My struggle with mental health issues began at age 24 and has never ended since. I was originally diagnosed with SAD and severe depression, later bipolar I was added to the mix. I lived through crippling episodes of mania. Anyone who says bipolar is not a disability has no idea what they’re talking about. The way you feel after an episode is grueling. You just lie in bed and wait for the day to be over. I thought it’d be a miracle if I lasted five more years like that. I was sure no one would ever be with me, I couldn’t bring anything to the table. But I survived, and got married, had a son. I’ve changed medications many times, until I found a combo that’s working for me. Some drugs were not only useless but dangerous: they triggered mania. Others just didn’t do anything. I take a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant (this one took a lot of trial and error), visit a therapist once every two weeks, and I’m in the best place mentally that I’ve ever been. I no longer want to harm anyone, I’m not a shell of myself. I can work full-time – that’s the best part. The problem is my wife. She became interested in holistic medicine, and she drives me crazy. It’s not enough that she has changed our diet to eat “healthy foods”. She stopped giving our son vitamins because they’re “synthetic” and apparently harmful. Now she nags me daily about the article from several years ago that debunks the theory that bipolar and depression are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. She found it in an alternative medicine blog that breaks down a pretty old medical paper. My therapist said the article is total garbage; it oversimplifies the facts and is aimed at the general public. The only idea my wife absorbed was that it’s a huge conspiracy theory that made millions of people start taking antidepressants and other serotonin-balancing drugs. She wants me to stop taking them completely, arguing that I’m “healed” and my mood swings are very rare. The thing she doesn’t get is I am the way I am *because* of my drugs. She keeps sending me other suspicious sources claiming that chemical imbalances are not real, and she no longer accepts that mental health issues are incredibly nuanced. She pinned a list of all the products that are supposed to increase serotonin production to our fridge and says that if I believe in this scientific theory so much I can replace pills with eating more of such products. I don’t mind eating more dark chocolate, honestly, it just makes me sad she can’t support me. It’s like she wants to ruin all the progress I’ve made. I feel like I have no one to turn to, and my therapist is just angry at my wife. How do I get her to support me in this?

I've been in therapy for a few (3-4 maybe) years now. And it seems like it doesn't get better at all. Granted I've been diagnosed with AvPD like a few months ago, before that I was treating depression and bipolar disorder, which turned out to not exist, but besides the point.

My last therapist with whom i worked consistently, refuses to work with me anymore, which is funny because the whole reason of my dysfunction is fear of rejection, but okay. And it seems like I cant find the therapist that would understand what it is that bothers me and how to work with it. It feels like I'm just listening to them talking shig and not buying it, but I'm too afraid to stop them, because who am I to question their methods right? I don't want to be an arshole that ruins their day or whatever. Meanwhile my life is not getting easier. I'm not trusting therapists to work with me, because I think it's not that easy to go through my immovable way of thinking. Internet is not very reach with info on avpd either. I'm tired and losing my hope still. I've been thinking about suicide lately much more often, but decided to give myself more chances, to not upset my parents.

Hi, folks

Since many people here have struggled or are still struggling with mental health issues, can you please share your tips on what actions from your family helped you the most?

Due to my recent divorce, I’m returning to live with my parents for a while, which also means I’ll live with my younger brother. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, at various times. He did some crazy things back then: crashed parents’ car, went out naked, hurt himself more than once. Back in school he used to say random weird things about magic and stealing all the money from the central bank. He was under the impression from the movie, of course, but it was at the back of his mind for years. Most times he was an average teen though, a bit eccentric and impulsive. He kept to himself, for the most part.

Truth be told, I haven’t seen him since college. My mother told me about some of his episodes in our video calls, but it was months ago. Lately, everything’s been quiet and normal. I want to be supportive and not a burden. Should I talk to him about it? I’ll move out as soon as I’m sure my new job is reliable.

I have been suffering from bipolar disorder last 2 years. This is a serious mental disease. I got Reapedly mood swings and depression I try to tell my parents and other family members but they don't believe me😭😭 they say I am mad I don't know about this disease that much .

I am only 14 years old . If someone know the cure of this disease plzz inform me😭😭.