~ Lonesome ~

@contentandwell -I assumed that you intended to have the word not in that sentence. 🙂

Jim

@jimhd thanks Jim. Obviously you “know me”, but others, newer to the group may not have been able to deduce that.
JK

@hopeful33250 - Thank you, Teresa.

@liz223 - Absolutely! Is there a Celebrate Recovery group in your area? It could be a good resource. Their motto is recovery for "hurts, habits and hangups". A group meets at our church, but it's an hour of driving at night for an hour long meeting. So, I don't go. But it could be just what you need.

Jim

Hello Liz @liz223

I am so sorry to hear that you get such unusual reactions when you discuss your Bipolar disorder. It reflects a lack of knowledge about the topic of mental illness. I sometimes think that our society is becoming more enlightened and then I hear a story like yours and realize that it hasn't happened, yet.

I applaud you for wanting to start a support group in your church - a year ago I started a support group for folks with chronic illnesses, we call it Living & Thriving, and it has been well attended and helpful to so many. While most of the members of our group are discussing physical illnesses, such as chronic pain, cancer, heart problems, etc., we all admit to the stress/anxiety and oftentimes the depression that goes along with it. We also talk about our amazement with people who don't understand what we are experiencing and want to just not talk about it so much. We meet off site, not at a church, but at a coffee house near the church.

Have you ever been part of NAMI group? They have some good leaflets regarding the different types of mental illness, perhaps you could educate folks by providing them with some good information.Also, the NAMI group in our area will actually go to churches and talk about mental illness and give a presentation and have their leaders speak about their own experiences with finding help. If your church would be open to such a presentation,that might be a good way to introduce the subject to your congregation.

Teresa

Thank you for your reply. I will check into a NAMI group. Have a blessed day. 🙂

Liz @liz223

I wish you a blessed day as well!

Teresa

Like you, I am Bipolar 2, and have no one to talk about it with except for this group and my therapist & psychiatrist for meds. Trying to get it across to my 3 adult kids, I sent the website from Mayo to them to read, hoping they'd start some conversation. They haven't. They really should know because at least part of it is genetic, but I guess they don't want to know. Sort of ostrich like.
Take care my friend,
abby

You're right. A big part is genetic. My grandfather was not diagnosed, but he shot my grandmother and then himself (while they were still young). My mom had a breakdown before she was 62, my first cousin committed suicide, another cousin is Bipolar. They need to know.

There are times when trying to let adult children know about family history such as mental illness does more harm than helping...I know this the hard way. Best some things are not revealed lest spouses use the info as ammunition...I know this for a fact. Sad as it is the children who pay the price. Sure could use my little grandson's loving and accepting hug far more often. He loves because he has not yet learned to be critical and judgmental. Little ears do hear whether big people think so or not. Labeled because of the suicide of my father. All I have is a whole lot of love and in this materialistic world this is not always enough. A world where there are those who see through distorted eyes. A world where others are seen for what kind of car we drive, the clothes they wear, where another lives-the list goes on and on. Won't be long before the standards set by others seep into his young mind. He will be 3 in January. I so cherish the moments I have with him and how he runs to me happily calling out and always a hug for his grandma.

A happy thought and memory. Acceptance is the key to happiness and contentment.