Bipolar? Lesson from Some Water

Hi,

How are you doing today?

I hope you’re doing good.

I was thinking about something today.

About water.

And about its three states:

4. liquid (to drink)

5. solid (ice cubes)

6. vapor (steam).

That’s about how far my physics knowledge of it goes, but it made me think of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder also has three states:

4. Depression

5. Mania

6. Normal

Whether you like your water to drink or for ice cubes, you do have a preference.

Just like you and your loved one both have the bipolar preference of the normal state.

But it’s not always easy to go with what you prefer.

Sometimes you have to do things the hard way.

There is no disputing that getting stable is hard work.

You just can’t lay back and expect it to fall in your lap.

So there are certain things you do to get you there.

For you, it’s being a good supporter and a good example to your loved one.

It’s being encouraging to them and rejoicing with them during normal periods.

It’s also sticking with them through their bipolar episodes and staying by their side.

For your loved one, stability can mean having to change their lifestyle, like 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:

http://www.survivebipolar.net

Stability is not just going to drop in your loved one’s lap.

They have to work to get it.

But once they do, you’ll both enjoy less episodes and more normal periods.

Like the 3 states of water and the 3 states of bipolar disorder, let’s consider the 3 biggest things on the list for getting stable:

4. Medication

5. Healthy diet and exercise

6. Sleep

Let’s take medication, for example.

If given a choice, I know that your loved one would rather not have to take all that medication.

They do have a choice, but there is only one RIGHT choice.

So they have to adjust their lifestyle to accommodate having to take medication for their bipolar disorder.

Ok, now let’s look at diet and exercise.

I’m not talking some crash diet or using pills to lose weight.

I’m talking about a lifestyle change.

Eating a healthy diet.

Your loved one should eat a healthy diet so they can be as physically fit as they are trying to be mentally fit.

Same goes for exercising, only with exercising you get a bonus:

Exercising activates the endorphins in your brain and give you a kind of “high” feeling – it makes you feel better.

Now let’s talk about sleep.

Your loved one should be getting 8-9 uninterrupted hours of sleep at night.

They should also go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.

If they lose sleep, it can be a trigger to a bipolar manic episode.

Too much sleep can indicate a bipolar depressive episode.

So good sleep habits are very important to the stability of your loved one.

Hopefully, your loved one is doing “best practices” (the 1,2,3 I just talked about).

If they are, you can look forward to some good stability.

How is your loved one doing?

  1. Very helpful due to fact that I was diagnosised bipolar, after many years, about two years ago. I also I have had anorexia. Healthy diet is not easy to eat. I have little information for eating healthy. I do my best to eat healthy. Thus, I understand that it is important to the normal state of emotional stability. Thanks, Linda

  2. Jason is doing pretty good. He still has not started medicines yet. That I am aware of. But he is calmer and he even has been able to talk without the ranting and raving. And when he starts…I let him just go at it and I listen. I try and listen more then give him advise and I try to always be there when He needs me.
    Some of the best advise you gave me was “that the ranting and venting has nothing to me. But I have also stopped him and let him know that he can not talk to me the way he does or not to treat me a certain way and also let him know…all he is yelling about has nothing to do with me. He will tell me it does……but I know it does not. He is eating better and sleeping better too. I know he needs to get on meds. Which I keep praying he will do so. I know he has been seeing a Dr. And he takes some pill on a regular bases and I think he may have started something cause this last time was better and he seemed different. But I told him….I have been taking care of myself the alst year and he needs to do the same. Dr’s and Meds. And I have stuck with mine and he needs to do so too. So I think he might be changing…….keep your fingers crossed and all the prayers are needed……..thanks for your emails
    they help me so much…..

  3. This morning my daughter mentioned she was having a down day: and I didn’t pick up on what she said until it was almost too late. Just in time, I apologised for not being sensitive and asked how I could help: I praised her tenacity and courage ( as to the length of time she has been stable ie 5 weeks ) and then said – its normal to have down days but if she was worried she might want to see her counsellor if I wasn’t of any help
    the biggest lesson I’ve learn’t is that I can’t be everything for my daughter there are others in the mental health arena who are far more effective than me. and I’ve learn’t that being effective as a supporter is simple stuff – like treating my daughter normally, like being consistent and routine with everything I do and say.
    Like listening and not offering advice at every turn – maybe she just wants to sound out stuff and is not into asking for a response right now.
    Like finding the simple ways of reminding my daughter about her medication_ sometimes I just make a big huff and puff about the amount of medication I take for my heart ( I take up to 6 types of pills a day) and allow her to remind me about my pill taking.
    I’ve had to learn to do simple tasks simply to be an effective supporter
    any way Dave you serve to remind me every day about my role as a supporter- and one of those tasks( I have learn’t) is just to be there positively.
    Regards
    Shona

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