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Topic: RE: My DAD is making things worse....
I am Trish, and I have a variety of diagnoses, and alcoholism, in addition to my compulsive eating disorder. I am sorry that your father has a lot of bitterness and anger toward your grandmother. It is not your fault. Mental illness is a disease, not a choice.
My mom developed bipolar disorder when I was born. She was in and out of psychiatric hospitals throughout my childhood. Dad was a violent alcoholic. I was blessed, or cursed to have developed both, along with borderline personality disorder. My mental health issues destroyed my marriage and hurt my kids.
Acceptance of our situations helps us in a huge way. It gives us the freedom to take our medications and go to therapy and learn to lead healthy, productive lives. We don't choose to be mentally ill, any more than a cancer patient chooses to get cancer. We have no choice. In AA, we call that powerlessness. It is the first step of recovery. Once I accepted my diagnoses, and need for meds and therapy, I was able to dig into my faith and grow close to my God. I found it very practical to practice my 12 step recovery on my mental illness.
For whatever reason, I have these diagnoses. I have my childhood memories that include a variety of traumas. I can use those experiences and make my world a better place, or I can wallow in self-pity and get sicker. That is the choice I have to make. I have had episodes of non-compliance with my meds, and it was not pretty. It contributed to a very long alcoholic relapse, and caused me great misery, which was nobody's fault but my own. I chose to not take my meds as prescribed.
The irony of it all, is I now work part time in a psychiatric hospital and encourage my patients to take their meds as prescribed, and talk about it in therapy.
Hang in there.
Trish
My mom developed bipolar disorder when I was born. She was in and out of psychiatric hospitals throughout my childhood. Dad was a violent alcoholic. I was blessed, or cursed to have developed both, along with borderline personality disorder. My mental health issues destroyed my marriage and hurt my kids.
Acceptance of our situations helps us in a huge way. It gives us the freedom to take our medications and go to therapy and learn to lead healthy, productive lives. We don't choose to be mentally ill, any more than a cancer patient chooses to get cancer. We have no choice. In AA, we call that powerlessness. It is the first step of recovery. Once I accepted my diagnoses, and need for meds and therapy, I was able to dig into my faith and grow close to my God. I found it very practical to practice my 12 step recovery on my mental illness.
For whatever reason, I have these diagnoses. I have my childhood memories that include a variety of traumas. I can use those experiences and make my world a better place, or I can wallow in self-pity and get sicker. That is the choice I have to make. I have had episodes of non-compliance with my meds, and it was not pretty. It contributed to a very long alcoholic relapse, and caused me great misery, which was nobody's fault but my own. I chose to not take my meds as prescribed.
The irony of it all, is I now work part time in a psychiatric hospital and encourage my patients to take their meds as prescribed, and talk about it in therapy.
Hang in there.
Trish
Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth. You must give some time to your fellow man. For remember, you don't live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here too.
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Topic: RE: Don't be alone...
Relapse does happen to many of us in AA, and I have been using it as a learning process. For me, it is in my thinking and step work. Congrats on making it back before the relapse. I was not so lucky. I have been in and out of relapse for over 19 months, after many years of sobriety.
Keep doing your stepwork and stick close to yoru sponsor. It works. The 12 steps do work.
Hugs,
Trish
Keep doing your stepwork and stick close to yoru sponsor. It works. The 12 steps do work.
Hugs,
Trish
Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth. You must give some time to your fellow man. For remember, you don't live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here too.
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Topic: RE: Need a good massage therapist!!!
A lot of chiropractors have massage therapists on staff, or could refer to one.
Good luck,
Trish
Good luck,
Trish
Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth. You must give some time to your fellow man. For remember, you don't live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here too.
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Topic: RE: Grateful Post (Filling in for Ramon)
Today I am grateful for:
For loyal, supportive friends...
For the energy to live life with my 7 year old twins...
For beautiful people, who give of themselves, instead of just taking...
21 pounds lost on 10 day pre-op diet
Topic: RE: My DAD is making things worse....
As someone who has a long family history of mental illness I completely understand where you are coming from. I have the same issue except it's my mother. If not for the medications I take every day I would have taken my own life a long time ago! Nobody can tell you what you do and do not feel. They are not you and until they spend a day in your body experiencing everything that you do....they have no room to say anything. My mother and my siblings don't believe that I'm Bipolar, my mother thinks it's my way of getting out of being productive in life! When there's a deep seeded family history you have to be careful! I lost my father to suicide, mental illness is no joking matter. It sounds to me like your dad has his own issues to deal with and he's in some sort of denial about them. Your mental illness doesn't define you, it doesn't make you who you are and you aren't a bad person because of it!!!!! I unfortunately had to stop talking to my mother because it was doing more harm than good having her constant judgement in my life. Keep your head up and keep taking your meds!!
Topic: RE: new, pregnant and have bipolar
My best advise would be to avoid as much stress as possible, surround yourself with things that make you feel at peace! It'll be here before you know it! I have bipolar one and my husband is dreading me being pregnant! Remember to breath and take it easy!!
Topic: RE: Grateful Post (Filling in for Ramon)
I am grateful...
For my daughter, Shelby...
My life after WLS...
My fiancee, Luis who is the love of my life...
Being able to love and be loved...
For my daughter, Shelby...
My life after WLS...
My fiancee, Luis who is the love of my life...
Being able to love and be loved...
Topic: RE: New here...need some support
Sweetie, everyone loses at a different rate. Your doctor is the only opinion you need to listen to. He knows all the facts. You are only 7 months out, give yourself a break. I have also battled depression for years...things will get better, let your doctor get you healthy and then the weight will come off. Good Luck, I'll keep you in my prayers.
Shaun
Shaun
Topic: RE: Post op Marital issues
Wow girl, I know this story. I was married for 10 years my daughter was 2 when I had WLS. I went from 374 pounds to 161 pounds. Everything changed. I knew we had issues, it really wasn't a healthy relationship. But never in a million years was I prepared for the changes in me, the male attention and the changes in how other people treated me. After months of agony and fighting I realized it wasn't the weight that made me depressed, it was a bad marriage. Now I had the balls to do something about it. I did not have surgery and work my ass off to be unhappy. March 07 I told him I wanted a divorce. We lived in the same house until I moved out that October. June 07 I had an affair. The man was someone I had met at a gastric bypass support group meeting. He was also married. We dated for about 7 months. I think in some twisted way it helped me move forward and get out of a bad situation. That ended, it was a phase. Bottom line is that we are very different people...maybe some counciling might help you? Worth a try.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
Topic: Grateful Post (Filling in for Ramon)
It's not a sign of weakness to seek help when you need it.
The only sign of weakness is NOT to seek the help you need.
530/428.6/363.0/200 (High/Surg/Cur/Goal)
7.0cc in my 9.5cc Band (Sweet Spot)
www.hungry2live.com - Winning my Battle Against Obesity Thanks to Weight Loss Surgery
Today I am grateful...
For how uplifting music can be...
For the support of my family...
That I have my son Evan...
For how uplifting music can be...
For the support of my family...
That I have my son Evan...
It's not a sign of weakness to seek help when you need it.
The only sign of weakness is NOT to seek the help you need.
530/428.6/363.0/200 (High/Surg/Cur/Goal)
7.0cc in my 9.5cc Band (Sweet Spot)
www.hungry2live.com - Winning my Battle Against Obesity Thanks to Weight Loss Surgery
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