Do You Wish Your Family Was More Supportive?
Saturday April 25, 2009
If so, what do you wish they would be doing to support you and help you cope with having bipolar disorder?
A number of our forum members discussed this, and we collected many of their ideas in How Family Members Can Help Someone With Bipolar Disorder.
Now you, too, can tell us what you think your family could be doing to be more supportive, to help you cope with day-to-day live, or just make you feel better about yourself. Share your ideas at How Could Family Be Supportive. Who knows, your answer may be just the idea someone else needs to take to his or her family to solve a problem!
Comments
My family was never a loving, supportive family. I suspect other members of my family may have mental health issues. Having said that, I believe my family is incapable of supporting me emotionally, therefore after many years of trying to gain their support, love, & respect-I simply stopped going to them. I have little or no contact w/them and I’m better for it. The support I receive is mainly from my husband(my best friend throughout all of this), a few close friends & clinicians. I wish my family could see that there is no shame or at least admit that when I was younger they did nothing to help me. Sadly, I doubt that will ever happen, but I know I no longer need them to feel loved or feel good about myself, that’s my job and I’m doing just fine.
Wow! Gigi describes my family exactly. I haven’t even spoken to my mother since I was almost successful at suicide. She broadcasted e-mails to > a dozen of her friends (many I don’t even know!, saying very hateful things about me. That was 14 months ago. Other family members do not understand either. Six months ago my dad said “Well, I hope you get everything straightened out.” Just like the saying “‘It’s just cancer. Get over it.” BP can’t just be gotten over.
Oops! Forgot….I printed the e-mails my mother wrote about me and took them in for my therapist to read. At the end of the session the therapist, as I was walking out, said that my mother just seems to be a toxic person in my life. Wham! I stopped in my tracks and slapped “toxic person” into my forgetful brain. (There have been several MAJOR issues w/ my mother during the last 25 years.) I immediately went to the bookstore and searched toxic person. I got a fabulous book by Lillian Glass, PhD called “Toxic People.” Maybe others could find some answers when trying to deal w/ family and support issues. It has certainly helped me realize that blood is NOT thicker than water.