I do not, but I am also not "out" about having bipolar.

[Zeroid]

I have family. My dad has undiagnosed bipolar, which was always obvious, and especially so once I got diagnosed and found out the real symptoms (rather than the hollywood version).

I wish I did.

once when I had a problem with my computer,, the technitian who came out to look at it had bipolar (and we got talking about what works for us and stuff)

I think it would be useful

Originally Posted by Zeroid

I have family. My dad has undiagnosed bipolar, which was always obvious, and especially so once I got diagnosed and found out the real symptoms (rather than the hollywood version).

their was a rumour that

Possible trigger:

my uncle hung himself because of bipolar disorder

nothing was ever confirmed, it was just things that family said after to try and explain his death (I don't know, we wern't even that close.)

[fern46]

My mother experienced something very similar to the episode I had. Also, my brother in law has Bipolar II.

One of my best friends has a mother who is bipolar. It has been a blessing having her to talk to over the years. She has helped me process a lot.

[Blue_Bird]

No, I have no friends in my personal life who have bipolar/schizoaffective. I've know several people who do from being in a local day treatment program but not to the level of being friends, I'm a loner so I don't have many friends to begin with

Casual friends with bipolar disorder, yes, but no close ones. Some family members also have bipolar disorder.

I have a friend I met at an IOP and occasionally see at AA, often see at the grocery store, and sometimes we sit together at a local cafe (if we run into each other). He works as a cashier at the grocery store. I always talk to him and always get a hug. We obviously know a lot about each other.

A lady at AA, who was once my sponsor, also has bipolar disorder. I now only see her at AA on the rare occasions I go.

When I regularly went to DBSA meetings, I developed casual friendships with a couple women who had bipolar disorder. I went out to lunch a few times with one and met the other for a walk. Those friendships ended because of sickness and losing touch.

Once I developed a friendship with a woman with bipolar disorder that I met at the hospital. That was a disaster and a good reason NOT to make friends with people during crisis. She was borrowing and not returning clothes. She then went to the IOP with me. I was still slightly manic, too. She said something crazy and totally false about my husband to her husband. I was so furious that I yelled at her to such a degree (and sort of threatened her) that I scared her away from the IOP. Yes, she quit! Honestly, when I'm in manic rages, I can get scary. I have almost never threatened people, but the lie she told her husband made me feel my husband was at risk. Yes, she was ill, too. I did tell our IOP therapist about it.

Bipolar disorder in my family? Definitely me, my sister, my youngest nephew, a first cousin on dad's side, my paternal grandmother, a second cousin once removed on my mom's side, and probably my father. Two of my paternal uncles and my maternal grandmother had/have some mental health issues, but I never heard bipolar disorder -- only depression or "nervous breakdown".

[unicornlady]

My best friend has bipolar II. It is nice because we have known each other our whole lives anyway and we really "get" each other. We are close, but currently live a good distance away from each other. The bipolar part just seemed to be a funny coincidence. We've fallen in and out of friendship for our whole lives but always been like family to each other.

I have another friend who is bipolar. Also from a long time ago. Elementary school, actually, and we fell out of touch in 2nd grade and then reconnected recently. Not as close, but she's a great person and she's made a good life for herself.

Also I have a distant cousin who has bipolar I like me with all the same features. We once had a phone call where we were both manic that was very entertaining. Haven't spoken to him in a while.

I don't have any other family with bipolar - guess I'm the lucky one. I have one family member with alcoholism and several with depression though.

[BipolaRNurse]

I have a dear friend whom I met here on PC, and while she lives in AZ (I'm in OR), we text several times a week. She's wonderful! We've gotten to really know each other over the past couple of years beyond bipolar---we have so much more in common than just the illness. I also have some other friends with BP, but none of them are as close as "Laurie" and I are. We can almost finish each others' sentences, we agree on politics, and we both turned 60 this year.

[~Christina]

I brought a member of PC into my home to live from 3 states away. Well she checked herself out almost 2 years later in a horrible way that I had to clean up. Cue ptsd

So it’s kind of hard for me to be able to look back to when I first literally saved her life, had I gotten to her place 750 miles away a day later she would have been dead.

But I know it was a comfort for her to not be alone anymore. I enjoyed our friendship, but she started to struggle with depression and health problems. She fell and broke her hip.. when she got out of rehab less than 48 hours later she was gone.

One of my best friends on the planet I met here on PC, we are in touch constantly. She lives in Cape Town South Africa , realistically we know the chance of meeting are zilch. I was in trouble one day, she knew of my husband and he of her of course but she tracked him down on Facebook and he came flying home , saved my life.

So while I don’t have face to face fellow Bipolar person to meet at Starbucks I have many friends from here that are an active part of my daily life, the few friends I have in real life are fine, I don’t feel the need to talk about Bipolar with then , they won’t “ get it” and honestly I don’t care to try and educate them.

I think it’s important to have friends to physically go out with and do things, I also think the friendships that can be made from a place like PC is just as important , if not more.. because we all “ get it”

Ok I rambled enough, sorry lol

[cashart10]

My husband’s best friend’s wife, who I am pretty close to, has BPII. I love it. We can talk about things when needed and have a great understanding for each other. And, more importantly, her husband has caused mine to be so much more caring and sympathetic.

Oh, and I have some family members with it as well but none I am super close to. My moms dad died when I was 2 and the others are cousins I’m not close to.

[Amy3boys]

I would like to meet one/some. I'm thinking of going to a bipolar support group and seeing if I strike up a friendship with anyone there (also because I think going will be helpful!).

[BoomerMudcat]

Yes, but sadly we do not really speak anymore...

[Treyfrancis21]

I have 2 or 3 but maintaining contact is difficult. I'm a little more settled into my diagnosis than them and therefore a bit more stable. It's hard to see people I care about struggling with the same things I was a couple years ago.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Yep. We met at ip and are good friends.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Of course, I forgot to mention my younger 17-year-old sister also has bipolar. She mostly struggles with depression but right now it’s doing great and med free.

[Miss Laura]

Not really tbh... I do attended a monthly bipolar support group and have some close people there I class as acquaintances. So on one hand yes but on the other hand no. I'm the only one in my family with any mental illness at all.

[Wild Coyote]

Lol! I have had some friends in the past who had major attributes of BP II and we'd often had excellent times together when we were hypo together! Lol!

I have not seen many of those friends for over 20 years now. My H was BPII, as well.

I have met some wonderful people here. I think of them as being IRL! They are IRL.
I often wish we could meet in person and chat.

Love to All!

[luvyrself]

I had one, she was amazing, had been a therapist for domestic violence and other tough things, so she was a truly qualified one and it showed. Strong, funny, independent. Unfortunately she has a serious physical disease and Im already caregiving someone (my ex) so when I would complain about how he was like a baby not addressing his issues (very manipulative), she took it personally and viciously cut me off, mocking me, the whole deal. I have been online friends with people w ptsd and panic attacks and phew, I just cant deal with fanatic face bookers from whom you are lucky to get an answer to your email and feel like many kinds of cold behavior are ok because there are so many other people available. Life in the fast lane, no thanks!

[Amy3boys]

I wish I did. I'm pretty sure the friends I have (and most of my family members) think I just have depression as I don't tend to talk about being on the bipolar spectrum. I'm afraid it will freak them out or make them treat me differently.

[Spill Victim]

All my friends in real life are bipolar.