Support Groups

I think I'm going to be managing my bipolar for the rest of my life.

I've been incredibly fortunate to have the friendship and strength provided by my support group to help me do that.

Even with a correct diagnosis and having found a good psychologist, psychiatrist, medication and a support group, I face a struggle. A struggle for normalcy, or at least efficacy.

But I want more than that.

I don't want to be just well enough to rub along despite issues I learn to live with. I want to be truly well. To have a rich, healthy and rewarding life filled with good friends, love and happiness.

I was talking to a friend at work the other day about chiropractors. He'd had a bad experience going to one who kept him coming back again and again. I think you get the same with good and bad psychologists too. I've been fortunate to have found some good therapists over time whose attitude is 'my goal is to get you better and then not see you again'. I was thinking that we should take the same attitude with our support groups too. I sincerely hope within my group we'll be friends and support one another for the rest of our lives, but I think the goal of the group should be for all of us to become well and not to need the group support any more, rather than for it to become a crutch that ceases to make real movement toward that end.

I hope we can keep working hard together on our recovery and increasing well being.