Friends: How Do You Cope When Your Friend Has Bipolar Disorder

The book is all about helping those who are friends with someone living with bipolar disorder. Friendships are quite difficult to maintain when you have bipolar disorder, so it is very special when you find people willing to go through the highs and the lows with you. My friends have given their views on how they deal with me and what they do when the chaos and intensity become too much for them. The one thing they all say is, even when it becomes too much, they would never walk away.

I grew up on a property in Orange, Central West. I was privately school educated and, on leaving went to live in Canberra and started working for Ansett airlines. Shortly after obtaining this job I went to work for Ansett in London, where I lived for four years, travelling Europe and the UK. On my return home, I met my ex-husband in the transit lounge at Hong Kong airport. We married 6 months later. After the marriage broke down, I embarked on a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of New England, completing with high distinctions. Although I was offered to do honours, I decided to head straight to Sydney and worked at St. Vincent's Public Hospital. With my family moving to Newcastle, I left Sydney and went to live in Newcastle. Once settling into Newcastle, I embarked on a Bachelor of Law/Diploma of Legal Practice. It was in my first year that I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1. 2007, was an interesting year and following that year, I have struggled to come to terms with my illness and for majority of the time have been in denial. After eight years of battling to overcome the stigma and behaviours that creep up, I have come to a point of acceptance and now want to help people on their own journey of living with bipolar disorder. My saving grace are the people who have come in around me and protect me from judgment, criticism, and stigma.