When I turned 17 my mom insisted I see a shrink (psychiatrist). She, having worked with them long term, was aware they don't give serious diagnoses nor medication to those under 17 otherwise I likely would have seen them sooner. She, the shrink that is, diagnosed me bipolar. I disagreed with the diagnosis so saw another shrink and he came back at me with the same answer. So for the first couple years I fought with them as to whether that diagnosis was correct. I had them do an MMPI test on me and it came back as bipolar. Shoot it is a darn good thing I wasn't diagnosed one of the other things I thought more likely, like schitzotypal or borderline personality disorders, as it turns out personality disorders are almost not treatable - there are no meds that I am aware of that treat personality disorders which are basically character flaws so bad they make it hard to work or have successful relationships. But usually symptoms are somewhat treatable so they would likely prescribe some anti-anxiety medicine or perhaps an antidepressant if they were suffering which one would being unable to work or have successful relationships so still one would send them to a shrink - nevertheless long term rehabilitation/recovery is kinda out - although with most folks who have bipolar 1 with psychotic features recovery is pretty much out as well. And we all can progress of course. I am certainly not saying one is doomed if diagnosed with a personality disorder just that it is gonna be a battle which most mental illnesses are anyway (one CAN fully recover from major depression and there are of course success stories for folks with any mental illness - we're all snow-flakes afterall - referring here to uniqueness not lack of courage LOL).
Funny thing, my mother had been an occupational therapist who worked with addicts and alcoholics. Tis funny because my father was a drunk who died of alcoholism. I remember sooo many dirty looks exchanged between him and her in the morning as he poured a glass about 2/3rds full of vodka and 1/3rd full of OJ for breakfast - tis both hilarious and not at all something to laugh at!! My poor dad HAD to have either depression or bipolar. My family thinks not but one has to be self-medicating to drink the amount that he did. He would follow that breakfast by working (he was a very functional alcoholic) then at lunch a bottle of wine and in the afternoon a 6 pack of beer and then in the evening a 5th of bourbon sometimes more - basically until he passed out. I can fully appreciate why he did that and have understood him all along and carry no resentment about it as I related to him more than anyone else in our small family. He was largely silent but I could make him scream at me. My sis and mom were constantly telling me to stop arguing with someone who is drunk and they were right - likely he didn't remember telling me he could not believe I had come from the seed of his loins I was such a stupid slut. I don't recall what we were arguing about but it wasn't my IQ nor my sex life (I never got old enough to discuss those things with him over a beer as he died when I was only 25 and just google it yourself if you don't believe me but women are not fully mature until about age 35 and men not until about 45 yet they die earlier so we only get them a short time grrrr - like every parent has said life just isn't fair - but arguable if you believe in things like karma) - still I will likely not ever forget those words.
My father had been an interior designer for hotels/restaurants (he had a degree in architecture which is required for designers but not interior decorators and owned his own business which was pretty successful - we certainly never wanted for anything). I worked for him my 19th year as a sort of secretary/assistant and how I know his drinking schedule. I doubt my sis or my mom knew just HOW MUCH he actually drank but it was from when you get up to when you go to bed and despite having many hobbies (in addition to the rabbits and quail and garden and yogurt and preserves and jellies etc etc he also hunted, camped, liked to fish, he played around with stuff in his garage which we being girls weren't taught a thing about tools and not allowed to go into the back of the garage only the front laundry area but you name it in terms of boy stuff he did it. He was an artist too. Somewhere there HAS GOT to be a self-portrait of his which was so unique he used it almost like a signature - of course no one thought to keep one he did it so often. He dabbled in carpentry, painting, all things artsy I guess. He made beer not very well and wine not half bad - I actually had parties as a teen where my parents either provided alcohol or just pretended they were unaware we drank all his wine. One guy actually passed out in the back yard and was there the next morning! Oh ya they were super strict LOL Funny cuz they would seem the kind of parents that would be but looking back they just were out to lunch or i don't know what - not thinking critically very well despite them both being quite bright. By that I mean they were conservative not just politically but dress-wise and mannerisms and all kinds of ways - people might think they were a bit uptight - maybe they were still tired from raising me - my sis actually thanks me for teaching her how not to go about life/things. I taught her what to avoid and she has done an amazing job avoiding any kind of misadventure, an RN with 4 kids, lovely hubby and lives herself most conservatively although unlike my parents while not strict definitely waaaay more so than my parents. They are just more overall aware which maybe she can thank me for that too LOL (This is going to be the most egotistical work on the planet it is looking like hahahaha.)
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