Successful Stories of Recovery

Last Updated on May 18, 2021 by Ben Lesser

We have many bipolar success stories to share with you. Consumers who have co-occurring disorders wrote these stories, which were published in the Dual Network Journal published by Foundations. They describe their struggles with dual diagnoses and the struggles they faced getting the support they needed.

Some of These Bipolar Success Stories Are Given Below:

Consumer’s Corner, My Story– by Jesse Fortner

The struggles many people with substance addiction and manic depressive disorders face are similar to mine. A young Budweiser drinker in my twenties, I began experimenting with LSD when I was 14, pot when I turned 18, and cocaine in my late twenties. After being diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes at age 22, my mental illness led to the label “bipolar.” This is the start of the bipolar success stories.

 My family didn’t know about my alternate life when I was a child. As a high school and college student, I achieved consistent academic honors while living in my own fantasy world. My father, however, wasn’t willing to intervene and assist me so as to prevent my life from wasting away after graduating the university and becoming too sick to manage my own health. By striving for uniqueness, I developed a personality that was both Jeckyl and Hyde.

The excitement of dancing all night and then following my instincts of how to make it home and crash out was my favorite way to score drugs and release the power of “mania man.” It gave me a rush to go to nightclubs during late night “raves.” 

I spent a lot of time in hospitals and drug treatment programs on the way home from Candy Land. Nevertheless, I believed I could maintain my use once I returned to the workplace. The authorities once took me to a mental hospital after I threatened their department with my own life.

At last, I plunged into a deep pit when I was arrested for assaulting a close relative when I was high on crack and ecstasy. My four-month sentence was unfair and I had no option but to accept my punishment. I found a glimmer of hope when my case manager told my public defender about a program which treated dual-diagnosis, recommending that I follow it as part of my successful treatment program. Until recently, I had never completed any structured scenarios, so I never felt “complete.” After a large production of my case was made, my public defenders requested that I fully cooperate with this form of treatment, otherwise I would have to undergo a longer prison sentence. As like other bipolar success stories, the day I went to court with Foundations to discuss my treatment plan remains one of my most cherished memories. He shared with me his personal experience about being sober on the whole trip out of town, and we laughed and talked about how awesome it was to be sober. Despite my determination to get into some effective recovery habits, I found myself struggling to just make it through with mediocre participation.

 Though I did not achieve the upper tier of maintenance that he prescribed, even making the attempt brought me closer relationships with God, my sponsor, and others who were part of the program with me.

Initially, my fear of failure drove me to achieve excellence, but as time passes, external motivations wane and become less powerful. I had to dig deep inside of myself to find the moral fiber and drive for clean and healthful living. My own efforts and embellished self-esteem can easily make me glorify myself and indulge my own ego. To taste and see what reality truly is, and to play on the same level as everyone else, I have been forced to get down on my knees frequently and symbolically – a humbling stature. It is a gift from God that I have the freedom to attend a 12-step meeting of my choice without judging others.

During the last year and months, as like other bipolar success stories, I have been working with Foundations Associates as an intake/screening supervisor, employed at the halfway house I live at, and active in Narcotics Anonymous, my chosen group. Having to deal with a pen and paper daily and with my sponsor is a requirement of step work in NA. In order to succeed in the program, I have to live each step every day in my treatment of people. In addition to reading the literature, attending regular meetings, and writing my steps, the daily maintenance for literature, attending regular meetings, and fellowshipping my recovery includes talking to my sponsor, writing my gratitude list, reading to the group, and developing a network of fellowshipped recovering addicts.

My moods remain stable with medication, as well as by following all of the guidelines from doctors, mentors, and advisers. 

My two problems had to be resolved before I was able to start living the life of my dreams. I have stopped taking lithium by the voice of non-compliant temptation many times, even for as little as one day. It seemed inevitable that I either felt bad or engaged in a conversation about remaining cooperative as a result. I mean, who am I to speculate what may happen to the sensitive chemistry of my brain if I make any abrupt changes? By working the steps, I have learned patience, which has helped me to understand that every event has its own time, and that I don’t run my life.

I recognize now that “one day at a time” goes beyond a slogan because I get to help others every day through diligence and cooperation. For each moment I am granted the privilege to grow, share and help, I am grateful to my sponsor, my extensive support system, and everyone I meet. I always get stopped on those days when I sound rotten and asked whether I created a gratitude list yet. Whenever I write down those things and people that I value, I learn more about God’s rescue and become less concerned with my own concerns.

