of the movie. It's well done, I think, as far as describing bipolar. The only problem I have with it (so far, at least) is that the people portrayed in the movie are so "movie star". They all seem to be quite high-functioning, successful, and well-off financially. Their lives appear to be very nice. It's kind of......hmm...if your life is that awesome, what's the problem? You graduated with a master's from college? How did you manage that? And how come you look so healthy and amazing when you're taking psych meds...'cause my meds made me gain a ton of weight.

******

Okay, 3/4 of the way through the movie when the young woman in Los Angeles says something about how she and her boyfriend have been through "serious hell" I felt myself get annoyed. "Serious hell" is not "we were out at a party and got into a big fight and I stomped out of the party and walked the eight miles home." "Serious hell" is...we've lost a baby..."serious hell" is the second year of our marriage his parents and younger brother were killed in a car accident..."serious hell" is when both of your kids are sick and puking all night and you have to be up in the morning to go to work (which is so rough anyway, because of med effects) because you literally cannot afford to miss a shift.

I dunno. Maybe the movie is intended for a young audience. Although, I was WAY more burdened in my 20's than any of those people in the movie seem to be. Raising a family when you and your husband are mentally ill...that's the kind of story I'd like to hear about.

This sounds like an interesting movie. I just have rented it from Amazon. I hope it's the one about bipolar.

I watched the movie last night. It was depressing and far, far from my own experiences. I don't have the type of bp where I hallucinate, so perhaps that was the main sticking point. Anyway, I wouldn't waste my time, if I were you.

There is a movie called "The Shattered Glass" which explains bipolar and it's very good. I watched it a couple times trying to get the terminology straight. You might be able to find it in the library.

Best to all,

Jan

Hmmm, you guys have piqued my interest...
I am bipolar 1, with some hallucinations in my intense manias. I am also one of those "movie star people" who happens to be high-functioning, healthy-looking and successful...on the outside. People never suspect I am bipolar because of my exterior of success and health. But I have been severely manic, and severely depressed to the point of psychosis and hospitalization. My diagnosis was clear-cut, it takes a pdoc only seconds to diagnose me once they read my history. I might just have to check this out.

Pawn, maybe you can shed some light on being a very high-functioning bipolar? I managed to successfully raise two wonderful children and I work p/t, but my life is far from what the lives of the people in that movie look like. How do you do it, on a practical level?

Well, I found myself feeling very inadequate as I was watching the movie. As in...geez, those people are bipolar and they are leading really great lives...what's wrong with me? Am I just not trying hard enough? Oh - and there was no discussion of mixed states, which is what I have and it is a true hell to live with.

Thanks for the movie suggestion. I'll try to find "The Shattered Glass".

well, we are all different as you know. I cant really answer that question very well. I have always been pretty much functional. The only times I was a real mess was once during college, when I had to drop out due to a LSD-triggered psychotic episode. That plunged me into a depression for about 6 months, but I went back to functional after that.

And one other time when I went into extreme Mania a few years ago and also went psychotic. I was discharged from the hospital on seroquel and depakote to control my psychotic mania. I couldn't function on the meds. I was sleeping all day and unmotivated to work. I was severely in debt and had a family to feed. It was a clear, easy choice... I immediately went off my meds,so I could work. I worked my *** off, and had to file bankruptcy. But I survived and barely kept my marriage intact. Been fully functional ever since. I am a highly motivated person, I think it is just a personality trait of mine. I am also one of those bipoalr people that tends to stay mostly on the manic side, so I have energy and succeed at work.

That is all I can think of...

Thanks pawn, your post is really helpful. I'm pondering the possibility that bipolars who are high-functioning tend to have more mania. It seems to me that more depression and mixed-states equal a lower ability to function well. Also, I'm wondering about anxiety. For those bipolars who battle extreme anxiety I suspect life is especially difficult.

Pawn has answered well for his own life experience as highly-functioning bipolar.

Just to add, while in university I worked as research assistant to a VP of the university. She was lifelong bipolar, a 'known' factor among her peers within Administration. In those 'olden days' she was even accommodated with a separate office with a wall of garden level windows, in which she could freely smoke her cigarettes. (Long before the era of No Smoking bans in the workplace.)

The woman was a highly accomplished academic and well-respected high level administrator on both the university and State levels of higher education. She was hilarious, fun, and everyone loved her --- when she was functional --- which fortunately was most of the time. Double PhD degrees, marriage, son; albeit divorced and son grown man by the time I met her.

She was totally self-disclosing about her bipolar, very gregarious and chatty; there were of course those times when she was 'down', her door closed to anteroom to her office and had little to say.

At one time I felt comfortable enough with her to inquire just how she had managed to flourish as an academic and successfully complete not one but two PhDs?? She simply smiled her big beautiful fun-loving Cheshire Cat smile, laughed and said " Fortunately for me, I was manic the whole time!"
I might add that this woman was also Mensa International member and frequent keyspeaker.

Thus confirming, Sister Rags, what you thought, above. I was amazed and in awe of her. There were, yes, those times when she would 'go down', not often. Perhaps go into voluntary hospitalization for a brief time, to emerge, meds readjusted, back on the job, quiet, reserved, less dynamic perhaps in personality and vivaciousness, yet steadfast in her work and dedication to her mission.

Astounding.

Congrats to you, Pawn, on your successfully saving your life, marriage, career and carrying on your highly productive life. Commendable indeed.

Poor Princess, that is extremely interesting, Thanks for sharing it.

I haven't seen it, though I had it saved somewhere to watch later. Of course couldn't find. I KNOW I found it through my library, but couldn't find it again. Anyway, it is also to be found on a site called Hoopla that works in conjunction with libraries. If your library is one of them, you can simply borrow it electronically.
Their site is:
www.hoopladigital.com/
For me, in signing up, the 3 closest libraries automatically showed up. I just had to put in my library card # and a password, and agree to the terms and conditions.

(I already blew my free netflix month on something else, so if anyone else is in the same position, and hates paying for something that can be found free this is another option.)

(Oh -- I should add… it appears that there is a app that costs money for mobile devices, but for a regular computer, the download program is free.)

@ winter….. I couldn't find The Shattered Glass (at library, youtube or Hoopla anyway). Do you happen to have a link to a similar option? (There was something with the same title, but it was a totally different thing that turned up.)

Innerzone, thank you so much for that info.

Hi Jan, I can't find the movie anywhere...it's not even listed on imdb.com. Are you sure of the title? Thanks.

I'll have to check it out thanks for the forewarning thou