Bipolar Time Warp

Rip Van Winkle theory

It has been 7 years since I was first diagnosed with bipolar. But only 2 years since I underwent 9 ECT treatments. I have never felt as balanced as I do now, in my entire life. “Thank gawd for electricity.” But since I’ve come back to reality, I have noticed something. I seem to be about 6 to 7 years behind where I am supposed to be in more than one aspect of life. I have mostly noticed with the company I keep, or don’t keep would be more accurate. I seem to be lacking in the area of close girlfriends. Mine all left at the first sign of trouble with this bipolar thing. Same goes with the guys… I had a serious boyfriend before and during this bipolar thing began, and he left too, about 5 years ago. And I just don’t have much of anything in common with most people my age anymore. Everyone my age seems so grown up, and I’m so… well… not. 

Needless to say, all things happen for a reason. Now I have a wonderful boyfriend. He just happens to be about 6 years younger than me. As are all the people I tend to surround myself with at school. School, another thing most people at my age have finished and started careers. But I have a bit of time to make up.

Well a few weeks ago I was at the psychiatrist for my 3 month appointment. This is a drastic change from when I had to go two to three times a week. My last appointment was an awesomely uneventful appointment. There was nothing to report, and no meds to change. Now my appointments go more along the lines of a casual conversation you have when you ask “so, what’s new with you?” Rather than discussing my most recent manic episode, new side effects, or my long list of bipolar signs and symptoms.

While talking we got onto subject of me playing catch up in life, and having younger boyfriend who’s age coincides with the same amount of time I was so ill. I told him I had noticed this with many of the people in my life now… He said he calls that his Rip Van Winkle theory. I thought how brilliant, absolutely brilliant. That perfectly explains this. So, for those of you not so familiar with the story here is a very general summary.

The story of Rip Van Winkle takes place during the years before and after the American Revolutionary War. Rip, was a colonial British-American villager. He was a regular guy who enjoyed solitary activities in the wilderness. He had this tendency to avoid all professional labor, despite his wife’s constant nagging. Because of this his home and farm were pretty much falling apart.

So Rip went and tried to escape his wife's nagging, by heading up the mountain with his dog, Wolf. Then there was this other guy calling Rip’s name… This guy was carrying a keg up the mountain, and needed Rip's help. So, the two of them hike up the mountain to where there is a group guys. Somehow these guys know Rip’s name too. Rip drinks some of the guys’ liquor and falls asleep. 

When he wakes up his dog is gone, his beard is long, and his gun is rusty. Rip goes back down the mountain to the village and notices that he doesn’t recognize anyone. He finds out that his wife died, along with most everyone else. Rip doesn’t know that the American Revolution has taken place and that George Washington is in charge of things now. And now there is this other guy being called Rip Van Winkle who actually is his son, but all grown up.

As it turns out the guys up on the mountain were the ghosts of Henry Hudson’s crew. So Rip had been “asleep” and away from the village for like 20 years. So basically, Rip picks things up in life right where he left off about 20 years ago.