What I am about to discuss needs to understood in the context of my life specifically and in a life case by case situation.  I have been fortunate that throughout my experience with bi-polar that the people closest to me including my doctors had a very light approach with my treatment.  This wasn't to say there were never any crisis moments or times for immediate action.  For the most part everyone allowed me to make my own decisions for me and allowed me even to crash and burn a few times so that I could learn lessons myself.

My life with bipolar was particular that in all my trials and manic rides I never had the intent to go out of my way and hurt anyone.  This just isn't in my personality, manic or not.  So in my case no matter where my illness took me, it was safe for those around me just to let the situation run its course regards of the outcome to me.

There of course are times for forced intervention, there are times case by case where someone should and has to step in.  All I am saying is that the hands off approach worked for me.  I do remember a brief time when my family tried to intervene.  I was miles from home, and this only caused my situation to further spiral me into fear, anger and frustration.  The end result is that I did end up coming home for treatment and things did sort themselves out.

In my case whether you are too high or too low, forceful intervention can be like throwing a lit match on a full box of matches.  But it is very painful for loved ones to see another crash landing.  I believe looking back I am thankful that I was given the freedom to make my own choices even in crisis situations.  I am thankful that even in the worst case scenarios for me life played itself out without force or without a violent situation.

But I am acutely aware this is not the case with everyone.  Mental illness can get ugly.  Its this pot of heating emotions, and thought and it can boil over at anytime.  My path was a unique one.  My doctor has always been very conservative in my treatment as well.  There is not very many things that I can say or express that will change his approach to my care.  I have been extremely blessed with that, my treatment has been very consistent for almost 20 years.

In cases of crisis, my advice as parents, friends, and doctors is always to act as a team.  When you act as a united front this will lesson the threat a loved one feels when a intervention in made.  When everyone can get on board, and a loved one hears a message on concern from more than one voice, odds are greater that the message will eventually sink in no matter how dire the situation.

Hope and healing are on the way.  When you are allowed to make your own mistakes, you still feel you have ownership of your own life.  And that is a critical element in the treatment of anyone having a mental illness.

Thank you again readers, you are a blessing!