Hi,

Have you ever thought about the cereal that you prefer? I’m sure you have a preference, like everyone does. Many people even still eat the kind they ate as a child.

There are all kinds: There is hot cereal, like oatmeal or Cream of Wheat. Then there is cold cereal, and that’s where you get into every kind under the sun. With fruit or without fruit…Fruity tasting…Graham cracker-ish…Frosted…Sugary or not…Flakes or not…With almonds…With oats…Chocolate flavored…Or other flavored…Bite sized or regular sized…Made for kids or made for adults…

And now they even push for added vitamins and minerals and even antioxidants and other things
good for your health! Eating a healthy diet can help with your loved one’s stability with bipolar disorder, and a good choice in cereal can be a part of a healthy diet.

But, like I was saying earlier, many people still eat the same cereal that they ate as a child. Do you? The point is that many people choose one thing and then stick to it because they hate to change.

That’s one of the problems that your loved one may be experiencing with their bipolar disorder.
One of the first things that their therapist will ask them to do is to change. Usually, to change the way they think. Like, the way they approach things. Even the way they look at life.

For example, they may look at life and see it not for the way that it is, but for the way that they would like it to be, and that can cause them all sorts of problems. It can cause them problems not only with their bipolar disorder, but with other things as well. And especially cause them problems in a relationship.

Say they’re in a relationship with you. And they see you not as you really are, but the way that they would like you to be instead. Well, that’s going to cause problems, because you will undoubtedly let them down, because you can’t possibly live up to their expectations of you, because you’re not perfect.

And this can even lead to fights, or cause them not to communicate with you, or to not tell you how they feel or what they are thinking when their moods change or they are being triggered into a bipolar episode.

But another thing that can happen, whether you have bipolar disorder or whether you are the
supporter to someone who has it, is that you can fall into a rut (like still eating the same cereal you ate as a child).

If this happens, it means that you’ve been doing the same things over and over again for awhile, and you’ve probably been getting the same results, too. And probably not the results you want, either.

That’s the common definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting
different results.

So what can you do about it? Change your routine. Change your cereal, in other words (but that it were that simple). Make some changes in your life, like your loved one’s therapist is asking them to do.

It can even be simple ones. Like…If you normally take your shower in the morning, take it the night before. That way, you can spend more time with your loved one or the children in the morning, or just more time getting yourself ready, or just relaxing with the morning paper or extra cup of coffee, or whatever.

Or…Say you or your loved one have been isolating too much. You can change that routine by adding more days where you spend more time with friends and family, say, by going to lunch or dinner or going out for coffee with them or otherwise just spending time with them.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews708/

Survey finds benefits, risks of yoga for bipolar disorder
DO> This technique might benefit your loved one.

Life events may worsen bipolar I disorder course
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

Cyclothymic temperament linked to suicidality
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Stress coping strategies may protect against bipolar disorder recurrence
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Testing your mental health in the privacy of home
DO> Your loved one could use this app to check their mental health.

Siblings of Bipolar Patients May Have ‘Reproductive Advantages’
DO> This study makes an important point.

S.C. Ryder Releases New Memoir on Depression and Bipolar Disorder
DO> You might enjoy reading this book.

‘Bipolar’ gym-goer ‘bludgeoned man to death with a weightlifting bar’ after victim invited his …
DO> How do you think he should be punished?

ECT benefits demonstrated in randomised controlled trial
DO> Don’t you think this is an important study?

Weight cycling linked to relapse-prone bipolar course
DO> These results make you think, don’t they?

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews708/

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

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

Did you know that bipolar disorder does not discriminate? It doesn’t care if you’re black, white, r
purple. It doesn’t care if you’re young, old or in-between. It doesn’t care if you’re male or female. It doesn’t care if you’re married or single. It doesn’t care if you’re blonde, brunette, or redheaded.

It doesn’t care if you’re Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Traditional Chinese, or whatever spiritual belief you adhere to – Or even if you’re agnostic or atheist! It doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor. It doesn’t care if you graduated from high school or not, or if you have a thousand
college degrees.

It doesn’t care what you wear…What your shoe size is…What your favorite color is…What type of ice cream you like…What type of movies you watch…Or anything else.

BIPOLAR DISORDER DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE.

If you want to gain stability with bipolar disorder, it has nothing to do with any of the above listed things. If you want to gain stability with bipolar disorder, you have to do certain things.

