S
he wears many hats – wife, mother,
daughter – among many others out
in community such as registered nurse
and board member of Canadian Mental
Health Association - Calgary Region.
Candace Watson also lives with Bipolar
Disorder.
In discussing her journey with the
disease for almost 20 years, Watson
identifies one of the most significant
factors in successfully navigating the
often turbulent path of living with a
mental disorder continues to be the
close personal relationships. This is
where she finds a lot of her strength.
Watson says. “Knowing people who
love and support me is one of the most
important parts.”
Watson
says
those
loving
and
supportive relationships are how she
manages through the complexities
caused by the long-running battle she
has experienced since her first manic
episode and official diagnosis of Bipolar
Disorder in 1995.
At the time of her first manic episode,
Watson was in her third year of nursing
school. Her family was as confused as
she was about what was happening
and how to handle it.
In fact, Watson says it was getting
close to tearing the family apart. “It was
kind of walking on eggshells – nobody
knew what to say and it was never the
right thing. We had to get back to a
place where we were all acting normally
around each other again.”
The
Diagnostic
and
Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV) characterizes Bipolar I Disorder as
the occurrence of one of more manic
episodes. While symptoms of mania
may include extreme optimism, euphoria
and feelings of grandeur; rapid, racing
thoughts and hyperactivity; a decreased
need for sleep; increased irritability;
impulsiveness and possibly reckless
behaviour for Watson, a manic episode
often includes all of these as well as
paranoia. “When I get so sick that I
don’t have that foot in reality anymore,
where I can’t respond normally and not
act on my delusions, that’s when I get
hospitalized.”
Having a family equipped and willing
to support her makes all the difference
according to Watson. “If we ever need
anything, that’s how my mom, my dad,
my in-laws, kind of kick in and help,
such as driving the kids or being with
me because I can’t be alone when I’m
in a manic episode.” She also credits
her husband Collin and the unique role
he plays in that he is with her daily,
talking to her, supporting her through
the “difficulties of my thoughts and
what’s going on in my head.”
Watson has built strong networks
of support – immediate family, her
husband, friends and extended family
have all become part of the management
of the illness. “We (husband Collin and
herself) made decisions along the way
that were based on accepting that I
needed help and support. And knowing
where we would most likely get that,
ultimately, we made the choice we
needed to be where our greatest
support systems are.”
Watson says that accepting that she
would require help was difficult, as
she has always been an independent
person. In accepting that though, she
acknowledges there is a freedom that
comes with it, making the decision to
Annual Report to the Community 2013-2014
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