Hi,
How are you today?
I hope you’re doing well.
Well, football season is here again.
It made me think of the expression, “all geared up.”
That’s what they call it when they’ve got all their gear on and are psyched up to play the game.
Well, I think we can use that expression for bipolar disorder too.
You need to be all geared up for the game – in other words, the battle with bipolar disorder.
You should be psyched up about the fact that you can help your loved one to manage it.
It may not seem like a possibility right now, but think toward the future.
Stability is just waiting for them.
But, like with football, they can’t win the game just by being geared up.
They still have to play the actual game, and play it hard, play it the best that they can.
Then they can hope to win.
But they have to go in with an attitude that says they ARE going to win, or else they won’t do as
well.
That’s what being psyched up is.
Believing that you’re going to win.
And we can apply that to bipolar disorder as well.
In fact, you are kind of like your loved one’s cheerleader.
Cheering them on toward recovery and stability.
Making sure they take their medication.
Insuring that they go to all their appointments with their doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist.
Making sure they get enough sleep.
Helping them stick to a healthy diet.
These are some of the suggestions that I talk about in my courses/systems:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
You are part of your loved one’s team.
A major part of their support system.
Without a strong support system it’s almost impossible to reach stability and “win the game.”
It’s just too much to do it by yourself.
Now, a football game consists of certain “plays” that force that football down to the end zone
for a touchdown.
It takes time to do that.
That’s why they have all those annoying commercials!
Each play has to be coordinated.
They have to have a strategy.
And that’s what you have to have with bipolar disorder, too.
A strategy.
You don’t want the other team (the bipolar disorder) to win.
So you need to develop ways to beat it.
Strategies in place.
For example, you need to know what you’re going to do in advance if your loved one goes
into an episode.
You need to have a strategy for that.
It is carefully placed strategies that win football games…
And it’s strategies that will win your battle against bipolar disorder.
Can you see how bipolar disorder can be compared to a football game?
And don’t you want to be on the winning team?
Post responses below
My name is Christine,and I have a 19 year old daughter that was disgonised with bipolar. I need some feed back on how to handle things. My daugher was on zyprexa and that made her sleep all day; and know her medicine was just changed to abillaphi and she has engery now durning the day and does function well, but she still has no motivation to do anything, She is still laying in the bed all day and won’t do anything else. I’ve to d her may she needs to find a part time job or find something to do during the day.It’s like when I talk with her she so defenseive and like, she has all this anger inside, and is very easily annoyed with me talking with her.I need to know how to handle things.
Dear Dave,
Have just read your email and I remember the beginning of the turn around for my daughter Rachel: the day she was receptive to the fact she had bipolar and she needed to do something about that was the day she started to stabilize- no it didn’t happen over night in fact it took close to 1 1/2 years at the end of that period Rachel finally climbed out of the horribe tragedy she was in : With the help of great mental health professionals at Frameworks ( and believe me the commited supporter has to hunt for those kinds of professionals who are dedicated and absolutely convinced their patients will get better: I do believe I yelled a lot to get someones attention because at that stage my daughter was totally suicidal) Rachel survived and went on to become stable – and yes we do have a plan if and when she has an episode again .It is so necessary, to protect and support Rachel and protect and support her children to not have a plan would be unthinkable.
I don’t take anything for granted any more there is just too much at stake.
My daughter has been 6 months satble she holds down a position at Auckland University and she has started contemplating returning to part time study to gain expertise in research and IT.She is a “Frameworks” Success story – I am very proud of her.
Thank you for showing the way Dave- your emails are inspirational.
REgards
shona