THE MIND IS ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I just found a new word that I really like to define manic-depression/ bipolar and that is "MELANCHOLY TEMPERAMENT" the word says it all

You asked what is a RAPID CYCLER? No, it isn't a speedy biker! It is someone whose moods can change very quickly from being happy to being very sad. Mood Swings are not tunes from the Glenn Miller Band but the mind switching back and forth "love, hate --- yes, no --- go, stay --- now, later --- work, play --- sleep, awake" It can get very frustrating and tiresome being a rapid cycler......the mind can wear itself out just going back and forth. For many years my own husband thought his up and down moods were just a part of his life with nervous conditions blended in and he was misdiagnosed in the sixties as being schizophrenia. So what do doctors do? They put you on meds to quiet the brilliant mind. In days of the past centuries people were submitted to insane asylums because they could not control their emotions. Then sedated so that all you want to do is sleep and forget the world. Today you need to keep after the doctor to find the right degree of meds that are for you. No two individuals will take to the meds exactly alike. What works for one may not work for the other. You must work with the doctor and let him know how you are feeling and what things are good in order to get the right medication that is meant for you. With the right medications you just may be able to function on the job or around lots of people. We need employers who are trained to know the difference in individuals and just what each employee needs to perform at his best on the job. We need parents who are knowledgeable and have compassion for their children who are having a hard time of staying in control. No one can do it on their own

What a Manic Depressive person can do for the self-image

HOW MOOD SWINGS CAN AFFECT LIVES

bp Magazine is much more than a magazine for those living with bipolar disorder; it is a community for people with shared concerns and varied experiences. While each issue features helpful health and information about bipolar, bp Magazine's true purpose is to convey the personal stories of challenge and success that each person who lives with bipolar disorder faces. In doing so, our goal is to promote hope and harmony for bipolar individuals and the ones who love them.

HISTORICAL NOTES

New York Times News of 1880
In the New York Police records 418 were found suffering from insanity. 3rd to 555 persons taken with fits? in the street.....546 run over....
I would say the times have not really changed much since 1880

Brooklyn News of the 1800-1900's

An old Brooklyn nurse who has considerable experience with the insane, said recently:"It is strange how many more young women become insane than formerly. The doctors say it may be due to the tea habit, or to the practice of taking instantaneous remedies for troubles with the head or stomach. In the old days, it was middle aged women who were the principal insane patients, mothers who were wore out with the care of their children, and neglect of their own physical health. Now very young girls constitute a larger percentage of our insane patients"

A BI-POLAR SUCCESS STORY

CYRUS ELY WARDEN, JR

"When life gives you lemons make lemonade" so true this adage in the lives of Cyrus and Janelle Warden. There have been struggles but as I look back I can see that Cyrus has come along way. So much he has accomplished and still more to do but with God's help we have grown spiritually and God does not give up on us. He is growing Cy and molding him and God is struggling along with us as we face each day. There are no quick fixes just perseverance and walking daily with God. The walk was lonely back in the 1950's, 1960's and the 1970's 'cause no one knew much about mental illness. Acquaintances have said to me "there is nothing wrong with Cy." Most people probably thought it was your personality but then our personality is a part of our genes, inheritance and environment. The professionals tell parents not to blame themselves but guess where the genes come from? My genealogy has taught me much about the inheritance of our genes ; and there is no way around our family genes and environment. That is all apart of our growing and developing our personalities. Encouragement and genuine love can help and certainly play a giant role in our development. By the 1980's science had improved in the understanding of mental illness. Mental illness is just another long-term illness like Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, and Heart Disease. We have to learn to take the right medicines and get our daily exercise. Bi-polars can not go it alone. 1.The first step is to admit you have a sickness ; 2.second step is to get help in the way of a psychiatrist, counselor, and family 3.third step would be to continue on the right road with the help of family There will be many bumps, curves, hills, ravines but with God, Family and the right Medication we have seen a difference. It is not easy but endurance pays off. Cy has been in and out of both private and state mental hospitals on several occasions. He had the shock treatments in the early '60's which did help temporarily. He was first diagnosed as schizophrenia because that was all the doctors knew. A social worker told Janelle that Cy would never be able to provide as a family man......I was holding a 3 month old baby on my lap but did that 'cause me to think of divorce. No way, that is when Janelle got a grip on things and decided separation was no answer; we never even thought of the word "divorce" which so many people today take for granted. You just buckle down and realize that is the first hill to climb in our struggles. Cy was fun-loving, loved to dance, liked opera, music and drama and his tennis was at its best. Behind the fun-loving Cy was lots of fears which stem from the many symptoms of Manic-Depression, a term that has been changed to Bi-Polar which sounds more hi-tech. What are the symptoms of bi-polar you may ask? Irritability, moody, going from lo to hi, not able to concentrate, inability to sleep, restlessness, nervousness, aggressiveness, to name just a few. These are symptoms a lot of people experience and some just tag it as being personality and do nothing about seeking help. If the disease is caught early enough in life you may be able to get a grip on it and with help from caring family members to be able to function out in the real world. You can not go it alone, family members must be there for encouragement. Our world today including workplaces is not the best to function at your best and when you have a highly overactive brain that never stops, this can make things even more difficult. When our youngest son left home for college in the mid 1990's this truly was a trauma in Cy's life. Cy was home alone and things became tough for him to accept and here we had another hill to climb over with the "empty nest" syndrome. The early 1970's was another trauma in his life when his father, his best friend died. Times like these seem to trigger the highly functional mind to go askew. Our genealogy trips help Cy a lot and it is good for his active mind to keep moving and seeing new things. Life can be a drag when there are no exciting trips and he becomes entangled in his own thoughts which can be disastrous to the mind. Today 2012 Cyrus likes to watch the Tennis channel and ALL the major tennis tournaments among his favorites are Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open ; as a youngster he was a ball boy at Forest Hills in New York. He loves talking on the telephone and his mind is great for remembering telephone numbers and no punching in telephone numbers on the phone for quick dialing 'cause he remembers them all. He likes napping in the afternoon 'cause that is another way to rest the mind that never stops but only when he is sleeping

Now that I have been immersed in my genealogy I have found that genealogy and family health go hand in hand. Our personalities are molded by family genes and our environment. Unlocking the secret doors of our ancestors is like setting ourselves free. We learn that many of the obstacles we face today they also faced in their days. Learning about our family history is truly about giving respect to our beloved ancestors. Honor not only our mothers and fathers but honor our grandparents as well. Without them where would we be?