You still have to take your medications every day. You still have to see your doctor and therapist
when you’re supposed to. You still have to continue your treatment plan. You still have to get the right amount of sleep. You still have to exercise. You still have to eat a healthy diet.

You still have to be productive, so that you can feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of every day. You still have to have a strong support system and interact with that support system, making sure they know how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking.

You should still be keeping a mood chart and/or journal so you can keep a record of your moods, thoughts and feelings. You should still be being proactive and watching for signs and symptoms so you can notice patterns and avoid bipolar episodes before they happen.

You should still have outside interests so that bipolar disorder doesn’t take over your whole life.
You should still try to join a bipolar support group (if there is one in your area, or a NAMI group if there isn’t). And you should still find pleasure in your life, do things that make you happy, so that you also have joy in your life.

It’s all these things combined that will bring stability to your life. It’s all about doing the hard work to get the results you want.

I heard this story once about two brothers. One was lazy, but the other was a real go-getter. Well, they both went to college. The go-getter went because he wanted to – he had hopes, plans, dreams, and goals. The lazy brother went just because his brother was going and, what the heck, his parents were paying for it, after all.

College was not easy for the go-getter, but he did his best and studied hard and got his degree,
being offered jobs even before he graduated! The lazy brother struggled in college, because
it sure wasn’t as easy as he’d thought it would be. He cheated where he could and faked the
rest. He passed his courses, and barely graduated.

Now, who do you think will be the greater success in life?

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

EASE FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDS

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews707/

Cyclothymic temperament linked to suicidality
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Life events may worsen bipolar I disorder course
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

Bipolar man gets 6 years prison for fatal stabbing of stepfather during altercation
DO> Do you think this sentence was fair?

$13K restitution ordered in Banksy defacement case
DO> Do you think the bipolar made him worse?

Recovery-focused CBT aids bipolar patients
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Survey finds benefits, risks of yoga for bipolar disorder
DO> This practice might help your loved one.

Stress coping strategies may protect against bipolar disorder recurrence
DO> This study makes an important point.

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews707/

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

 

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

I recently received the following email:

Hi David,

I never have written back to you so I first wanted to thank you for all your great articles on BP. I also have a suggestion for something to look into. Have you ever written about the problems of single people with bi-polar who have financial problems. I see lots of great ideas for people who
have a strong support network of family and spouses but I haven’t seen anything recently on the issues of single parents, singles and financial management for someone who has to earn enough money to pay for every penny of living expenses and mortgage and manage their Bi-polar. I’ve had to amend my schedule and work a lower paying job to reduce the stress, but I can’t afford not to work full-time.

i hope you have some good ideas for people like this?

Thanks,

Beth

——————————————————————————————————————
Beth does raise some good points in her email, and asks some really good questions, and they should be addressed.

One area where you can save money right away is in the area of prescription medications. Even if you have a prescription plan or Medicare, you still have to pay some money out-of-pocket for your bipolar medications, and that can run into a lot of money, especially if you’re on several medications.

For Beth and people like her, who are only working part-time, or who cannot work at all (or who are on Disability and only have a limited income), you can contact the drug manufacturers directly for what is called a Patient Assistance Program.

For example, Astra-Zeneca, manufacturers of the bipolar medication Seroquel, have a Patient Assistance Program called AZ and Me.

Each manufacturer has its own regulations, so you need to check with your drug manufacturer for details. If you’re not sure who makes your medication, just ask your pharmacist, and they can tell you.

There are also prescription cards available to you to help you pay for your prescriptions. For example, there is a prescription card that is available on a county by county basis. You can find out about these discount prescription cards by going to www.needymeds.org There is also other prescription help available that that website can direct you to.

So, saving money on prescriptions can definitely help you stretch your dollar.

Also, your doctor can sometimes give you free samples of medication if you ask them. Sometimes, the drug manufacturers will also give you a free 30-day supply of a medication (with a prescription) – you need to contact the drug manufacturer directly to find out if they offer this, however.

Another idea is to get a “medication sponsor” from your family – someone who might be willing to help you get your medication for, say, a month or two to help you out. They can even pay the pharmacy directly if they want to.

You can make your dollar stretch further by going to food banks and getting free food as well. This can be done on a continuing basis. Every community has these – check with your local Red
Cross or United Way to find out where your local food banks are. Usually the only requirement is that you are low income.

