Synopsis "Bipolar: Don't Give Up"
Parents all over the world who care about their children's mental health will want to read this book. I was shocked when bipolar struck my youngest daughter. She was 16 years old. Once I received that devastating diagnosis, I devoted all my waking hours to caring for her. I worked tirelessly until I received successful results. Like any other illness, knowledge and early detection of bipolar disorder is vitally important to prevent years of pain and hardships. Unfortunately, the symptoms during the early stages were truly deceptive and confusing. They were unsuspecting and gradual, which made it impossible to detect them as the beginning signs of mental illness, or differentiate them from those turbulent teenage years. The book provides an overview of my experience as the medical conditions with my daughter developed. It details her coping and recovery process. It also provides useful information along with references for further information about bi-polar disorders. It is impossible to imagine a journey into a life with bipolar disorders. It is a journey happening to someone else's sons and daughters. It is a journey that is, at times, embarrassing to tell. It is a journey that is all too heart breaking. At times, I felt that death would have been more comforting than living with the struggles and heartbreaks of seeing my daughter in turmoil day after day. Immediately after receiving the diagnosis, I researched everything that I could find about bipolar. I pulled out old magazines and books. I started reading and learning everything I could find. I went to the public library, and did research. I then cross-referenced all my research materials to ensure I had correct, accurate and current information for myself and to convey to my daughter. For years, with the severity and the debilitation from this illness, there was a near zero chance that my daughter would lead a normal life again. Her inability to accomplish any of life's tasks caused the many distresses, resulting in further low self-esteem and self-worth. She desperately needed to cope, as the fears of bipolar were greater than her coping abilities. It was a very weighty and challenging task, but I continued without let up to find new and different ways to help her. Learning new ways to cope was an on-going process for us. It was important never push her or criticize her, but allow her to make progress with my support. I let her learn at her own pace, in her own way, and in her own time. At times when she needed her own space, I gave her space when she wanted to be alone. Life with Bipolar was and still is a harrowing experience for my daughter. It required my patience, perseverance and all my love and support for her. I accepted my daughter's mental illness, not as failures, but as limitations. Even though my core purpose in life as a mother was to nurture her, when she became ill, my mission was to help her to cope, and heal while learning to live with her limitations. This is a book of not giving up. All the recommendations offered in this book helped my daughter on her difficult road to recovery.
