It’s 11:45 in the morning and I’m at the library writing my latest book. When I woke up this morning I called my friend Janea and told her what I’ve been doing. She said, “Julie, are you in a mood?” I said, “Oh yes, the mania is dogging me. That’s for sure. But I have it under control. I just can’t figure out where it’s coming from.” This conversation is amazing for two reasons- it’s the first time that Janea has specifically noticed that I’m up and said something about it. I’ve been teaching her about bipolar disorder for three years. It really can take that long for people to understand that being manic is very, very different from being happy or amped up on caffeine.
Secondly, it’s amazing because I admitted that I was slightly manic and even thought I felt embarrassed that I was talking so fast and that she noticed, I was and am proud of myself that I’ve learned to recognize the signs that I’m up and made sure I have a plan in place to deal with the mild mania so it doesn’t turn into something stronger. Janea has known about the Health Cards for a long time and I think she finally knows how to use them.
I’m proud of her and I’m proud of myself.
Julie
