Today’s been hit or miss. The boys are doing pretty good this afternoon and that’s certainly a welcomed change.

Gavin seems to be struggling more at the moment. He almost seems a bit manic because the incessant talking and almost zero impulse control are usually tell tale signs.

His thought processes are more scattered than usual and he’s struggling more with his everyday tasks.

I’m not super concerned at this point because we’re still in the middle of the holidays and this kind of decompensation is to be expected. I’ll begin to worry if it lasts much past the first week of January.

Lizze has had a pretty rough day.

I’m learning that bipolar disorder is different in adults than in younger people. Gavin presented very differently because his default was mania. Lizze’s default is depressed.  Having said that, they’re both impacted by similar things but their pendulum swings in opposite directions.  

I’ll admit to feeling overwhelmed right now and wishing I could make everything better but I can’t.

As the holidays wind down, I really believe that things will get back to our version of normal. These difficult periods of time are just the nature of the beast and they will happen from time to time.  It’s not anyone’s fault and it’s certainly not weakness either. Most importantly however, it’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

Mental health issues have an impact. There’s no way around it. Having said that, when you love someone with mental health issues like I love Lizze and Gavin for example, you simply find a way through the difficult times. You’re loved ones are absolutely worth it.

On a side note…

When Lizze and I speak publicly about the issues facing our family, we do so because the more we talk about it, the more we can help to normalize and reduce the sigmas associated with mental health challenges.

I’ve openly shared and will continue to share details about my ongoing war with depression. I’ll do so without shame as well.

Do you live with or love somesome with a mental illness?