You’re Just Like Me: Jacque from GODisms

This week my guest blogger Jacque from GODisms  “She is a full-time Graphic Designer with 25 years in the business, Mother of 2 boys and have been married to my Hubs for 20 years this June. She blog on my godism.wordpress.com page.  She is a Christian so my posts revolve around how God has led her to healing, and to become a better more relaxed person who is dealing with BP.”

Welcome Jacque, everyone!!

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So you have a mental illness.. Which one?

Bipolar I and ADHD

 

When were you diagnosed & how old were you?

I was diagnosed in April of 2012, I’m 46 years old and never even knew I had the disease or much about it other than the fact that it was a “crazy” person thing. I had people ask me over the years if I was bipolar, but I never got checked out. I thought I was just a “drama queen” and that my emotions were part of my artistic personality.

How do you cope with your mental illness?

Seeing my Doctor and therapist regularly, sticking to a strict schedule of taking my meds. daily at the same time, making sure I get a minimum 7 hours of sleep daily, being open and sharing my feelings honestly on my blog helps a lot. Exercise and less caffeine will help “So I’m told”-but I’m not there yet. (I don’t want to give up my one and only vice!) lol

What are 3 words that you would describe how your illness makes you feel?

Dark, misunderstood, lost-in-my thoughts

What are some ways you relax from your illness?

Writing, listening to music, reading, going to church and talking with others who have Bipolar has helped me tremendously. It’s nice to know that I’m not alone in how I feel and others who suffer as I do can be a big help in learning more about how to deal with my moods. My therapy sessions also have helped me tremendously in working through my emotions, seeing patterns and understanding how distorted feelings play a big part in daily issues.

What is some advice you would give to your fellow soldiers fighting this fight?

If you are struggling with depression, moods swings, or think you may have a personality issue, GO GET HELP! My biggest regret is that I was afraid of what I might find out about myself. What if I did have a mental illness? How would I function? The funny thing is, now that I have gotten help, I CAN function!

There are good medications that really DO help you get stabilized. Don’t hide and suffer for as long as I did, thinking “Oh well, this is just how I am”.  When you are struggling, don’t hide all alone. It’s hard to reach out when you feel dark and depressed, trust me I know. But take that step to: talk to a friend, read blogs of others who suffer as you do, and get medical help. All these things changed my life for the better. I feel SO much better these days and my outlook is positive instead of dark and negative. Don’t let the illness run your life. Learn how to manage it , and what is the best treatment for. You can have a better life, but first, you have to take the first step to get help.

Tell us your blog or how we can keep in contact with you:

Follow my blog at godisms.wordpress.com

 

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If your interested in being featured as a B.U.L.’s(Bipolar, Unemployed & Lost) weekly GUEST BLOGGER, please email the above questions and answers to bipolarunemployedlost@gmail.com. We will feature your Q&A! I’d love to hear your experience and motivation to fight this horrible disease. Anonymous Welcomed!