Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews615/

Commentary: New movie presents skewed view of bipolar disorder
DO> Article by someone with bipolar.

Research redefines ‘recovery’ in bipolar disorder
DO> This has the potential to be highly used.

Pediatricians’ Role in Treating Bipolar Disorder in Teens
DO> Wants doctors to take a greater role in treatment.

Wildcat overcomes mental disorder to succeed
DO> Young man deals with bipolar through basketball.

STATE: Participants sought for mental health study at U of M Depression Center
DO> Would you be interested in participating in this study?

Long-Term Use of Some Antipsychotics Not Warranted in Older Adults: Study
DO> This study researched four different drugs.

Bi-Polar Disorder on Trial in Race for Jesse Jackson Jr.’s 2nd District Seat
DO> Who will replace Jackson?

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews615/

Check out all my resources, programs and information for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com

Your Friend,

 

Dave

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews614/

Combining Meds for Bipolar Disorder
DO> Interesting study what do you think?

Altered cognition, attitudes mostly state related in bipolar disorder
DO> Read for possible beneficial effect.

Pediatricians’ Role in Treating Bipolar Disorder in Teens
DO> Do you agree with this role?

Mental Illness: Don’t Throw Out the Good With the Bad
DO> Did you know about creativity?

Celebs coming out with bipolar? Bring it on!
DO> I think this is great don’t you think?

Memoir Traces How Cartoonist Lost Her ‘Marbles’
DO> This sounds great, don’t you think?

Single mom with bipolar disorder struggles to…
DO> What would you do if you were her?

Security guard unjustifiably sacked over bipolar disorder
DO> Where do you stand on this issue?

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews614/

Check out all my resources, programs and information for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com

Your Friend,

 

Dave

Hi,

You know, my brother and I couldn’t be any more different than we are. Not just physically, but I think psychologically, too. He looks at things negatively, while I choose to look at things positively. That’s why I think he couldn’t handle my mom’s bipolar disorder like I (eventually) could. I also think that’s why he has so many more problems than I do. It’s all in the way you look at things, I think.

Like one person may look at something as being impossible…While someone else might say, “The impossible just takes a little longer.” One person may look at something as a problem… While the other person looks at it as a challenge or an opportunity.

If you think about it, as the way I’m saying, you have the power of choice. You can choose the way you react to something. You can choose your attitude: You can choose to look at things in a negative way or in a positive way. It’s your choice. And your choice affects how you look at things. So let’s look at bipolar disorder. You can say, “My loved one suffers from bipolar disorder.” Or you can say, “My loved one is recovering from bipolar disorder.” Which do you think is the better way of looking at it? Do you see how even your choice of words reflects how you look at something?

If you look at a situation confronting you and call it a problem, that’s looking at it negatively. Especially if you don’t have good problem-solving skills. On the other hand, if you look at it as a challenge to overcome, you are looking at it in a more positive way. And chances are, you will conquer that challenge and even grow from it.

How does your loved one look at things? If they are negative about things, it can keep them sick. At its worst, a negative attitude can even cause them to go into a bipolar depressive episode.

Whereas, if they think positively, they can recover from bipolar disorder faster. They have to have an “I can do it” type of mentality to overcome the challenges of bipolar disorder, and so do you. You cannot defeat something that you don’t believe you can defeat. But you CAN defeat something if you have it in your mind that you can. Like the saying, “If you believe it, you can achieve it.” Do you see the difference? Because the difference is what will determine the outcome. It also has to do with effort. You need to put the right amount of effort into the task.

Your attitude also determines your effort. If you believe you can do it, you will put forth a great deal of effort to achieve it. But if you don’t believe you can do it, you won’t even try.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

 

Dave

 

Hi,

They say there are two types of people in this world: Those who see a glass of water as half full…These people are called optimists. And those who see the glass as half-empty…These people are called pessimists. Not as well known, however, is a third type of people in this world.

Those are people who see that glass of water as simply a glass of water. These people are called realists. The reason I bring it up is because the type of person you are will affect the thoughts you have (and vice versa). The optimist has positive thoughts. The pessimist has negative thoughts.

The realist has both, and weighs them together.

They say that positive people live longer. Have you ever heard that? They say it’s because their health is better. Why is that? Because they don’t have as much stress in their lives, they don’t worry as much, and they don’t get angry as often as other people do. So, obviously, they would be healthier – No headaches, upset stomachs, ulcers, anxiety, insomnia, etc. for them! They are also more productive. They get more done, more easily, and with a better attitude. It’s not that a positive person never has negative thoughts – that wouldn’t be realistic – but it’s that they choose not to dwell on them. They don’t act on their negative thoughts, and they don’t let those thoughts bring them down.

Pessimists are just the opposite of everything I’ve just said. And pessimists think negatively.

When you have negative thoughts, you have two choices in dealing with them. You can analyze them (worry, fret, bother), study them, think about them, dwell on them, even obsess over them.

Or you can learn to ignore them, let them go, don’t take them so seriously, etc. In other words, not let them affect you. Obviously, taking your negative thoughts less seriously, or letting them go altogether, is the better choice for your own sake, and for your own health.

Richard Carlson, M.D., in his (now-famous) book called “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff” says, “When you have a thought – any thought – that’s all it is, a thought! It can’t hurt you without your consent.” So that goes along with what I’m saying. YOU control how a thought affects you, especially a negative thought. Which is very important, because negative thoughts can actually hurt you. They can cause physical consequences, such as high blood pressure, anxiety and stress, headaches, stomach aches and ulcers, insomnia, and even heart problems!

This is for you AND your loved one. It’s worse for your loved one, though. For them, negative thoughts (if dwelled upon) can lead to a bipolar depressive episode. Then once in the depressive episode, if those thoughts continue, they can even lead to suicidal thoughts, which is when it gets really dangerous. So it’s important to remember that when you get a negative thought, you have a choice of what to do with it. Make the right choice and let it go, so that it doesn’t hurt you or your loved one.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

 

Dave