As like other bipolar success stories, I have come across some meaningful quotes while processing grand themes of recovery and goal setting. It refers to which road a person will take: “A man seeking strength and courage will turn north. A man seeking rest and tranquility will turn south.” In order to gain insight into his future, he headed west. After discovering his roots, he heads to the East. However, He travels motionless in His own mind for the longest of journeys.” Uman

My first program at Foundations included a funny poem I wrote as I worked my way through it. It manifests one of the best bipolar success stories. A dual diagnosis fosters a number of unusual characteristics:

Not One Illness, but Two

Diagnoses are common, but not so with mine;

For two problems compete -not one, but twine.

Oh, what shall I do with this duo pair?

Should I retire toward just plain despair?

No! “Hold on” I must, and in God I will trust.

For He instructs me on what to do

When I have not one illness but two. How can this be true?

The complex interaction that makes me feel blue…

The world, twisted, turns in my head…

And fate can be worsened by skipping my meds!

So much I must do to manage not one illness but two.

I never knew just how much this bipartisan event had to do

With my feelings to use… “What causes the blues?”

Who knows, cause I’m happy, I talked to my Pappy;

Life’s grand and astute while I pipe my flute,

Declaring as people stare that the reason I glare has everything to

do with coping for not one illness but two!

Other Bipolar Success Stories

As like other bipolar success stories, I have also a unique life story. The other kids at university laughed and performed at some level within the a laugh at the same time as I watched in the shadows. When the other youngsters raised their hands to answer the trainer’s questions, I held my breath, in search of to conceal my fear; maybe I could be shouted . I became now not too fond of college. I couldn’t apprehend math and grammar. I couldn’t pay attention enough to pay attention or keep in thoughts even for a few minutes. When the academics explained everything, I concept it changed right into a mindless drone. Writing on the blackboard and the Aryans simply swam my head. I did not get it, and I felt stupid.

I do not don’t forget exactly how, however when I changed into a youngster, I positioned that I can also want to odor fuel. For some magical mins, I escaped the everyday ache and commotion in my thoughts. My lifestyles modified into wrapped up in the search for even greater get away from that day on. Over the subsequent years, I explored glue, alcohol, capsules, meals, intercourse, and quite a good deal the entirety to slight and control my emotions and mind. By the time I have become 16, I become an experienced drug man or woman who modified into hooked on alcohol and threw stones at one substance or some other almost every day.

I by no means stricken to go to high school and felt the want to take care of anyone. Instead, I joined the carrier on the age of 17. I nevertheless could not say exactly why I was admitted. However, I knew I needed to make a few drastic modifications in my lifestyles. Shortly after the boot camp became over, I end up misplaced for the career. The navy scientific doctors informed me I become depressed then. I concept it absolutely meant I became a weak-minded necklace. He did not provide any explanation, remedy, or perhaps advise that anything must take place. I became given to go away for a long time within the past and came again home.

I labored in low-paid hard work and light mechanical jobs for the next numerous years. As like other bipolar success stories, I sooner or later became a welder, who paid an immoderate price, but I needed to “drink” and use dope all day. Later in the day, I would rush to drink beer and smoke to relieve my anxiety and worry. Eventually, I changed into frequently blacked out and misplaced my process. I turn out to be overweight and miserable. Just touching me will harm my frame. I had panic attacks. However, As like other bipolar success stories, I do not know what they had been. I desired to prevent drinking and using it, and I tried to quit each day; however, I couldn’t drink.

I turn out to be treated in 1984 for my dependency. I became scared of death because of the fact I failed to count on what I expected, and I failed to certainly trust it might paintings for me. I completed the treatment and threw myself into AA the complete time. I become not running and changed into scared of slipping once more, so I used to look forward to numerous conferences at some point. It turned into very difficult due to the fact I turned into tormented by excessive panic assaults. I could not stand how I felt. I had no phrases to explain how I felt. I have become overwhelmed with disgrace and condemned my mom and began out shouting at me, saying that I am evil and no longer wholesome to live. Eventually, I obeyed the voices and tried to commit suicide. Luckily I failed, and after I turned into released from the hospital, I became despatched to the county mental fitness device wherein I modified into diagnosed with enormous depression, PTSD, panic assaults, and various ‘personal problems.’ “I am struggling. Medication and therapy remedy became started.

