Is family really all we have? (Last post??)

Greetings, Readers!  This blog hasn’t had one follower sign up, so this may be my last post.  Unless I can get at least 5 followers in the next couple of days, I will be shutting this blog down.  So, if you enjoy what you’ve read already, spread the word, k?

I have been thinking lately about family.  Not just mine, either.  I know I’m not the only person with bipolar that has burned some bridges with family members.  Why does that happen?  “Is it my fault?” is a question I ask myself all the time, but I know it’s not.  It’s not my fault that I have bipolar disorder.  Like other bipolar people, I have other illnesses that go along with the disorder.  Depression and anxiety disorder are two of them.  The two pretty much go hand in hand, am I right?  Not all family members understand mental illness.  And not only do they not understand, there are some that don’t WANT to understand.  I have experience with both kinds of family members.  It’s not easy.  And to those of you who are newly diagnosed or haven’t dealt with this yet, you will more than likely NEED to part ways with either some friends or family members.  I’ve learned that this can be necessary for the proper healing needed in your treatment. 

When I hear someone say, “Family is all we have,” I want to scream.  No, family is NOT all we have.  Those of us with mental illness have surrounded ourselves with at least one or two people that truly understand and that we can trust.  Among those that we trust can include psychiatrists, doctors, and/or therapists.  Not everyone is lucky enough to have health care professionals that they trust.  I truly believe that those people will eventually find that right person that can help with treatment either with medication or just to lend an ear.  Having someone that’ll listen to us sob, rant, rave, complain, or even rejoice can be our saving grace.  Even I have a couple of people that I know if I didn’t have them around me, I may not be here.  I hope those people know how important they are to me.  I try to let them know every now and then. 

In the future, I hope to be someone’s “person” so that I can help them get through their difficulties with mental illness.  My story could truly help someone learn what to do and what NOT to do.  There have been several mistakes I’ve made that I wish I hadn’t, but they’ve gotten me to where I am today, and I’ve obviously learned from them. 

Until next time… (hopefully)