[Goals2017]

Does anyone else feel their life was robbed by bipolar?

[Wild Coyote]

I do sometimes feel like my life has been severely affected by bipolar. At the same time, I have found my physical illnesses even more challenging to deal with.

In some ways, I might be a better person for all I have had to endure. Yet, it surely would be nice to live life without these types of challenges, and so many of them!


WC

[venusss]

Naaah. It is what it is. And I don't have much energy and time to burn on "what-ifs" and impossible scenarios.


I work two jobs, where I use my brains. I wish they paid more, but oh well. I managed to get myself to relatively good place in life (though lately, i have to remind myself pretty hard of that and appreciate it).

[Goals2017]

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

I do sometimes feel like my life has been severely affected by bipolar. At the same time, I have found my physical illnesses even more challenging to deal with.

In some ways, I might be a better person for all I have had to endure. Yet, it surely would be nice to live life without these types of challenges, and so many of them!


WC

If I may ask what are your physical challenges? I am also experiencing arthritis in my left shoulder and I’m only 25 smh I think my meds caused that.

[tecomsin]

I've got advanced degrees and used to work full time in a profession. I was put on full time disability by my employer 6 years ago. I've had severe episodes, one that landed me in a forensic ward for a month. Since starting rexulti I have not had mania or traces of it but am permanently depressed. I feel like bipolar has taken a lot from me and left me isolated and unwanted.

[Aviza]

Well bipolar has taken and given from me. I have more time to pursue my dreams, I was too busy with family and Kids before. I'm not here to be normal. I sometimes long for normal than realize I hated normal life. I live a leisurely life and I enjoy it. I work part time I make a better living than I did working full time. Sure I'm not driving new cars or living in my own home, but I'm far lessed stressed.

I qualify for various services, I didn't qualify before. Just because I'm labeled disabled. I am more creative and more emotional than a normal person. My mom is normal and says it's not all it's cracked up to be. I see it as a blessing rather than a curse. Heck because I'm disabled I'm not forced to repay my student loans. If I was just unable to get a descent job I would still owe the money. I'm blessed. I've got the best of both worlds. I appear normal with meds but I'm really not.

[Unrigged64072835]

Bipolar may have robbed me, but so did my other MIs. I now have time to heal though, so that is a blessing. I can regret and rail about it, or I can move on and find peace.

[Blueberrybook]

Oh, absolutely! By bipolar and panic disorder especially. By the ED too when exercise takes away from family time.

I suppose I could say it's given me slome life experiences I never expected, but usually of the bad type. Though restoring my weight and my health after my first bout (the worst) with anorexia on my own, practically downing protein shakes all day and having to stop exercise except for one short daily walk on my own reminds me I do have an underlying strength in there, somewhere. It is still the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

But when you're disabled and your spouse does not make a that much money, H is a schoolteacher, it hurts not to be able to bring income into the family. And I don't qualify for disability because I haven't worked lone enough for SSDI, and the teacher income is too much for me to get SSI, even though we calculated that 1/3 of H's income never even hits our bank account. But it's there on paper, that's what they count. I don't know. I may look into some help with getting social services. There is help around for mental health by not for day to day cost of living, internet, electricity, utilities & such. Not to mention when you have a kid, they outgrew clothes quickly.

Originally Posted by Goals2017

Does anyone else feel their life was robbed by bipolar?

HTH do you embed pics??

Anyway, I don’t think you can have genius without the madness. I get the sense that any extra creative spark I have is attached to the other side of my bipolar coin.

[Pookyl]

Yes.
Like Wild Coyote I have medical illnesses that are overwhelmingly worse than my mental illnesses.

[BipolaRNurse]

Bipolar stole a great deal from me---I lost my career, my home, and much of my dignity before I hit bottom. It's been four years, and the good thing is there was no place to go but up; now I am much wiser and reasonably content with my lot in life. Yes, I miss the old days sometimes, especially when my husband was alive, but I've accepted the fact that that part of my life is over and I have to figure out a way to move on.

[Miss Laura]

Yeah it has. I'm still bitter and in denial of having bipolar after 8 years of being diagnosed. It took away my job/career which so far 7 and a half years later I can't get a job in. It's rob me of a life I should of had being diagnosed at 25 years old. I am still very much upset and angry about having this illness. I'm trying to work through this with my Counsellor

[Movingon69]

Instead of feeling robbed I feel like it faked me out.

For all these years I thought I knew myself, that I was the confident, fun loving, over achiever. Turns out I was hypo/manic.

When I'm depressed absolutely. It's hard to brush my teeth, much less function. I fear my kids may have it, and I hope I'm strong enough to love them like they need to be. Mania on the other hand makes me feel like a rock star. I'm sharper quicker and feel awesome lol. Like I'm on the limitless pill.

[Sliders]

I feel like BP robbed me of several years of my life, from when I was about 13-mid-twenties. I am finally in recovery and hoping to stay that way. For those who are doubting recovery is possible I urge you to hold onto hope. Hugs.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by Aviza

I qualify for various services, I didn't qualify before. Just because I'm labeled disabled. I am more creative and more emotional than a normal person. My mom is normal and says it's not all it's cracked up to be. I see it as a blessing rather than a curse. Heck because I'm disabled I'm not forced to repay my student loans. If I was just unable to get a descent job I would still owe the money. I'm blessed. I've got the best of both worlds. I appear normal with meds but I'm really not.

Interesting about the student loans.

[Row Jimmy]

IMO, my condition and diagnosis has been a blessing. Now, I can work at being a better person. I've been "robbed" of my friends, but they weren't worth keeping anyway. I miss being full BP and the edge it gave me, but I adjusted. I picked up some cool hobbies that I never would have done unless my p-doc told me I was BP. I climb mountain, play guitar, and I took up building models after a 35 year break. I take back what BP has taken from me.