ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS for BIPOLARS


Ever since I began with Suite101.com as a contributing editor, my topic has been Mental Health/Mental Illness. This is a broad topic, far too broad for any one editor to do justice to. As the Mental Health Area of Suite101 begins to expand, more editors will be arriving to write on specific topics. As a result, I have chosen to change my personal topic to Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar disorder, or bipolar affective disorder (the correct term) was formerly known as manic depressive illness. It is truly the mental illness I am most familiar with and passionate about, and the one about which I have the greatest knowledge and expertise. I was diagnosed bipolar in 1978. My mother was diagnosed bipolar shortly after my birth, so I am familiar with the disorder both as a "significant other" and as a diagnosed bipolar. I am constantly reading, learning and keeping up with new developments as I believe knowledge is the key to acceptance and understanding.

Welcome Everyone to suite101's Bipolar Disorder Page! Look for articles pertaining to the illness, new and upcoming issues and much, much more. Join in discussions open to anyone with an interest in this illness!

As 1998 ends, Mental Health/Mental Illness ends. 1999 ushers in Bipolar Disorder. Happy New Year Everyone!!!!

BIPOLAR RESOLUTIONS

Making a New Year's Resolution (or a whole bunch of them) is traditional. Care must be taken not to allow your expectations of the results to be too high. Any decisions made while your mood is too high/too low (in other words not stable) may not be attainable over the long run. Try to simplify your goals to ones that are achievable.

A few suggestions that come to mind might be:

1. To keep a daily journal.

2. To become better educated about the disorder and its effects

3. To be more supportive to others (giving always results in getting)

4. To care for yourself physically

5. To always remember "You are a valuable person"

6. To take medications regularly as prescribed

7. To see your doctor regularly and phone if you are in trouble

8. To do your part to teach others the true nature of this illness.

My goal for 1999 is to be kinder and gentler to myself. I have carried the guilt, anger and denial for far too many years. It's time to ease up.

MORE THOUGHTS ON ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS

We need to move on. Clinging to the past because it once made us happy is counter-productive. Clinging to bitter events of the past and allowing them to color the present and the future is also counter-productive. We need to learn how to let go, open our minds and our hearts to new and hopefully better experiences. We need to accept that, once something has happened it is in the past, and ready to be archived. And we need to accept ourselves, as the valuable people we are, and bring our best efforts to the present, which is really the only time we have.

The copyright of the article ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS for BIPOLARS in Bipolar Disorder is owned by Colleen Sullivan. Permission to republish ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS for BIPOLARS in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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