You should be able to lower your power bill by asking to go on budget billing (most power companies now offer this service) – where they will average your monthly usage and you pay a lower monthly amount.

Single parents can sometimes get daycare on a sliding scale. Some churches offer day care for less as well.

For some people with low income on Medicare, some doctor/psychiatrists and therapists will offer services on a sliding scale as well.

It goes without saying that you need to keep excessive spending to a minimum (such as credit card debt) and to try to live within your means. If you already have credit card debt, try to pay it off so that will eliminate one bill that you have to pay every month.

Scale down to only what is necessary, and sell off the rest. Have a yard sale and/or put your clothes in a consignment shop for extra income. You might even want to consider selling things over the Internet for extra income.

Although it is difficult to make it financially when you are a single person with bipolar disorder, it can be done. Hopefully, these suggestions will help you.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

I’m lucky. My workers are all virtual. That means that they work from home in other places –
they don’t actually work in an office with me here. So I don’t have to listen to complaints like other employers do. Some employers even put up a Suggestion Box.

Unfortunately…Most of the time they don’t really get suggestions they can use. The business owners I have talked to tell me that the Suggestion Box is pretty much useless, actually. That doesn’t mean that I don’t ask for suggestions from the people that work for me.

Oh no…On the contrary. I’m constantly asking them for suggestions on how we can improve things. And I respect their suggestions, because I respect them. Because they’re not complainers.
See…That’s the thing. You have to know how to effectively state your complaint.

Actually…You have to be able to state your NEED. You wouldn’t like it if all your loved one did was complain all the time, would you? Well…They sure won’t like that coming from you, either. So you have to do what’s EFFECTIVE. And what’s effective is stating your need instead.

If you state your need instead of just complaining, that will be more effective, and most likely will not lead to a fight.

For example: Say you feel frustrated. And part of that frustration is coming from the fact that you’re around your loved one so much that you feel like their bipolar disorder is smothering
you (a common feeling for a bipolar supporter to feel). So you want some time to yourself.

Instead of complaining: “I never get any time to myself!” You can say: “I’d really like to have some time to myself. I think that would really help me. Would that be possible?”

Do you see the difference? If you were to do it the first way, you would not only be complaining, but you could come off as being argumentative. This could make your loved one feel defensive.
And could very well lead to a fight.

But in the second case…You are just stating your feelings and stating your need. You are actually even asking for their help. This changes things. It actually involves your loved one. It makes them want to help you. And should not lead to a fight.

You can also use this method in reverse. When your loved one says something that comes
off as complaining, try to look past the complaint to see what their real need is.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews706/

Type 2 diabetes adds to hospital mortality risk in bipolar patients
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Grandmother: Stargell was doomed ‘doomed from the womb’
DO> Do you feel sorry for this man?

Family of inmate who hanged self in closet sues VT
DO> Could you have seen this coming?

Cyclothymic temperament linked to suicidality
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Life events may worsen bipolar I disorder course
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

Experimental UC Davis Therapy Treats Depression With Magnets To Head
DO> This therapy could help your loved one.

How Realizing Her Bipolar Was A Medical Condition — And Not A Spiritual Failing — Helped This …
DO> This woman’s story will inspire you.

“I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother” writer Liza Long: I’m not scared of my son anymore
DO> Do you agree with this mother’s point?

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews706/

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, we usually think of supporters as having a certain special characteristic – COMPASSION.

We think of them as having compassion, since they are supporters, after all. But today I want to talk to both supporters and people who have bipolar disorder as well, as everyone should have compassion, don’t you think?

Some people I think are just born with compassion. And some people are more compassionate than others. But then some people just have to learn how to be compassionate.

One way to do that is to practice compassion, whether you feel it or not. And nothing helps us build our character more than developing compassion for others.

Compassion is a sympathetic feeling. It’s when you have sympathy for other people. It can just start with willingness. If you just have the willingness to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, you’ll take the focus off yourself and you can imagine what it’s like to feel like them, experience what they experience, struggle with what they struggle with, have the problems they have.

So what does this have to do with bipolar disorder? Try to imagine those people who you don’t think understand what you’re going through.

Maybe you don’t think they have much compassion toward you. They probably don’t, because they haven’t imagined what it’s like to be in your shoes, go through what you go through, experience your problems and struggles, etc.

