Effective & Satisfying Communication

[Vikkttoorr99]

I have bipolar2, ADD and some learning disability or another. I've had myself locked away for several years due to bipolar and lack of effective meds. I didn't have a full grasp on social interaction before my looloo episode, now after I have even less of one. Communication both written and verbal are very confusing to me and come out backwards or the wrong words or whatever. But that not being anyone else's problem necessarily...How do you deal with bipolar people who only want to tell you their stuff but don't want to be bothered to listen to your stuff? They seem to have a particular way of doing that. I'll weave the learning disability stuff in on my own later. Unless someone knows some junk about that...that'd be awesome too.

[wj74]

I can relate through my son, who has ADHD, Asperger's and possibly bipolar or something. I don't have any advice, but i get it anyway. It's hard.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

See, it's amazing how much we learn about ourselves through each other.

[Vikkttoorr99]

Now that I'm seeing what I wrote seeing and hearing what you're saying, I'm getting closer to a realization. Maybe more if a memory but to me they're almost the same. I'm weird no matter where I go. I go to ADD support groups. Then bipolar groups. Then learning disability (only 1 of those). I had trouble being understood and I'd get blank stares after I said my piece (about things not of usual bipolar (yes there is a stream running along of such a thing). Not saying that I can't be understood but just that the times, places and those particular people weren't aligned with the stars or whatever. But it's interesting that it hadn't ocurred to me before. The people I was referring to in my original post were mainly my sister and mother. They both have bipolar 1 and my sister has ADHD along with the bipolar. They have the faces I see in my meetings. when I TRY to talk to them. That's  funny...

[paranoid_cataclysm]

I sort of had this happen with a guy diagnosed with bipolar disorder but I know it's not true for everyone.  He was so open about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and so I told him my mental illness problems and at one point he said I was "******* nuts" because I only experience the criteria for psychotic symptoms and it was apparently things he did not understand at all but the same sort of goes for me as well in not understanding his problems entirely, provided my diagnosis is correct, since I do not go through mood bicycling and such like him, provided he was also diagnosed correctly.

[Vikkttoorr99]

Awesome!!! Thanx..,

[ILADVOCATE]

I would suggest to do a google search "accomodations for people with learning disabilities". Also independent living centers have connect people with the accomodations they need as well:
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html

[Vikkttoorr99]

It took me 9 years to get my bachelors - full time.  Five schools, 2 major (college) changes, boatload of credits not transferring and me not paying attention - I could have had help had I known. Oh well. My wife was a great help though. For all of that turmoil though I hold with me the fact that I did it, and very well without help or medications. I just could have done without the episodes. Ok so the recovery process aside (as much as it can be), there are positive ways of dealing with that kind of communication. Do you know of any place I can find that kind of info? Or possibly some key words suggestions? When I would go ya ya, I'd look for something to ground me. [my wife-that didn't work]. Ok I'm going to admit a big one here. Ok here it goes... I watched "Murder She Wrote" every chance I got because the lead character was so good at interacting with people. I learned a lot from that character and that show. But I'm still a little in the dark when it comes to the face to face. I have my book list in my journal. Sure, words go in but  without the "people" and the real life practice it's  just a lot of...books read (sort of). Thanks

[ILADVOCATE]

Well right now I am homebound because of my physical disability so I understand the feeling of isolation. However in 1997 because I wasn't responding well to Zyprexa and it made me sedated and also caused some phobias I self isolated for mental reasons and it wasn't healthy. At that point I asked my psychiatrist for a change of medication and since Seroquel had just been approved I was allowed to start that and I did much better. Sometimes its a matter of medication adjustment. As for how other people respond to you its best to explain any accomodations you need. If people reject you it may be their own issues. I did learn as I recovered to realize that people were at different levels of recovery and to understand that, some friends and family members that I know especially. As for a learning disability, its a matter of knowing exactly how it affects you and what specific areas of communication or information you might not understand and find out what accomodations might be available that could accomodate you as there are an increasing number these days that help people including assistive technology. I know myself in college I was allowed to take tests untimed and other accomodations that if had not been allowed I would not have gotten through school but otherwise I was intelligent and did well and enjoyed social interaction.