[AshleyPMontgomery]

Okay so my sister was diagnosed as bipolar about 8 or 9 years ago and has just started taking medicine for it. She is on lithium and a mood stablizer and mannny other things. I feel bad that she has this condition but she can be suchhh a b*tch! I'm just wondering at what point bipolar people have start taking responsibility for their actions instead of blaming the bipolar. I know it takes a while for the medication to level out but our house is miserable.:confused:

[KBC]

Hi,
I can only speak from the male perspective on bi-polar.

I have been on medications for many years(on and off as the case were)

Responsibility for our actions are looked at by others as irresponsibility personified,How could someone act that way?Doesn't it EVER get better?For me the answer is no,it doesn't,just a little more acceptable,not as sharp.The highs and lows are easier to all around the sufferer with time and therapy.

Remember,this is a chemical imbalance,not a cold,It doesn't just 'go away' with medication.It is a lifetime struggle,often ending in ways all would not like to see.

As to your post,you say your sister was diagnosed 8-9 years ago but just started taking meds?What was she doing in the meantime?How did your family deal with her mood swings?

Lastly,In my views of the fairer side and bi-polar,women seem to have more emotional outbursts and seem 'B**chy' more than males(males bury it or take it out physically on things)

The best I can advise for you is,STUDY up on bipolar,how you might develop coping skills so you can better deal with it,and how you can support your sister.

Best regards,
Ken

[AshleyPMontgomery]

thanks for your advice. i know she can't help it and sometimes i feel like the worst sister in the world because i just can't see where shes coming from. the past 8 or 9 years she had extremely explosive behaivor but it was just dealt with. for about a year when i was young i was not allowed to see her. (shes 10 years older than me) she and my mom absoloutley could not get along. and she smoked weed for like forever and that seemed to be the only time she was halfway normal. she stopped smoking completely about 6 months ago when she started on medication and she almost seems worse now. she has a therapist and a psychiatrist but only has therapy like once a month and every time she sees the psychiatrist they increase her dose of lithium and i know im not a doctor but i dont think this is the medication she needs. in my opinion she should have therapy a lot more than she does. im just tired of the drama and irrational decisions.

[KBC]

thanks for your advice. i know she can't help it and sometimes i feel like the worst sister in the world because i just can't see where shes coming from. the past 8 or 9 years she had extremely explosive behaivor but it was just dealt with. for about a year when i was young i was not allowed to see her. (shes 10 years older than me) she and my mom absoloutley could not get along. and she smoked weed for like forever and that seemed to be the only time she was halfway normal. she stopped smoking completely about 6 months ago when she started on medication and she almost seems worse now. she has a therapist and a psychiatrist but only has therapy like once a month and every time she sees the psychiatrist they increase her dose of lithium and i know im not a doctor but i dont think this is the medication she needs. in my opinion she should have therapy a lot more than she does. im just tired of the drama and irrational decisions.

You Have to be strong, this is the only sister you have with a bi-polar issue, right?

There are a lot of worse things in this world than to have a sis with a treatable illness, like not having a sister.

I am going to put some sites in here to help you possibly deal with your problem.

How to Recognize, Cope and Deal with Your Loved One's Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Parenting

Discover the Comprehensive, Proven System That’s Helped My Mom and Thousands of Other People with Bipolar Disorder Rebuild a “Normal” Life

My family has subscribed to this site and has a better perspective on my issues and moodswings, you might give it a try, what can it hurt?

Ken