[dsmith]

Hey all, wanted to share this great article by BP Hope blogger Gabe Howard:
What Everyday Life Is Like With Bipolar Disorder
https://www.bphope.com/blog/everyday...olar-disorder/

Here are my comments on the article. Would love to hear yours!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amazing article - you nailed it!

Life before my diagnosis was exactly as you described: a pendulum that oscillated rapidly between "invincible god" and "worthless piece of garbage." I was diagnosed in October 2016. On the one hand it was a relief to have some context to all my horrible thoughts, and inability to maintain a job / healthy relationships with co-workers, friends, and family (my wonderful wife and kids, in particular). The world was like my oyster during my manic episodes: brimming with possibilities, a constant ball of energy, etc. Then thwunk - depression would rear its ugly head and send me into the corner of melancholia.

Do you still have mood swings? My mood has been mostly one of dysthymia - feeling in a perpetually downtrodden state, but able to get out of bed and function "normally."

Sounds like you've been able to hold down a job consistently; did it take some time to get to this point? I am hoping desperately to get there. I've been unemployed for 8 months, underemployed for 8 before that, and then unemployed again for 8 before that. Basically, July 2016 was the crash and burn phase of my career.

Life is - as you mentioned - very mundane right now. I used to hold out hope that, perhaps my frustration stemmed from a lousy job / boss, and that a new job would be the "silver bullet." My discontent now centers on the fact that I need to change my career drastically (can't handle stress / want to move away from my former industry), and my expertise is completely irrelevant to the work I want to do (writing / social media management).

I fortunately have been episode-free since October 2016. My wife keeps reminding me that the new ho hum life is what others call "normal." Glad to hear you affirm this view.

Keep writing - your posts really resonate with me, and provide me with helpful perspective.

Your link didn't work for me. Is this the article you mean?

https://www.bphope.com/blog/everyday...olar-disorder/

dsmith, I have to say that when I looked at the title, I immediately had the thought "How can one just generalize what every day life is like for most people with bipolar disorder?" I think I'm right on that, but I could also relate to what he wrote, and you, too.. However, only as a mostly well medicated person with bipolar disorder. Not me as an unmedicated person.

I know a lot of people complain (some severely) about how medications extinguish the more positive aspects of their disorder. I could complain, too, but I eventually did reach a bottom low enough to know life is better on medications, than not. That is even from a person who had a much higher percentage of elevated moods than many others claim to have had. But my elevations got ugly, and became more mixed over time. Believe me, some mundane is better for me.

I've talked to my husband about "life" stable. He does not have bipolar disorder, and knows it well. Actually, even in my well medicated state, though I experience more mundane times nowadays, I am not sedated or blunted to a degree not be to have excitement. I believe that now I still get more excitement out of life than my husband. Is that some residual bipolar tendencies? Or just MY tendencies? I think it's a little of both. The author sort of blew past writing about vacations, etc. I hope he doesn't find those times all mundane, too. I can say, for me, that some vacations are great, and some are more stressful than staying home.

Today I've been in bed most of the day, and overeating. Yesterday I was happy as a lark. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I know that I do have the ability to flip the switch a bit at times. But not all of the time. I strive to get some bits and pieces of pleasure and fun out of each day. Tonight I could say today was a waste, or I could say I had fun listening to my bird and reflecting on this topic. I can't wait until my hubby gets home. Knowing I have him makes every day special. I try to look at it like that. I could say the same about some much lesser things, too.