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Today, I like to speak to you about what I believe, is the most important key to being a successful father with bipolar disorder. Whether you’re a NEW Dad or have grown children… All fathers will agree with this key… which has TRUE value; The key is important to success.
Now, Before I reveal the key, understand, I‘ve an unique perspective … I’m not only a father, with bipolar disorder, but I was once a child with a dad living with bipolar. As a child, dad’s constant extreme mood swings were confusing… As a father, I teach my kids about mood swings so they are NOT confused…
Bipolar and fatherhood can be stressful & successful—Children should be included in our MENTAL HEALTH conversation and in our Wellness Plans.
According to the child’s age and comprehension, they should NOT be left out in the dark when it comes to the illness…So what is the key to being a great father living with bipolar? LOVE!
LOVE will help Dads to provide a safe & caring home environment. Love compels Dads to stay well—whether through medications or therapies or other wellness treatments.
We Dads will find ways to keep balanced for our children…
Dads, share your wisdom below. Dads, how do you include your kids in your bipolar wellness plan?
I look forward to hearing you.
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My therapist is putting trainees ahead of patients and I can’t talk to her for 2weeks. It doesn’t seem right to me. I am going through a difficult time right now with no one to talk to. It’s hard. Any suggestions???
If I may be so bold and say thank you and your welcome, from all the peers and blogger here at BP HOPE. 🙂
thank you this site is awesome and I fight every …. realizing there are others out there like me helps me greatly ..
Thank you for your candor and for sharing BPBrent. Sounds like you have a pretty hefty plate to say the least. I could not begin to put my feet in your shoes. All the while can’t help hear distinct similarities between the situations especially when it comes to dealing with bipolar disorder arise. It’s true we may all lead different lives. The one conjoining link in the chain is bipolar disorder symptoms seem to be the cause and effect of many of our tragedies and ultimately our victories. Stay strong, used the many resources found within the site to help you build on family coping skills, education, treatment plan info, or just to write a manifesto… it is very helpful. Stick to your Wellness it’s our life’s blood.
I just turned 40 and I have no biological kids but have an almost 21yr old stepdaughter in ’02 I had my first full blown mannic episode the relationship was almost coming to an end the stress of it all may have been what sent me into mania for 3 months I lived like a wild animal I alienated my family especially my mother who got rid of me to my father in another state splitting my brother n I up for 9 years so relationships ending are very Scarry …ended up in jail and lithium n Prozac brought me back within a few days got on a regimen of meds and was stable for years when she got to her teens I left her mom but stayed in her life to this day she had a.d.d. she is a great young woman 5 years ago I got the chance to getback together with the love of my life but she has adopted 2boys half brothers they were 5and 9 in 2010 I told my now wife I wasn’t the same person that I had a major mental illness she was also warned by my ex but she wanted to be with me over many others including a true war hero why idk she didn’t grasp what bi polar was we got married well she said lets get married n I said book a plane to Vegas I’ve always said that well it all happend 2 yrs ago this week over The last 5 years it has been chaotic to say the least lots of depression unable to work for months at a time unexplainable I didn’t even recognize the depression episodes well last summer I had my 2nd full blown in mania mannic episode needless to say we both found out how bad this illness is ive broke and threw so many things again the relationship was in jeaperdy is what flipped me into losing my mind we have split 50/50/custody of them its every other weekend and Mon and Wed are transfer day depending on whos weekend it was so when it was at its worst they saw but are now just grasping that I’m sick I ended up at the end of a rope but something made me let go I was blacking out n they were in the living room I left them cuz they r old enough n started my road to sanity or what ever that is it took over 3 weeks to find help this time I knew I was mannic and in mania it was worse that my 1st episode by far I can’t believe how much this woman loves me Shea been there helping me survive this these boys are messed up because of me not being able to be a provider they have 2 homes one is law n order earning everthing and ours is all fun n video games I yelled and then screamed at them nothing works I’m at my wit’s end so glad my wife sent me this link I guess I bounce back n fourth she says I’m me some days and some days I’m gone she can bring me out sometimes with eye contact other days its like I’m in a fishbowl knocking on the glass saying here but I can’t come out my meds help but are so powerful its hard to take them daily so every day is a total struggle I get so frustrated with them so fast there’s 2 so it’s constant back n fourth I left my ex half because daughter was 15 and a teen n it got to be me vs them both well now the oldest boy is 3mo from 14 N after last summer has been thru a lot n I don’t have the parent skills to deal with them so here I am thankful for this site it’s so hard on them my wife and me its like fighting a 15 round match with Mike Tyson in his prime ( he prob bi polar too lol ) its like I’m another child to my wife she has to do so much and of course I can’t hear her words 3/4 of the time till it’s too late n she’s ready to leave is when I begin to hear when it’s too late bills pile up and I’m self employed so work is not steady so we’re always trying to get caught up but then another crisis happens life is so hard my wife found out along with me how severe this illness is now the boys are figuring out I’m not like any one else’s dad’s but they love me anyways I have influenced who they are becoming tremendously the oldest has a.d.h.d. and attachment disorder n the youngest hasn’t showed clinical signs yet but I think he is too they love me unconditionally and I don’t understand that I do know I can change its hard but i can do it their stepmother wants me outa the house I’ve thought about leaving since last summer but can’t …catch 22 it’ll messs em up if I leave but how much more damage will I do if I stay and I have to learn how to be a person first while learning how to be a step father at the same time As i try n stay on my meds regularly its 4am n I’m typing a manifesto so I best get to sleep I welcome any suggestions or advice but this probably isn’t the right forum for that but thanks for this site I’m sure it will help maybe even save my life ,marrage ,and children from the hell they live in at our house .thanks for reading ary so long