Hi,
some may remember me from years ago, when I was a daily visitor. I am working through the death of my son who died of a cardiac arrhythmia due to an untreated congenital heart condition and being placed on clozaril which added to the stress on his heart. I miss him so much that I have been on a medical disability for the past 3 months after a breakdown. I cannot even touch the heaviness in my heart and the longing to see him.
I am back to get in touch with some old friends and because I just read about a family who is thinking of publishing a "survival guide" to living with a family member with a mental illness, especially a severe mental illness. My son, and I actually, were both diagnosed with Bipolar only his condition worsened to Schizoaffective Disorder, hence the clozaril. However the management or lack of management of his condition led to his death a little over a year ago. Again, whenever I write that I am thrown back to some terrible place of void and pain that is indescribable. I spend a lot of time on a grief site where people know this pain and I can survive some communication because they understand. Mostly it is difficult to talk about to anyone and I spend a lot of time alone - or with my sense of him, his pictures, whatever I can to sustain.
It would seem to me that people with bipolar or any other major mental health codition would be the ones who would know what would help them the most from their families. I am curious if people would like to say here one or two things that they have found helpful, and then again what they have found unhelpful. It might be an interesting discussion that could help others.
thanks and hello to all
Karolina