Rarely do I should visit AA and NA meetings to overtly proportion my intellectual contamination or the reality that I modified into taking antidepressants and medicines to control my tension and psychosis. Felt secure Many humans in my AA and NA conferences, definitely, did now not understand that melancholy, as I knew it, grow to be a crucial infection and that I needed to take my own treatment to stay active. Some people pity me and condemn me, and others inform me that I modified into now not very serious till I took medicine. I felt like I end up “faking” my recovery software due to the fact I could not brazenly exercising the strict honesty I referred to within the significant ebook. He should proportion what have become going on in his life in different humans’ meetings. However, most of my lifestyles will become tied to coping with my intellectual contamination, and people topics were controversial. Still, I had an extraordinary purpose to like the AA and NA applications and make the most of what they desired to do, which was to keep me easy; they paintings!

As like other bipolar success stories, it turned challenging to attempt to discern out what I became feeling after those and three years of recovery. The physician might request from me how I felt, and I is probably stumped. I had no experience as a simple grownup. I didn’t understand what became each day. I turned into unable to recognize what to do with the medication or how it become supposed to be felt. I regularly felt like I have become faking my mental contamination – because it changed into all a huge scam. I had a hard time believing that drugs had been chargeable for silencing voices. The idea that I want to be by some means capable of think of procedures to break out the onslaught of amazement, grief, emptiness, and panic nearly. I actually have hassle every day. I felt very lonely.

During this time, I went to 12-degree conferences and commenced to increase new social abilities. I become in weekly therapy for my emotional troubles and spent infinite hours within the library looking for records about my illnesses and medicinal drugs. My new pals have additionally been retrieving human beings, and we worked hard to construct healthful and sincere relationships, which may be specific and considered one of a kind for me. One of the benefits of running in twelve steps is that it creates healthier relationships. I started out to construct a new sense of spirituality.

Eventually, my signs and symptoms and signs and symptoms became conceivable, and I went to a nearby community university to examine a trendy profession. My symptom flared up, and I not noted a term; however, although, managed to paintings and quit. It took a long term. I additionally had to take many particular person guides to analyze the basics of simple writing, grammar, and math. I relaxed, and my symptoms were practicable, and I sooner or later were given an interest. It turns into a totally innovative work in innovative surroundings, and I loved it. Three years later, he became worried in a extreme industrial coincidence. I grew to become left with a bodily incapacity and chronic ache. I couldn’t make paintings, and I had to apply for a Social Security disability. I emerge as out of the sector. My depression again, and I slowly retreated to an lifestyles of close to loneliness.

Then a recuperation brought Dual Recovery to Anonymous. As like other bipolar success stories, in the metropolis wherein he lived, he helped put together numerous meetings. It desired a few laptop publishing for its DRA agencies, and that is what befell to me with a computer and printer. I counseled him I may do pc work and printing for him; but, he should leave it with me for a while. He left me a few tough-looking copies of DRA literature, a replica of the Twelve Steps and Dual Disorders ebook, after which an advanced, associate workbook. When I become typing and formatting, I became blown away by manner of what I turned into analyzing. I had in no manner heard of “twin rehabilitation” or “no-fault illnesses” before. The whole concept of treating both illnesses as part of the equal 12-step application made a number of experiences to me. It became as although a slight switched on in a dark room, after 11 years of being clean and careful on this nameless alcohol. I right now. Started enforcing the number one phase of DRA on their intellectual ailments. This have become one of the top unfastened minds I had ever experienced that made me take delivery of my intellectual infection in the equal way that I did with alcohol and addictions and used the same gangs that made me so sad. Well-completed Reading “Twelve Steps and Double Disorders” for the primary time come to be a turning element in my lifestyle.

Long ago, I attended my first DRA assembly. After that, my way of life, certainly, commenced out transferring around. The standards of twin rehabilitation and DRA have helped me to be more stable and address intellectual signs and symptoms more constructively. As like other bipolar success stories, I now paintings for DRA, together with dealing with their respectable internet site. I simply have found reason, and meaning within the Dual Recovery Anonymous Fellowship. I want DRA and twin rehabilitation messages and thoughts are to be had to truly all and sundry in need. To me, that message changed into life-saving and became one of the best bipolar success stories.