with either of these disorder can the person work or live on their own?

Bipolars will stay on their medication until they feel normal. Then they are likely to go off because they don’t think they need it anymore. They are likely to committ suicide. They will also likely make several attempts before they actually do so. This is a serious condition,and a fascinating one. It runs in families, and bipolars also attract other bipolars, so they are likely to marry or have children by their bipolar mates. They will likely be missing for several days at a time, and then they will either suffer from the lows, or be somewhat normal (whatever that is). There are no adult ADHD people. This is bipolar. Perhaps their children are ADHD. They will do anything they think they can get away with, and they think they can charm anyone. If you have a bipolar boss, I pray for you. I really do. If your bipolar boss has a bipolar boss, I will keep you in my prayers. The bipolar boss will highly favor his or her devotee, and the will be devoted, because when the boss moves,so shall the bipolar. Serious brown nosing will take place. You will need the patience of Job, and a mental health license to cope with staying in the same organization. Either you will beat, join, or leave this strange place of work.

AS I work with persons with both of these disorders, I can tell you…. its VERY difficult to BE them and to work with them. Bipolar can be more stable when on meds than those suffering schizophrenia and in my experience, those with bipolar are more WILLING to take their medications than someone with schizophrenia.
But if you want a real tough mental illness… try borderline personality disorder. It sounds so innocent, and yet, it seems to take the very worst of the two above conditions and magnify them 1000 times.The sad thing is that we have so few places and ways to treat persons with mental illness as many of the long term hospitals and crisis centers have been closed as costing too much money. These people have no where to go, and the families have no way to deal with them, especially when they get violent, other than calling the police (who will often say “not my job man”). We have a crisis here, too bad no one seems to want to deal with it.

Not all sufferers of these illnesses are the same. Each suffers the disease to a differing degree. Some experience recovery.

I’m a 58 year old woman who has bipolar disorder/disease. ALL my life I KNEW something was wrong with me, yet no one, medical, family nor friends, would listen to me, so I like many bipolars suffered with depressive epidodes and mania for decades. Not until after the second suicide attempt was I diagnosed correctly and that was AFTER I entered a manic phase and went to my local library and checked out every book they had that contained the symptoms I had all my life. While till in the manic phase I called up my shrink asking him,”Do you believe in bipolar disorder? Because THAT is exactly what I have!” His reply was, “I was leaning toward that and planned to address that on your next visit, but come in today for new medication.” He prescribed lithim and within a week I noticed the improvement and FINALLY the mood swings ended. Advancements in medicine/medications came about and now I am on Depakote and will be on it the rest of my life to control the bipolar, but I don’t mind as now I finally have a balanced and happy life. I also KNOW I can never stop taking the medication just because I feel “normal” as the bipolar will once again rear it’s ugly, painful head. I look at taking the depakote as a diabetic needs insulin the rest of their lives. Something I wish to mention lastly is a few of the comments posted here and how rude and cruel some are with a total lack of understanding even after they had read the article. Bipolar episodes (manic and depresive phases) differ from person to person, and are NOT controlable unless a person is using the correct medication along with therapy. A bipolar will behave negatively or strfangely when un-medicated even when raised by a family with great virtues and values and a strong sense of right and wrong. I know this for a fact as I was raised by excellent parents who taught their children well. Sadly, before I was diagnosed I frequently acted badly during the manic phase and suffered more later on after those episodes ended from extreme guilt, then the depressive episodes followed. I completely understand how someone without bipolar might THINK a person SHOULD control themselves but we can’t control ourselves. That has happened to me many times prior to medication and therapy, and it’s FACT! Now, I call those past episodes, “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” then forgive myself for my past behavior knowing now and in the future the medication helps me to be “normal” like the rest of society believes THEY are. As for the person posting about “God, sin and demons,” you have no idea how much I prayed daily for God to either let me die or become well and the shame I would feel. I can’t understand how a person who loves God and Jesus Christ and “follows his teachings” can be so judgemental of a person with such a terrible disorder as bipolar. Shame on you! I thank God and Jesus for the kind Christians who never judged me and were loving and supportive during my darkest days of pre-diagnosed bipolar. Their TRUE love and TRUE Christian beliefs helped me to get through the worst and gave me strength. And by they way, I have documentation that I am NORMAL, how about the rest of you who judge?

my sister suffers from schizophrenia, and, it is only because of the recent advances in medications that she and I are now able to be the the same room together. Actually, we are best friends now, in as much as one can be with someone who has the disease. Growing up,, she was extremely hostile towards me to the point of what I would label torture. I would have to lock myself in my parents bedroom when ever they would leave us alone ecause of the beatings I received at her hand. My parents were quite ignorant, my father mainly. Anyway, it is only because of this new drug Abilify that Michelle and I can have an almost normal relationship, however guarded. I look at her now and can only shake my head in absolute amazement that a little pill has given a monster a new lease on life. I thank God now for my dear sister, rather than praying to him for protection.

Gail Lynne
freehold,New Jersey