There are lots of social stigmas to being bipolar. The knee-jerk assumption is that you’re so damned unstable that people you’ve known for a very long time avoid you, keeping their distance. Friendships often strain, and in some cases fail. On the job (on the rare occasion when I can work) you daren’t tell anyone of your condition for fear of becoming a social outcast. In my case the social stigma of being Bipolar/schizoaffective is especially heavy; in my divorce I am not being permitted unsupervised visits with my five-year-old son because of the confusion brought on by some of my meds, as well as just the sheer weight of the damned illness. It’s frustrating, but I know it’s necessary to keep everyone safe and secure. I have recently adopted a tendency to drift off in consciousness (even while driving) due probably to the potent sedative qualities of the mixture of Geodon and Klonopin. In one case I had to pull to the side of the road for a nap just to be able to drive the rest of the way home through bleary, glazed eyes. I’m excused some things, though, and that’s the one and only upside. It can be a double-edged sword- on the one hand I am avoided or treated with kid gloves but then again I’m also free of most of the weighty social responsibilities that a normal man would be subject to, and can enjoy some measure of latitude when I just feel like uttering “Nice ass!” to a friend’s wife and coming away completely unscathed.
i am dignosed with the same. i am curious what meds you take. i take abilify and lexapro. the abilify works without any crazy sideaffects for me.
I take Geodon (anti-psychotic), Klonopin and Wellbutrin, all at maximum dosages. The Geodon made me sleepy to the point of passing out when it wasn’t broken up into three doses/day, as it is now. Other than that, I’ve been very lucky. I’m glad to hear you’re doing well on your meds.