Hi.

Today is going to be an interesting
day for me. You remember how I had all
those problems with my printer who
made all the printing for my bipolar
disorder material? Well I am in the
process of moving to another printer.

NOTE-You can catch up on this story
by reading my blog at the end of this
email.

After I started to take all my business
away from the first printer, they realized
it seriously hurt their sales. Anyway,
to make a long story short, they (
like 5 people) want to talk about my leaving
and going to another printer. The meeting
is at 10:00am this morning.

Over the next few days, I am going to
tell you how I dealt with this printer
and why you will have to use the
SAME exact strategies when dealing
with the mental health system.

I used the same exact strategy with
the printer I used with my mom’s outpatient
program she was at. The one that wasn’t
wasn’t helping her.

You’re going to like it. But today
I want to tell you a quick story of
someone that I spoke to yesterday
in the store.

I was in the store, looking for some
stuff for my office. I was looking
for one of those “things” that you
can put a bunch of stacks of paper
in. I have no idea what it’s called
and I am sure that the people didn’t
like the fact I asked for a “thing.”

So anyway, I wound up mentioning
to someone that I had a number of websites
online related to disorders like bipolar
disorder and that I wanted to use this
thing to organize the papers and stack
them in groups vertically.

Someone overheard me and asked
if I am a psychiatrist. I told him
that I wasn’t a doctor, therapist,
lawyer, accountant, insurance agent,
dentist, etc.

He looked at me strange and I explained
why I tell people all the stuff that
I am not so they don’t get the
wrong idea that I am a doctor, lawyer,
therapist, ect. He said “oh I see.”

So then I gave him
the short version of why I know about
bipolar disorder. I told him about
my mom, the websites, my list, etc.
etc.

He was excited. He then pulled me ahead
and said that someone in his family
who he would not tell me who it was,
was in trouble.

Hmm. I listened. I told him I really
had to go but I would give him
5 minutes but he could send me a fax
later on and I would answer any non
medical and non legal questions.

He said fair enough. So he basically
told me how someone was having all this
trouble for years and how doctors
“suck” and therapists “steal money.”

Hmmm. I listened. He then said that
no one can “fix” his loved one
and it’s terrible. He said, “I know
you aren’t a doctor but what would
you do.”

I then asked him a series of questions
and since I have to go really soon
I will have to give you the short version
of the questions.

To make a long story short, he
did what I call “the dump off.”

THE DUMP OFF is BAD!

I told him all about the dump off
and explained what he should be doing.
He thought about it and said, “you
are so right, that makes total sense.”

You probably thinking, “Hmm
Dave, what the heck is the dump off.”

If you are new to my list you may
be thinking, “This guy sure is
odd, first he tells me about his
printer then he tells me a story
and then he uses a term which I have
never heard about or seen…Maybe
he’s crazy??”

I am not crazy. Actually crazy isn’t a
disorder either as a side note.

But let’s get back to the lesson.

The “dump off” is when a caregiver
takes a loved one with bipolar disorder
and simply “dumps” them off at a hospital,
group, doctor, or part of the mental
health system with NO follow up
and assumes the system will take
care of everything from a to z
and the caregiver or supporter has
to do nothing else.

I have NEVER ever seen or heard this
working well.

When you take someone to a doctor,
therapist, hospital, you can’t dump
them off.

You have to follow up and follow through.

You have to stay on top of things. You know
now that I am writing this, I realize why
someone would think that the “professionals”
should do a good job and “handle” everything
from a to z. That’s the way it should be.

But the reality is, it’s NOT that way.

Instead of just dumping a loved one off
you should take them to where they
are suppose to go and then

-Ask questions

-Act like you are in the know and have ways to figure
out and verify any information given

-Check on things

-Report signs and symptoms you are seeing

-Make sure the person is in the 5% group not the
95% group.

-Make your loved one is NOT getting AL treatment. This
is a huge problem

-Demand proper treatment for your loved one

This is just a few things you have to be doing
as a caregiver of someone who has bipolar disorder.

I don’t have any kids. But I think with kids
you have to check on them and make sure they
are not doing bad things.

I do that myself with the people in the mental
health system. I am always checking. They
know it.

It’s NOT LIKE FIXING YOUR CAR

My blinker is blinking really, really, really
fast. And my back light is out. So I took my
car to the shop. Luckily for me, I got there
with only 7 miles left on my warranty. Great
for me. But anyway, I dropped my car off
and in one day it will be fixed. I don’t have
to do a lot of work to work with the car fixing
people.

Some people think that bipolar disorder is like
having a car fixed. Dump off your loved one
and then they are “fixed” in a certain period
of time without any assistant on the part of the
caregiver.

I have found this not to be true.

In all my courses/systems, people repeat this
theme over and over again talk about exactly
what to do.

SUPPORTING AN ADULT?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11

SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com

HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net

I have to get ready for my meeting. I will
write you more tomorrow. Have a great day.

Your Friend,

Dave

P.S. Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/

P.P.S Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can’t learn anywhere else.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com