Let's Stay Together Part 1

Periodically I browse the Internet for stuff on bipolar disorder.

These are a couple sites that I go to:
Suite 101
Psychology Today
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
SMART Recovery
BP MagazineEquilibrium - Th Bipolar Foundation
(I'll post them in the margin so you can always access them.)

Anyway, I stumbled across the page of Dr. Nassie Ghaemi who says that in his clinical practice, the divorce rate for people with bipolar disorder is 90%!

What!?

Ok, when the national average is 50%, 90 is pretty bad, but there were so many unanswered questions.

The main one for me is: which came first: marriage or diagnosis?

I've always been very utopic in my thinking of marriage; truly believing that love conquers all, and if true love was there from the start, the couple would find their way to happier times.

Maybe this only applies to my bubblegum world.

Despite seeing examples of why marriage sucks all around me, I've always felt that I was stronger and better as a "we" instead of a "dating me"; not in the low self-esteem way, but in the "I-hate-dating-and-want-to-be-with-one-dude" way.

I once had a 2 hour IM chat with my brother in-law about how he knew he wanted to get married. Like every other man I've ever polled, my brother-in-law responded with: "You just know."

Oh, thanks clearing that up for me! NOT

When I was in college I dated a football player (who is soooo trying to return to my life; but that's the next blog.) I just KNEW we'd be married when I was 24. First child at 26, second at 28.

Our wedding wouldn't be traditional. Instead we'd get married on a beach in my home town; bridesmaids in sun dressed and the groomsmen in wedding shirts.

I was already planning in my head, and then he threw a monkey wrench in MY plan with our break up.

Since then I've been waiting for the "you just know" feeling, but it's never been quite right.

Hmmm.

I'm not gonna focus on the doc's stat. Just gonna focus on being the best me for my he who is due to come along any day.

The best me means staying away from stress, being knowledgeable about bipolar disorder and how it affects me, and giving myself the best opportunity to succeed... LIKE MOVING TO MARYLAND!!!!!!

HOORAY!