Dear Mari
i am glad your cousin is getting help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mari
(There are more than two of course, but the families keep secrets from other members.)
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this is a big problem in our family also. not having much contact means i don't have much of a chance to observe for myself. i do have a first cousin who i think either has MDD or is Dysthymia, but not bipolar. we had one or two conversations after his father (my uncle) died. he made a single comment to me, a year after that about "and then depression enters the picture" which set alarm bells off in my head. however i wrote to him about my bipolar to see if he would open up he never answered. not so much as an acknowledgement.
there is a huuuuuge stigma here, especially on that side of the family about just the idea of having to go to a psych doc, counselor, etc. they are not even particularly good about regular doctors.
i see other issues (more ADHD type) in other first cousins and blood uncles and aunts. a second cousin (my mom's cousin) might have been bipolar - i heard something about his taking lithium, but that is not confirmed because people here get medication names confused, and i could not go to the source.
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in what way do you think bipolar might be more easily treated that depression?????
that strikes me as odd, because of the trouble we have with...... antidepressants! unipolars can usually find one that works and they don't have to worry about manic switches or rapid cycling onset and &())(#_^$*(*# like that.
when i'm depressed, i always feel like i have to walk a freakin tightrope with an AD to get better. and if there are even one or two mixed sx, then i can't even take one!!! suckkkaaahhh! "this too shall pass away" (and so shall i, eventually, i say.)
~ waves ~