Bipolar Disorder
14 years ago
This community pretty much always gives me good responses, so once again I'm turning to your guys for opinions. I'll try not to make this too tl'dr-y...
I have a friend that is going through some really rough times. I grew up with him, but lost contact in middle school and only really saw him when our families met up. We had one of our little get-togethers last Christmas and I learned that he had been kicked out of college for "strange behavior." I've been hanging out with him more frequently, since he moved back home after the incident. It's becoming more and more glaringly obvious he has pretty bad bipolar disorder. He's been hospitalized 3 times now and he still hasn't accepted that he has any problem. He refuses to take medications and he literally spends all his time on Facebook talking to himself. Here is an excerpt:
"We are space monkeys dude. We need to be slapped every once in a while, but our parents lost their touch when we were about 13.
They say the future is with us. I agree.
It's not in bar-tending, care giving, knowledge, or even lust. It's in between your SPLENIC chakra and your crown chakra.
I turn the bad girls, badder, and the baddest girls good. Wtf is wrong with me.
If you pretend with me I will think you are cool. But otherwise just be a shoulder to cry on. And a person to go on epic adventures with. Actually I like being alone when I travel. I don't really need anyone that bad, but I still like listening to your lustful rap every once in a while, and your poop jokes.
I really have had every addiction. I have been in a mental hospital 3 times now. Nobody can figure me out. The last time the staff was laughing with me while I made fun of the head psychologist."
And that goes on and on, all day long. My question is, how do you help someone like this? I'm surprised he wasn't in the hospital for longer (he was in just a week ago). His mom is stressed beyond belief and his dad is slowly dying of cancer. I feel like I'm watching this friend of mine sink into utter insanity and there's nothing I can really do about it except talk to him and try to offer some advice that is always ignored. He can't be argued or reasoned with. He thinks he has magical powers that allow him to control people. GAH. It's rather heartbreaking to see.
Any advice, words of wisdom, experiences or just thoughts would be greatly appreciated. This did end up being kind of long so...
TL;DR: My friend won't admit he has to deal with severe bipolar disorder, he's going off the deep end, HALP
I have a friend that is going through some really rough times. I grew up with him, but lost contact in middle school and only really saw him when our families met up. We had one of our little get-togethers last Christmas and I learned that he had been kicked out of college for "strange behavior." I've been hanging out with him more frequently, since he moved back home after the incident. It's becoming more and more glaringly obvious he has pretty bad bipolar disorder. He's been hospitalized 3 times now and he still hasn't accepted that he has any problem. He refuses to take medications and he literally spends all his time on Facebook talking to himself. Here is an excerpt:
"We are space monkeys dude. We need to be slapped every once in a while, but our parents lost their touch when we were about 13.
They say the future is with us. I agree.
It's not in bar-tending, care giving, knowledge, or even lust. It's in between your SPLENIC chakra and your crown chakra.
I turn the bad girls, badder, and the baddest girls good. Wtf is wrong with me.
If you pretend with me I will think you are cool. But otherwise just be a shoulder to cry on. And a person to go on epic adventures with. Actually I like being alone when I travel. I don't really need anyone that bad, but I still like listening to your lustful rap every once in a while, and your poop jokes.
I really have had every addiction. I have been in a mental hospital 3 times now. Nobody can figure me out. The last time the staff was laughing with me while I made fun of the head psychologist."
And that goes on and on, all day long. My question is, how do you help someone like this? I'm surprised he wasn't in the hospital for longer (he was in just a week ago). His mom is stressed beyond belief and his dad is slowly dying of cancer. I feel like I'm watching this friend of mine sink into utter insanity and there's nothing I can really do about it except talk to him and try to offer some advice that is always ignored. He can't be argued or reasoned with. He thinks he has magical powers that allow him to control people. GAH. It's rather heartbreaking to see.
Any advice, words of wisdom, experiences or just thoughts would be greatly appreciated. This did end up being kind of long so...
TL;DR: My friend won't admit he has to deal with severe bipolar disorder, he's going off the deep end, HALP
my boyfriend is also bipolar, but since we started dating half a year ago, he has had no depressed episodes, and his manic episodes make him come off as a very positive and energetic kid, nothing bad or annoying. Maybe he just needs something or someone to /want/ to be normal towards. my boyfriend and father don't like being bipolar but they never had motivation to work enough to overcome it. Maybe that motivation can't come from you, but eventually a muse comes to everybody.
although it's scary, maybe a hands-off approach is all you can really do. Maybe you should just remind him every once in a while that he's not alone, and tell him that you genuinely care for him.
something that also helps children with bipolar and with any mental disorder in general is multivitamins. perhaps get some for him or do some research and convince his guardians or close friends to try that. My boyfriend and I take a multivitamin and with a mixture of that and a lot of hard work, he quit taking seraquil and now moderates his own mood.
Im a psychology major in college and also have tons of experience in the field. Hope this was helpful. Goodluck.