[TheCheshireCat]

Has anyone else here who is bipolar ever reached out to someone else who is also bipolar, offering only support, but instead been drawn into a downward spiral? It's like desperately trying to save a drowning swimmer, but being drawn down with that person. My rapid cycling makes me especially vulnerable to situations like this, and I end up plummeting into the abyss in a heartbeat. That's what's happening to me tonight. I'm confused, lost, battered, and sinking fast. Are there any other rapid cyclers out there? I've never met any, and when the plunge is this fast and harsh, I just don't have strategies to cope with it. I'm hoping another rapid cycler has developed some ways to put the brakes on these freefalls. If you have, please share any ideas you have. I'm locked into a dangerous tango with another person who is bipolar and whom I tried to offer support to, but now I'm sinking so fast I can practically feel the intense pressure of the ocean depths. I've tried putting up poems to halt this and other strategies as well, but I'm losing this struggle. Cheshire Cat, who hates these crushing emotional waters

[vacantangel]

I sent you an e-mail.

[vacantangel]

Crisis over!!! Glad we got that all cleared up. Now, help me pick a great sig, I feel naked without one!!!

Angel Girl

[vacantangel]

Oh, I didn't mean to undermine your question though, I need an answer to that too, how can you stop the rapid fall without meds?

Angel Girl

[sqrlb8]

I'm a rapid cycler too, but can enter prolonged states on either end as well, but even those have mini cycles within them, altogether a difficult cocktail to manage in any sense. I tried meds for several years. I was never able to sufficiently "recover" as far as being able to work again or even manage some rather mundane aspects of simple living. The meds themselves presented their own difficulties which I eventually regarded as worse than the symtoms they were supposed to treat. LOL .

I stayed in therapy but got off of the meds and for the last two years, have worked it from the angle of lifestyle modification and vigilance of insight. I don't have any magic formula per se, but i'm a lot happier with my life these days.

Anyway, I'm happy to explore the possibilities with you, you never know where you'll pick up something that helps.

Sounds to me like we're unraveling the same riddle.

[nothemama8]

Another Rapid Cycler here, I have learned to not get involved with another RC when we are both RCing let others help until you are more stable, this has benefited me, granted it is hard not to help, expecially when i'm in my (superwoman) mode I feel I can save the world and I end up a grease spot on the floor
Angie

[Mindy]

I'm with notthemama8 on this one. My children and exspouse are all rapid cyclers. My exspouse is functioning quite well now that he is not dealing with three more rapid cyclers on a daily basis and in his own living space. I separate my kids and help them to find their own space when they're cycling to aviod the inevitable conflict that will ensue.

I haven't seen much positive come from not taking meds for it though. I've nearly died (literally) several times from medical noncompliance of other rapid cyclers. When someone is drowning, you don't give them your hand, you toss them a rope, a life preserver, etc., and pull them in or else you both drown. If possible, help this person connect with a medical professional if they're spiraling downward. That can, in effect, save both your lives.

Take care~

[TheCheshireCat]

Thanks so much for your advice and support. It's hard to try to be Superman when there's a piece of Kryptonite permanently lodged in your skull, but somehow I always end up trying anyway. I need to learn my limitations. Otherwise, I'll just keep ending up in perilous waters that I'm not well-equipped to navigate. Ta. Cheshire Cat

[nothemama8]

Use your Invisable cloak as a barrier, better to have the Kryptonite in your skull than up your butt hehehe
please forgive I'm getting tired
Angie

[vacantangel]

I sent you a PM.

Angel Girl