Hi,

Today I want to talk about something that you may not think about, but that can make a big difference in your life and the life of your loved one.

First, let me tell you a story:

There were two girls. One was raised by parents who were very wealthy. She was very spoiled. She got everything she wanted, did anything she wanted to do, and went anywhere she wanted to go. She never had limits set for her, so as an adult, she never learned respect for other people. She just learned that she should get whatever she wanted out of life – she had learned to expect

that. She got very angry when other people did not do what she wanted them to do.

The other girl was raised by parents who were not very rich, and she was by no means spoiled.

However, all her needs were met, and she grew up in a loving home environment. She learned

to respect other people but even moreso, she learned to respect herself. She knew that she couldn’t make anybody else do what she wanted them to do, that they would do what they wanted to do. She learned that she may not get everything she wanted out of life, but that if she set goals and worked hard enough, she could meet them and be happy in life.

So what does this story have to do with bipolar disorder? It has to do with how content you can be in life, whether you have the disorder or are supporting someone who does.

Look around you. Are you surrounded by many things (belongings)? Things to which you’ve formed attachments? Maybe these things mean more to you than your relationships with people. That can happen when your priorities get out of order. Like with the spoiled girl who was raised by the wealthy parents and got everything she wanted with no limits.

If you are the supporter to a loved one with bipolar disorder, and you do not set limits on their behavior, they will learn that they can do whatever they want and get away with it. That is not being respectful. That is not showing you respect, and is probably not being respectful even to themselves.

Your loved one needs to know that your relationship and the way they treat you is more mportant than the things that you own.

Look around you. If you have too many “things,” than perhaps you need to get rid of some of them. Maybe you need to simplify your lives. Send those things to Goodwill… Or try to sell them on the Internet… Or have a yard sale…

But consider that they may be cluttering up your lives as much as they are cluttering up your home. They can also be influencing your loved one and their bipolar disorder. Your loved one’s home environment should be simple and stress-free. The less things around, the better.

It should be warm and inviting. You could have some photographs around, as that will help your loved one to remember family attachments. Perhaps some bookshelves with some books on

it if your loved one (or you) likes to read as a hobby. If there is too much furniture in the room, it can seem overwhelming to them, so you may want to consider getting rid of some of it.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave