There are times when you have to take stock in your relationship. Sometimes we find that we are still a couple despite the enormous amount of red flags and disconnects that exist. My recent relationship was toxic and although I realized this, I stayed because it was easier to stay than go. It takes guts…

Couples with at least one partner managing bipolar disorder experience higher divorce rates, ranging between 50% and 90%, which is 2 to 3 times the average population rate. However, this percentage varies significantly; relationships involving untreated bipolar disorder or concurrent substance misuse face the highest failure rates. I can corroborate with bipolar disorder ruining 4…

It has been 2 1/2 years since the manic episode of summer / fall 2023. This is the manic episode that almost ruined my life. I lost everything – home, job, girlfriend, family, friends, and any sense of positive self esteem. After 3 weeks in jail and 4 months in a psychiatric ward, I was…

In the fall of 2023, I was in a manic state and my life was slowly falling apart. A manic state, or manic episode, is a psychiatric syndrome characterized by abnormally elevated energy, arousal, and an expansive or highly irritable mood lasting at least a week. It significantly disrupts daily functioning and is the primary…

One of the key factors in mania is not being able to determine the difference between right and wrong. And in the last days of my manic episode, this is precisely what happened. I signed a lease with my real estate agent and a landlord to rent a 4 bedroom house for $3,000 per month.…

Once you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, your family and friends look at you from a different perspective. First, you may have done something to hurt them during a manic episode. Even though you didn’t know the difference between right and wrong, you still made a negative impact on their lives. The vast majority of…

Normal describes what is usual, typical, or expected, conforming to a standard, average, or regular pattern. It applies to behaviors within societal norms, expected patterns, or standard measurements like temperature or health. But is there truly such a thing as normal. It has different meanings for different people. I think normal is the ability to differentiate between…

This part of my story is the saddest of them all. My mother was an incredible human being. She chose to stay home and raise her kids. She always put family first. During the manic episode of 2023, I went to see my mother later in the evening but she didn’t answer the door. I…

As the title suggests, this article is about the idea that you can’t depend on other people. Naturally, this may come off as pessimistic and might contain some harsh truths, but it’s a message that certain people, myself included, desperately need to hear. I want to be able to rely on others and trust them,…

Always help others. There is nothing that you can do which is more important than helping others. My father taught me this and exemplified it during his life. I once walked into a retail establishment to get a picture framed. When I returned to pick it up, the gentleman behind the counter saw my name…