Hi,

Remember those old TV shows that had robots in them? (This was before we had the current computer generated imaging with its perfect robots that don’t make any mistakes or anything).
I’m talking about like back when the show The Jetsons was on, if you can remember that far back, or have seen reruns on TV.

So what I’m getting at is if something went wrong with the robot, and it got “stuck,” and it would just keep repeating the same thing over and over again, like a broken record. And everyone would think it was hilarious!

Well, we know that nobody’s perfect. But we’re not robots, either. And when someone goes into a bipolar episode, they don’t just keep repeating the same phrase over and over again, now, do they? That would be ridiculous. But they CAN repeat the same bipolar behavior over and over again.

Over time, you can learn what your loved one’s episode triggers are. Triggers are situations or events that can “trip” or cause your loved one to go into a bipolar episode. Like the Jetsons robot I referred to at the beginning of this post. A sort of “glitch” that can get them caught up. A trip wire, so to speak.

Like, say, your loved one does not do well around crowds. If you take them to a family reunion or a big wedding reception, this could be a trigger for them to go into a bipolar episode. Or stress could be a trigger to an episode for your loved one, so you need to avoid situations or events
that can cause stress for them.

Lack of sleep is one of the biggest triggers to a bipolar episode for people who have the disorder, so it’s especially important to maintain a good sleep schedule. So it’s very important not only to know your loved one’s bipolar episode triggers, but to watch for them. But it’s just as important to be aware of their personal signs and symptoms of episodes.

There are general signs and symptoms of bipolar depressive and manic episodes that everyone should know, but not everyone with bipolar disorder will experience all of these signs and symptoms. So you should be aware, over time, of which ones your loved one exhibits when they are heading for a bipolar episode.

In other words, what might look like just “tired” to someone else, might signal a bipolar depression to you, since you know your loved one so well. And, knowing their pattern, you can help them do something about it before it goes on too long and gets out of control.

If they seem confused or disoriented, or their thought patterns unusual, you should know that this could be a sign of a bipolar episode for them. It might not be for someone else, but if it is for them, you should be able to jump into action and know what to do to avoid a full-blown bipolar episode for your loved one.

Sometimes, it’s normal to have a burst of energy. It’s great sometimes – it helps you to get things done. But for your loved one, it might indicate the beginning of a bipolar manic episode. Over time, by studying their repetitive bipolar behavior, you will learn that. You will know which is episodic behavior for them and which is not. Yes, a burst of energy may not be indicative of an episode. But in another case it might be. Only you can know the difference for your loved one
because of their past repetitive behaviors.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave