[Ben Peterson]

Greetings,

I am in my early 40s. Both of my parents have struggled with MI. My mom with bipolar and dad with alcoholism and depression. I have not struggled mental illness myself, but I have had behaviors over the years which looked like BP: fantasy thinking and pressured thinking especially. They appeared when there were stressful elements of my life. I have found that since I have been in therapy and educated myself about MI and its affects on me, the bp "symptoms" have been fewer and farther between. I think of the behavior as a learned behavior from my mom (dad wasn't in the picture so much).
Do others of you have experiences like mine?
Regards, Ben

Hi Ben Peterson---Yup, my mom was a Paranoid Schizophrenic. I loved her with all my heart; but I know she was not a good influence.

I actually used to get inside her mind as a small child--so confusing in there.

Then all the fears in my 20's 30's and 40's that i was going to be like her.

I am not. 40 years of therapy, CBT, alot of research and alot of abusive relationships/
later, I am reasonably certain that I will be okay-----so will you!!--keep up the therapy, and eventually you'll find, the stigma will be okay with you---hugs--theo

Hello, Ben Peterson. I was shocked to learn I did much of the behavior my father did. My childhood was interesting. It took many years before I was able to make progress in overcoming the behavior I so detested. The quest to overcome seems destined always to be a work in process.

I wish you continued success.