Can you explain to our readers what Bipolar type 1 is?
Bipolar type 1 includes a large amount of mania. A person with bipolar 1 has episodes of both mania and depression. The presence of these episodes are the hallmark symptoms of bipolar I. People with this condition can become very manic over a matter of days and then have very low depressive episodes that can last for weeks. The depressive periods for me have been very debilitating and the highs have been amazing. Ever ripped up your lawn in half an hour and then laid a new one in the next twenty minutes? I have.
I like how you tell that you refuse to be labelled and this comes across beautifully in your book. You are a mum, wife and most importantly Emma. Did receiving your diagnosis take a long time to come to terms with this?
I always knew something was wrong from the time I suffered with post-natal depression. I just didn’t know who I was anymore. I wasn’t in control or as mentally strong as I had been. For years and years I was seen by different doctors who all had apposing opinions on my condition. I was given drug after drug after drug. I think these did more harm than good and it made me feel like the doctors were just using me like a guinea pig. Eventually I borrowed some money from my mum and saw a private doctor. He listened to me. It doesn’t sound like much but I believe listening more than you speak is a great attribute to a doctor. After two weeks and a second opinion I was diagnosed with Bipolar. I was given different medication and after a bit of trial and error it really stared to work well for me. You always hear the bad stuff about people with a mental illness but I feel like a success story. I’m well, I cope and I have hopes for the future. A label around my neck is no big deal. People will always be ignorant about things they don’t understand. It’s not the label we need; it’s the help that comes with that label. My boys see me as mum and that’s all I need.
How old were Noah and Moses when they were diagnosed? How old are they now? What is life like now for you all?
Noah was four when he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. This was in 2004. Moses was diagnosed at the age of eight in 2011. I was diagnosed whilst doing my degree in psychology in 2009. Noah is now 14, Moses is 12 and I am 37. I’m a very organised person and have to keep everyday life simple. Noah and Moses are now teenagers but because of their condition have to have very simple instructions and we try to keep the same routine. My husband ben is my rock. When the day goes wrong, he pulls it all back together again. He keeps me strong when I need to be, leaves me alone when I need to be and organises the children when I am not well. I rarely get ill anymore as I have an excellent doctor now and am settled on my medication but it wasn’t always that way. Recovery for me was very slow and diagnosis for the children was very frustrating.
I like the way in which your book embraces autism, and that you love your boys for who they are. What are your thoughts on research and in particular Autism Speaks?