keyser_soze

Not discussing the medication side, do you experience rapid cycling? That to me was always the toughest to deal with for families, the worst for insomnia(something I personally suffer from terribly).

HelenM

I know that compliance can be a problem. It's hard to know how compliant I'll be if/when I get manic again.

Re: rapid cycling - I don't think I go through that, technically, although I think I had somewhat mixed states when I was very manic. I can switch moods very quickly sometimes but I think rapid cycling refers to having episodes close in succession and I haven't had that.

Is your wife religious?

Helen

keyser_soze

Yes, rapid cycling is the frequent, close succession of the two states. As to my wife...Yes, she is now baptist, when at home with her parents they were presby. She sings in the choir and does her solos, teaches VBC, etc. I have always been attached to the church in one manner or another, my adopted father is a methodist minister, and I have worked in three different hospitals, two of which are religion affiliated(all were non-profit).

keyser_soze

The best thing for compliance, and I always strongly suggested it to couples, was to have your spouse keep a close eye on you and to make sure you are taking your meds. It's tough, because it's hard to stay on any medicine, especially when you transition. The hyper periods often result in a drop off the program and it's hard to get back on it...then comes the plummet. It's tough, but I'm guessing you already know that by now.

HelenM

My husband's an atheist. He didn't like it that when I was ill I wanted to get help from my church. (I didn't have a counselor yet, either time I was ill) He has a lot more faith in medical professionals (as it were ). I think he's ok with my current psychiatrist and counselor. The counselor is a Christian but has valuable experience working in in-hospital programs with people with mental health disorders; when we both went to see him he didn't talk about God at all. I'm not sure what my psychiatrist believes or doesn't believe. If I wanted 'Christian' counsel I could ask my counselor for it and wouldn't need to go to my church for it which is probably a good thing, in view of my husband's preferences.

So, do you go to church too or let her go alone?

Helen

keyser_soze

I did my time already. She goes with the children. We have an understanding that until the children are of age that they will follow her faith, and if they choose to leave it then, that is their choice. She knows rationally that the bible doesn't make sense, and she is with a lot of the population that finds the treatment and view of women in christianity to be a little less than *ideal*, but she still maintains her belief system. As I say to her, "faith is belief in the face of evidence to the contrary." I have no problem with her remaining a christian, as I assume your husband does not have a problem with yours. I would further assume that he has put the same admonition to you that I put to her..."Just don't take it too far."

HelenM

I think he would say that if he felt I was 'taking it too far'. I guess he's ok with how things are at the moment. He certainly hasn't tried to get me to stop being a Christian and I don't push him to go to church unless one of the children has something particularly special like a solo. I do want him to be supportive of the children when they do something like that in any setting. But otherwise it's up to him. (And I don't try to engineer situations where the children have special involvement in things in order to have an excuse to get him to church, fwiw )

Helen

keyser_soze

GeoTheo

Abe, for what it's worth, I just wanted to say that I understand your point. You are in effect saying that humans are biological machines and that religious beliefs are a product of this as well and not some ethereal thing like a "soul". Yes?