Once again, I’m stepping away from the normal Mindfulness Monday format.  As many of you know, I’ve been going through a psychiatric crisis due to a bipolar mixed episode.  At this time, I am beginning to see the light.  I won’t say I’m “stable” yet, but I haven’t had the intense rage for a few days now.  Stuart even said to me that he thinks my new medication is working because I spilled something oily all over my shirt and didn’t completely lose it.  I was actually very calm, I simply took the shirt off, got some other clothes together and threw them in the wash.  HA…I just remembered, they are still in the washer!  Hope I remember to put them in the dryer in the morning.  LOL

As I looked for quotes that showed hope at surviving with bipolar disorder, I was amazed at how many focused on the use of Lithium, and other medications. I’m the first to admit that I take medication for my illness, just as I would for any other illness, but it is not a cure all. We can’t just take a pill and suddenly be a “normal” person. It takes a lot of hard work, and we must be on guard for the rest of our lives to try to keep our moods in check. By “in check” I do not mean stifled, I simply mean, not exploding to the extremes that can cause me or others danger. I would never want to lose me, in all of this. I am a beautifully complex woman who feels deeply. It has been said that I’m “too sensitive”, to that I wonder, do they not feel the joy and sadness in the world? I do, and I’m glad I do. But I digress, the quotes that act as if you can just take your medication and will be well, they are simply ignorant of the total picture. Not only do the people who respond well to medication also have to work hard, there are many people who are medication resistant. No matter how much medication they take, no matter what drug they are given, they will never be free of their mood disorder. This is not addressed enough. I am very grateful that we seemed to have found a combination of medications that are working for me. But we must all be aware that just because someone suffers it does not mean they aren’t taking their medication, or that they refuse treatment, often they have no choice. I’ll try to talk more about that in an upcoming post. For now, I hope you enjoy these quotes by people you might recognized who also have bipolar disorder.

“Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me.”

~Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch Painter)

“I think when people refer to me as being bipolar, it’s something that is true—I am bipolar—but I don’t like people to use it as a label. It’s something that I have, it’s not who I am.”

~Demi Lavato (American Singer/Songwriter)

“You can have manic-depression without having an ounce of creativity”.
– PATTY DUKE (American Actress )

Bipolar disorder can be a great teacher. It’s a challenge, but it can set you up to be able to do almost anything else in your life.

– CARRIE FISHER (American Actress)

“Even when I’m in a really great, steady and stable place…I’m clinically bipolar, so that always exists – a darkness always exists.”

~Mary Lambert (American Singer/Songwriter)