I don't know if this is the right place to post my concern, but I'll leave it to the moderator to move this wherever it should go.

My concern is with a 21 year old niece who has been diagnosed about a month ago with Type 1 Bipolar. This bright, artistic girl started showing signs of depression about a year ago, then having come out of her depression, is now in her manic state.

It was about 2 years ago that this niece moved from the family home to a local city in order to further artistic instruction (at an art college). It wasn't long before she discovered her roommate was into Wicca, and sometime during their year together, something happened (a fight???) and the roommate told this niece that she put a curse on her. Not much thought was really given to it at the time. When this niece progressed on to her 2nd year of art training, she rented a room from an older woman who owned a home ....only to discover that this woman also practiced Wicca.

As the fall season wore on, this niece went into a severe depression and didn't even finish that semester at school. With her moving back to the family home, she let out to her mother the above information about the Wiccans she had been involved with.

This past spring, she was able to work out her depression & was interested in getting back into regular society. However, with the coming of summer, a very manic state of mind rampaged this girl. She had been 'flirting' with street life of the homeless people in the city she had been living in, and now would compulsively go back to these 'friends' whenever she could (hop on a bus and go there). It was finally diagnosed that she is bipolar (with her first hospitalization), and was given meds to help stablize her. No sooner she came out of hospitalization, she right away hopped a bus to go to the city where her 'friends' are ...she totally dropped all meds. In no time, her mania came back with a vengence, and because of a very dangerous situation she almost found herself in (read "Pimps & Prostitutes" thread ...sounds very familiar), she phoned 911, in which the police took her to the hospital in that city ...she's still there presently.

My big question: Even though bipolar is known as a chemical / organic psychotic condition that some individuals must come to terms with & live with treatment for a lifetime, what are the possibilities that the whole Wiccan contact / connection could have a bearing on all of this ...maybe make it more severe? Whatever?

If the Wiccan connection can be part of the problem, what can family do to help this girl out? Where to begin? What are avenues to pursue?

Would there be anyone out there who could give me some input with all these thoughts going around in my head ...I don't really know what to do with them.

~ a concerned & loving aunt

See [www.culteducation.com]

Wicca and Wiccans are typically benign.

Though it is possible that the relationship with the roommate was somehow negative and caused problems.

This is something for you and the family to discuss with doctors.

It sounds like your niece's Bilor condition is the most important issue.

Thanks for your input.

I had read that Wicca info link previously. [i:9066951f80]Very[/i:9066951f80] interesting!

I know there are beliefs that bipolar is all chemical imbalance (organic) & no spiritual, and there are beliefs that it can be all spiritual and no chemical imbalance. Somewhere there must be a middle ground in all this.

What gets me thinking are some of the incidents mentioned in the Bible where some people who were experiencing 'craziness' (manic???), or muteness or deafness had demons released from them (see reference link: [www.biblegateway.com] ). But I know that not all deafness, or muteness, or manic /depressions are going to demonic.

I agree that we really need to get the bipolar condition dealt with medically & medicinally first. Once we get stability, it would be nice to know if there's something we should keep our eyes open for. It's good to hear that Wicca is basically benign ...I didn't know that before.

Schwarzie:

Consult with your doctor, an MD.

If you want to help your neice seek professional help.

You say your neice is in hospital at the moment, so she is getting the help she needs.

Bipolar normally starts at around your neices' age. So there doesn't need to be a particular trigger.

But any stress, for instance, you said she was living with people she didn't get on with, would have exacerbated it. I don't think peoples religion causes such personality clashes or bullying, it says more about the individual bullies.

I was diagnosed bipolar, a good few years ago now, eventually they found the right med for me and I've led a 'normal' happy life for several years now.

Your niece will get there too,
I wish you both well,
Love
Kath

Thanks, Kath. Yes, my niece is looked after at the moment ...under supervision. I think the biggest challenge is that she continues on her meds while away from the supervision ...how do we successfully convince one that, in this case, 'being on drugs' is a good thing, when so many in her realm are saying the opposite? Big challenge there. We're seeking councelling for her too, however, we're at the mercy of her cooperation.

So, then, having these Wiccan connections most likely didn't exasperate things further? ...maybe it's more coincidental that the bipolar symptoms manifested around the same time as those connections?

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Schwarzie
I think the biggest challenge is that she continues on her meds while away from the supervision

That's more of a question for her shrink, but I think soon enough she'll realise she feels better with them, and that they keep her well and out of hospital.

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So, then, having these Wiccan connections most likely didn't exasperate things further? ...maybe it's more coincidental that the bipolar symptoms manifested around the same time as those connections?

I think so, although being told that they are 'cursed' can be frightening and intimidating to people. That's more a tool these particular people have used for bullying rather than a reflection on their religion though.

They probably also kept threatening to throw her out, and giving her all sorts of aggro and nastiness. Claiming that she was 'cursed' -while being memorable, was probably only one of many types of bullying which they did as everyday nasty people.

In fact, their behaviour makes them not Wiccan. True Wiccans try to 'harm none.'
Love
Kath

That info is helpful Kath. Not fully knowing what Wicca is about (even though I've been reading different websites to learn more), I hadn't come across the info that " [i:17dd6f9f33]True Wiccans try to 'harm none.'[/i:17dd6f9f33] " That's interesting. So then, if that's the case ...it's probably true what you're saying about the roommate trying to use tactics for bullying purposes. Appreciate your time & input.

[en.wikipedia.org]

An URL to help you understand the Wiccan ethical code.
Love
Kath

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Schwarzie
So, then, having these Wiccan connections most likely didn't exasperate things further? ...maybe it's more coincidental that the bipolar symptoms manifested around the same time as those connections?

As Kath said, usually the teenage years/early 20s is when symptoms of bipolarism or schizophrenia tend to first manifest. I think it was probably just a coincidence that she happened to be in contact with 2 wiccans at the time.

I also agree with Kath that being threatened with a curse probably did not help her fragile mental state. In fact, I'm wondering if maybe that's something she got abnormally fixated on due to being bipolar. What I mean is that if you or I were told that someone had put a curse on us, we'd probably laugh it off. But someone who is dealing with mental and emotional imbalances would be more likely to take something like that seriously and let it affect them.

It's also been my personal experience (from observing several friends with schizophrenia or manic-depression/bipolar) that many people who are bipolar ot schizophrenic tend to be fascinated by religion. I have 2 friends who have been in and out of mental hospitals who are now involved in cultish or very strict religious sects.