 Steve has managed the ups and downs of bipolar disorder for most of his life reporting his best defense against the symptoms has always been hard work. Until recently retiring as an executive of a large aerospace engineering firm, keeping busy was never a challenge. But over the course of a year, he dealt with the loss of his father and ensuing family fight over his estate and the accidental death of a beloved pet. He began isolating from others and entered into a deep, sad fog partly due to a heavy, improper prescription by his family physician. He shares, I was in a constant state of extreme depression. I felt agitated all the time and was taking on all of the worlds problems as my own. I saw no way out and began to feel suicidal.
His wife brought him to the David Lawrence Centers Crisis Stabilization Unit where he received appropriate bipolar medications to stabilize his mood. He says, In just a few days, I began thinking clearly and was able to stop looking inward and start thinking about my wife, my daughter and all the things I still wanted to accomplish. The combination of the correct medications, the caring and compassionate staff, and the lack of isolation helped him realize he had a lot to live for.
Steve now attends outpatient counseling, where he is working through current stressors in his life and delving into some childhood traumas that he never let himself process. He is setting goals looking to start a new business, researching consulting opportunities and finding ways to stay social. Both Steve and his wife believe that without the help they received at the Crisis Unit, he would not be here today.
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