When Family Isn't There to Help

I learned to never discuss my illness with my family.
Especially my aunt.
She doesn't believe I have a problem.
I understand why they don't believe because I can put a disguise like I'm normal around people I'm not 100% open with. My boyfriend and my cousin are the people who truly know me. They understand that I have a problem.
My aunt's main concern was the medicine. She thinks my medicine is harmful and addictive. I'm on Trileptal, Trazodone, and Buspar. Far as I know, they are relatively safe. I try to explain it but she doesn't listen. So far as she knows, I'm not on my medicine anymore. So I keep it like that.
My sister understands I need medicine.
My brother and his wife understand I have a problem, but they don't think it's bipolar.
My other brother harasses me on Facebook all the time talking about me being in the nuthouse and taking pills. He also has something against my boyfriend.
I learned to keep my illness to myself because no one cares except the ones that really know and care.
I wish people understand more. My siblings have problems themselves. I'm the only one actually receiving help. Like my brother harassing me on Facebook. He definitely needs help like he has bad anger issues. But they don't want help, they rather drink or do drugs.
I know I need help so I seek professional advice.
My medicine is helping me not have weird attacks or freak out as bad. I don't ever want to stop the medicine because I don't like the way I was.

Sorry for the rant.

I'm glad you've got help. There is unfortunaltely still much ignorance concering mental health.
Stay strong x

It's good that you have some people that are supportive-I would focus on them. Those that deny mental illness or try to diagnose others are very difficult to deal with & will probably not change. I weigh very carefully who in my family I am honest with in regards to my issues-I don't need any negativity coming from people that don't understand. For me it's not worth my energy-I've also noticed that those that are so negative & love to give uneducated advice also appear to have more issues than you can shake a stick at & are probably trying to focus on me & my life so they don't have to deal with their own problems. At the end of the day you have to do what feels right & positive for you. Take care

Dad thinks drugs cause schizophrenia
Mom thinks I'm not THAT bad
Older sister call pdoc a drug dealer
Younger sister doesn't care as long as I don't talk about it.
SIL thinks I'm crazy
CIL Doesn't understand

Sounds to me like you have clearly got your priorities absolutely spot on. Good on you. I wish you luck & if your family want to stay down in the gutter with their closed minds, then let them. Stay positive & thrive. Xxx

Thank you guys!

I am sorry. I am exactly in the same situation. It is very hard we you don't have support.

I think that when people (family) say mean things like that, we just
have to remind ourselves that they are not the experts, your P.doc is

JoBo has it right - closed minds, so many people have closed minds

thanks for posting this.

my family are the same, ignorant to the whole lot.

in fact i've been told before... " well why do we care?. it's not our problem anyway"

um, hello.... i thought families were meant to talk?

oh well

I thought family was supposed to care, but I guess that's only in movies...

Just because they are your family, you do not have to love them, care for/about them or show them respect.

They need to earn those feeling from you. They are not required of you

You have the power, they don't

I have had such a hard time with people not believing I had a problem. A few bad interactions with people after I first reached out for help led to me refraining from doing so for some odd years. But it's important to remember that there are many people out there who are on your side and will believe you. Like all of us on here.

It took a while for my mom to come around, but I think I've shown her what a bipolar life sort of looks like. She is such a supportive and loving mom, but it took some time for her to understand my illness. Now I am blessed to have her on my side fighting bp with me.

Try as best you can to build your support system. If someone really loves you, and you express in the gentlest of ways that you feel like you have a pain inside of you that you don't know how to talk about, that might be the first step in getting them to become part of your bipolar alliance. Your family loves you, but the love is stuck in between them and their lack of understanding of how painful it is sometimes to live to with bipolar.

You go girl and remember they are sick people too. I've battled back and forth with my brother about bp diagnosis. It's difficult when you feel all alone but I'm grateful for my sponsor and the few people who love me no matter what. The meds you are on are not addictive. Would you tell a diabetic that she is addicted to insulin? No so be good to yourself. Our brains need a little bit more help with our medecines. .
Keep fighting the good fight...ignorance is ugly love ya

Thank y'all! Love y'all!

The hardest thing I find is when your family feels it best to ignore the problem. I have a very supportive wife that has always been by my side. There are several others in my family who choose to ignore that there is a problem.

Your brother harassing you on Facebook was way, way out of line. If you want it to stop you could try reporting the abuse to Facebook.

I feel the same way I feel all alone in this sometimes my husband isn't very supportive my in laws think I'm nuts and try to help in the wrong kind of ways and my own family doesn't really understand me or think I have that bad of a problem that's why I got on this site to talk to others who are going through the same thing and have some support were all in this together so know your not alone

I delete his comments because he's embarrassing himself really. Haha. All my friends and 'nice' family members can see it, and see how ridiculous he is. He should thank me that I'm not leaving his comments up for people to attack him. Also, I think he's drunk or under the influence when he posts, so I really don't know if he means it? But still he's pushing me away.