My brother is bi -polar. We are adults
now but when we were children he was
always a little aggressive and did some
pretty horrible things to me as a child,
that I am sure somewhere deep inside he
must feel dreadful guilt for. Is it
possible this led to his disease? I miss
him, he never really speaks to me anymore
even though I am genuinely loving and nice
to him. I have never treated him
delicately, I have never changed my sense
of humor or talked differently to or
around him. I am not sure what meds he
takes, but he seems as if sometimes he is
rushing around all excited to do something
then laying on the floor behind the couch
during a holiday pretending to sleep. I
feel bad for his wife and children because
they are always going to family functions
alone. What can I do? Does he hate me?
Does he understand at all that I love him?
Is there a chance at all that he really
doesn't care about anyone else but himself
like he acts? My mother always had mood
swings, but it has never been bad. I
believe the same about my father. Why
only my brother? There are 4 children all
together. Why didn't we get it? Is
there a chance that someday he may
actually kill himself or someone else like
he had often threatened?
I need some advice. I miss my brother.
Please help.
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 08-04-04 23:42pm
Perhaps a support group in your area would
be helpful, also I googled bipolar support
forums & these a couple of sites I
got:
these should give you a starting point for
many of your questions. I personally
think that you have done the right thing
by treating him as "normal" but others
would hold different views - without
knowing "him" & his diagnois etc it is
hard to be sure.
I doubt that he hates you (resents maybe
that he got bipolar & you didn't)
& I am sure that he knows you love
him(he may find that hard to accept
because he feels guilty for all that he
puts you & his family through which
may also be why he doesn't attend
functions??).
If he is/does threaten to kill himself
&/or others then yes
there is a chance that he will do it. You
& his family need to protect him &
yourselves against that possibility. Talk
to his wife, is he properly medicated
& more importantly does he take his
meds????
why didn't the rest of you get it? Why is
the sky blue?? Some questions have
answers some don't. That's life &
luck & circumstances.
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zilbucks
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 210 Location: NY
Posted: 08-06-04 01:49am
Hey kit, I can understand what your going
through- however the sides are reversed- I
have bipolar 2, and my family went through
hell with me. There wwere times when I
was sooo full of energy, and times where I
just crashed, and literally could not pull
myself up to go anywhere, or see anyone-
not that I didn't want to , I was
literally exhausted/ had extreme anxiety/
depression- and likepurple said, i'm sure
he doesn't dislike any one of you, he most
likely loves you all very much, and may
feel like an oddball becasue of this
disorder, and all the emotions that come
along with having this. At times I love
being bipolar becasue I can get sooo many
things done in sooo little time, and then
once you have burnt yourself out from all
the energy you inevitably crash..And the
mor the cycle continues the worst and
worst you crash...If he has threatened to
kill himself, yes I wouldn't take it
lightly at all, he very well could...And
if he has threatened to hurt/ harm family
members he might actually do that as
well..Not that he actually wants to, but
it is always a possibility as with anyone
who threatens these types of things. All
you can do is let him know you love him
and are here for him, and want to know
what is goind on with him and his life, is
he on meds? Is he seeing a counselor?
These are questions you should ask
him...You should find out the warning
signs of mania/ depression in
bipolars...This could help you better
understand what he is going through.
When i'm depressed, I refuse phone calls,
I have quit jobs, I taken of from college,
becasue it can be that debilitating, but
with the persistence of my family, and
friends I did get back on the right track
and get on medicince and got my life on
track...So be persistant, and just be
there for him thats all you can do.
There is a sight that you can visit it is
bipolar.About.Com- it is really good and
gives adviec to people who suffer from
bipolar/ the family members who put up
with our a$$es...Good luck!!!
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lollipop4u
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 79 Location: pottsboro
Can 't Go Back In Time ... Posted: 08-06-04 03:06am
None of us has a magic time machine ...
All we have is the present ... We don
't even have the future ... So ...
At least ... You can give it this much
focus ... If you look back ... You
are choosing to be ... Unhealthy ...
Remember your bible stories ... That
's how people turn into salt !!!
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-08-04 03:31am
What?
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zilbucks
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 210 Location: NY
Posted: 08-08-04 10:05am
??? Heck if I know...She went a little
bible happy on all of us
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-08-04 16:52pm
For real. I don't even think there was a
logical thought in there.
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PattyV
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1103 Location: Chicago area
Posted: 08-08-04 17:48pm
Lolli needs more help than anyone-not a
good source of advice.
there is a chance that he will do it. You
& his family need to protect him &
yourselves against that possibility. Talk
to his wife, is he properly medicated
& more importantly does he take his
meds???? 