Archive for ‘Relationships’

  • Bipolar Disorder: Equal Opportunity Destroyer
    When I first heard about bipolar disorder, I truly thought nothing of it and didn’t give a second thought about what it was, if I knew anybody that lived with it or if it would ever touch my life in anyway whatsoever. I was one of the uneducated that did not have an understanding of mental health challenges, nor did I place any respect into such an arena. During...
    by Rich Wallace at November 5th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
  • Supporter’s Vow: I Won’t Let You Fall Apart
    When my wife and I married, we offered the typical vows to one another with full respect for each other and for the vows themselves. We understood that there weren’t just filler words that were included in the ceremony simply to let our voices be heard. We took them seriously on that day, and continue to take them just as seriously today. When taking those vows,...
    by Rich Wallace at October 30th, 2009 at 10:10 am
  • The Things We Don’t Talk About
    Bipolar disorder is not an elegant topic in any sense of the definition of the disorder. Some would say the symptoms themselves sometimes offer a positive feeling to a sufferer when the euphoric highs come into play, others on the supporting side would say that there are some upsides for them as well when the cycle is in the right area of the spectrum. Finding such positive...
    by Rich Wallace at October 29th, 2009 at 06:10 am
  • How To Identify Triggers
    Managing a bipolar relationship without having a deep understanding of our loved ones triggers can put a serious strain on the relationship for both sufferers and supporters alike. For those that are newly involved in a bipolar relationship, or just looking for related information, we’ll touch on what a “trigger” is and how it relates to the bipolar...
    by Rich Wallace at October 28th, 2009 at 06:10 am
  • Why Do Those With Bipolar Disorder Turn on Their Loved Ones?
    I awoke to some new emails lately and one in particular caught my eye… “My wife was diagnosed as bipolar earlier this year and I don’t know what to do when she seems to turn on me and wants nothing to do with me. Why does she do that?” Well, the first observation that comes to mind is that since this is a fairly new diagnosis, the reader either...
    by Rich Wallace at October 17th, 2009 at 08:10 am
  • Rapid Cycling: The Land of Confusion
    My wife was diagnosed as being afflicted with Bipolar Disorder Type II with Ultra Rapid Cycling a number of years ago. Based on my own research of the different types of bipolar disorder and the most common symptoms, it became more and more visible that we were not dealing with the ordinary disorder that most of the articles and blogs touch on. Typical sufferers of bipolar...
    by Rich Wallace at October 12th, 2009 at 08:10 am
  • Meeting the Psychiatrist
    One of the most important steps to take in order to locate the correct path of stability and recovery for those that may be afflicted with bipolar disorder, or any mental health challenges for that matter, is the first appointment with a psychiatrist. If this is the first visit to discuss options with a psychiatrist, make as much of an effort as possible to be there with...
    by Rich Wallace at October 10th, 2009 at 05:10 pm
  • Interview with Bipolar Disorder
    As a bipolar supporter, there have been many times over the years where I have tried to communicate with my wife about her experiences in dealing with bipolar disorder from the inside.  I’ve asked her such questions as,  “What does this feel like?” or “What is going through your mind when…?” This is a tough way to communicate as even...
    by Rich Wallace at October 8th, 2009 at 09:10 am
  • Mental Illness Awareness Week
    Although I’ve been involved in a bipolar relationship for a number of years, I’ve only recently truly embraced my situation as an opportunity to not only better myself and my marriage but to share some critical information with others that are either in a similar situation now, or will be soon and they just haven’t been formally introduced to this...
    by Rich Wallace at October 7th, 2009 at 09:10 am
  • My Loved One Has Bipolar Disorder, Now What?
    When one is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, unless the practitioner specializes in the disorder, the individual is sent out of the office with a pamphlet, a prescription or two and maybe a followup appointment or regularly scheduled psychiatric sessions and/or a psychological referral, if they are lucky.  From the point of view of a supporting loved one, unless you are...
    by Rich Wallace at September 30th, 2009 at 09:09 am
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