Now...something that is near and dear to my heart. This week our lives were smacked with a really big dose of reality. As some may know, my husband has suffered with some mental health issues for a LONG time. To the point that he hasn't been able to work in over a year. He has been seen by many mental health physicians over the years, but they could never quite pin point what the issues were...they could only see bits and pieces.
Well, after having been seen almost weekly by the same doctors for over a year, they have formally diagnosed him with Bipolar II with psychosis and severe anxiety. Basically, he suffers from more severe depression than mania...but he has psychotic tendencies (hearing voices, seeing things, feeling thing, etc) much like someone with schizophrenia would do just not to that extent. Then, you have is anxiety. Most days he is too afraid/anxious to come out of the bedroom...much less the house.
His depression has caused many procedures to take place in our home...meds locked up, weapons put away, etc. He has self-harmed and been suicidal, but it IS getting better...I have to believe that. However, if you know anything about Bipolar Disorder then you know it is a minute by minute and day by day thing.
On the other side of all of this, I see our son starting to display some (a lot) of characteristics of depression. We are in the process of starting counseling...he has started soccer back, so I know that will help, but he is also doing some of the "relieving the pain" behaviors that aren't good. Along with him not eating, disconnecting from us, sleeping all the time, etc.
So, I say all of this to make the point that there needs to be more awareness brought to Bipolar Disorder. There is such a stigma behind it...I HATE IT!
My next tattoo will look like this...
It will be on my right inside wrist bone...maybe an inch and a half big.
It is beautiful and so necessary in my life.
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