It’s up to you to educate them. You have to educate other people on bipolar disorder because they aren’t going to learn it on their own.

They need to be willing, too, to take the focus off themselves and to imagine what it’s like to be
someone who has bipolar disorder, and to feel compassion for that person.

Compassion can be learned. It’s the recognition that other people’s problems, their frustration and pain, are every bit as real as our own – and many times even worse. It means stopping being selfish.

Compassion is something you can develop with practice. You get better with it over time. If you have it in your heart, it will come out in your actions.

Like me, for example. I’m not bragging, believe me, really, I’m not. I’m just using myself as an example. I mean, I sure don’t do what I do for the money, because I’m no millionaire!  But I do care about people who have bipolar disorder.

So I have compassion toward people with the disorder. So I volunteer at several bipolar support groups. That’s the action part.

Being compassionate is who you are. Having compassion is what you do about it. When you see that your loved one is struggling about something and it tugs at your heartstrings, that’s compassion. Then the action part is what you do about it.

You can go to them and ask how you can help them. You can just be there for them. You can be supportive in any number of ways. You can simply be a good listener for them.

Maybe there are specific ways in which they need your help. Maybe there are certain things you can do for them.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews705/

Sleep drunkenness disorder may affect one in seven
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Aberrant reward processing likely to precede bipolar symptom onset
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Children of Bipolar Parents Have Increased Novelty-Seeking and Impulsivity
DO> You’ll find this interview informative.

Optimal personalised treatment improves bipolar life quality, functioning
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

Aberrant reward processing likely to precede bipolar symptom onset
DO> This study makes an important point.

Type 2 diabetes adds to hospital mortality risk in bipolar patients
DO> These results make you think, don’t they?

Middlesex University student invents gadget to help bipolar sufferers
DO> This device could help your loved one.

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews705/

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

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

Did you ever have a time in your life when things were going along a certain way, but then all of a sudden things changed? For example: You had plans for a certain career, but then found yourself in a totally different career than the one you had foreseen yourself in?

Or…Had you imagined marrying a certain type of person, but found yourself instead married to a completely different type of person than the one you imagined you would marry?

These are just examples. But you get what I mean. The thing is…We can’t plan for every eventuality in life. Sometimes, no matter what we do, the unexpected happens. Things change.
And there’s nothing we can do to help that.

There’s something important you need to know about bipolar disorder, in case your doctor didn’t tell you. Bipolar disorder can change. There are different kinds of bipolar disorder. And you can be diagnosed with one type of bipolar disorder, but as you get older, you can actually end up with a different type of bipolar.

Here’s a case study: Sylvia had bipolar disorder for most of her life, but wasn’t diagnosed with it until she was older. When she went into bipolar episodes, she always went into manic episodes,
though. She never experienced the bipolar depressions she heard so much about.

However, when she was well into her 60’s, Sylvia experienced a bipolar depressive episode that thoroughly confused her, since she had never had one before. It was a particularly bad one, where she couldn’t even get out of bed for three weeks.

When she eventually came out of it, she asked her psychiatrist about it, and he said that since she was older now, her bipolar disorder had changed. They went over her triggers and found out that, in fact, her age did have something to do with her depression.

——————————————————————————————————————–

Here’s the thing about aging and bipolar disorder. As you get older, there are other issues that affect you other than just your bipolar disorder, but that can contribute to a bipolar episode.

For one thing…You’ve heard of “senior moments,” right? Where you start to have memory problems as you get older? Some people do get depressed over that issue.

Another thing that can lead to depression in older adults is not being able to do the things they used to do just because of the aging process itself. At first there can be a sense of denial, and they might still try to do those things…But then get frustrated when they find that they can no longer
do them.

There might even be some anger before there is the inevitable acceptance. Or they might experience depression, especially if they have bipolar disorder.

The “Empty Nest Syndrome” can contribute to a bipolar depressive episode, too. As children get older and leave home, your role changes, and that can cause problems, even making you depressed if it’s hard for you to accept the new change and the fact that your children (and you) are getting older.

Physical illnesses beset older people more frequently as well, and that can be a cause for depression. There are normal things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol that older people have to contend with, but there is also the fear of stroke and heart attack as well.

All these things can combine to give a person with bipolar disorder the risk of having a bipolar depressive episode even if they’ve never had one before.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave