Hi,
How’s it going?
I hope you’re doing ok today.
You know, some things are to be expected in life.
Like in winter, you can expect that people are going to get the flu.
You can expect that if you work at a job, that you will get a paycheck.
You can expect that if you pay your rent or mortgage, you will have a house to live in.
(You can also expect that at some point, you will have to make repairs to that house, however.)
Same with your car –
You can expect that if you keep up the payments, you will have a car to drive.
(You can also expect that at some point, you will have to make repairs to that car, however.)
Well, it’s the same with bipolar disorder.
You can expect certain things when your loved one has the disorder.
On the one hand, if they are doing what they should be doing to attain stability, then you can
expect that they will get stable.
These are the things 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:
On the other hand, if they are not doing the right things, you can expect that they will not
get stable.
But let’s just concentrate on the positive side of things.
If your loved one is taking their medication like they’re supposed to, you can expect that the medication will work and help them become stable.
If they are going to all their appointments – doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist – then you can
expect there to be progress there.
If they are eating right, you can expect them to be healthy.
If they are exercising, you can expect that they will stay in shape physically.
If they are sticking to a good sleep schedule, then you can expect that they will have good
days, without the mania from lack of sleep.
Unfortunately, sometimes you don’t always get what you expect.
Bipolar disorder is just sneaky like that.
Your loved one could be doing everything right and still go into an episode.
So you can expect that with bipolar disorder, there will be setbacks.
If your loved one is keeping a journal and/or a daily mood chart, however, you can most likely see the pattern as it approaches so you can avoid a full blown episode.
However, if your loved one does go into an episode, you should know what to expect then, as well, because you’ve experienced it in the past.
You can expect that they are going to exhibit certain behaviors, like they have before.
Which actually gives you an advantage, because what they’ve done before, they will do
again, and you can be prepared.
If you do what you need to do as far as being a supporter to your loved one, then you can
expect that they will feel that support.
And if enough time has passed, and your loved one has continued to take their medication, see their therapist, and do the other things they need to do to attain stability, you can expect that they will, indeed, someday be stable.
What are some of your expectations?
Post responses below
Having no 24/7 live-in Supporter, I’m pretty much on my own as far as recognizing triggers to a manic episode. However, I KNOW that if I become promiscuou sexually, stay up all hours of the night partying, start drinking again, and missing doses of my meds – I WILL go into an episode. But – these are the SIMPLE triggers. It’s the insidious nature of bipoar that even if I follow Dave’s treatment plan, an episode COULD sneak up on me regardless of how I take care of myself and DON’T experience any of these triggers. I fear that with the vertigo lasting so long, there will be some sort of “pay back” with the bipolar eventually. If not for what new drug they may prescribe, but just for the frustration I’m experiencing with being dizzy 24/7.
I’m somewhat “stable” now, but who knows what can/will happen in the future? All I can do is hang in there and pray that I remain episode-free throughout this siege.
BIG HUGS to all bipolar survivors and those who love us. May God bless you real good. I pray for my country.
Sometimes Dave I expect way too much from my daughter ( shes been stable for 6 months) : when I notice my daughter retreating to her bedroom and staying there that’s when I realise I have gone too far and all I want to do is kick myself. I forget Rachel has been stable for only 6 months adn because to all accounts she looks and acts and petrforms normally I can forget she lives with Bipolar every day all day.
Its not about giving into her moods its about checking my own motives for the expectations I hold for my daughter and that kind of soul searching can be a little painful for me at times.
Other than that I expect my daughter to maintain control over her Bipolar by taking her meds seeing her doctor and counsellor byb taking care of her exercise regime and by getting plenty of sleep ( which she does )
Its nice to know thta when
BP strikes , because weve been there before those signs will be easy to see and Rachel knows I have her back and she will see it through and she will triumph yet again. I love my daughter she is a daily inspiration to me. Her children have rebonded with their mummy in a loving and caring way – it brings tears to my eyes to see them all frolic and roll around and laugh and read to each other I feel very blessed.
thankyouDave for your timely emails
regards
Shona
The psychiatrist told me that I have “tried all” of the SSRI’s, a few of the MAOI’s and now have the option of the older antidepressants or ECT. Since I am trying to keep my job and be as ‘stable’ as possible, I will not consider ECT.
When I was in the hospital in July, the therapist told me that no medication will help me. My depression is due to life circumstances.
I’ve given up on the community mental health center that I’ve been going to for over the past year. The psychologist would just listen to me cry and not say anything or give me any comfort or support. He said he did not know how to help me. I asked for a new therapist who was given preconceived thoughts about me from the previous psychologist. She told me that based on what she heard from the previous psychologist, she doubted that she could help me. Today, she told me to stop calling her and contact my insurance company for a list of other mental health providers.
I did find another therapist who is unfortunately retiring in May. I suppose it does not matter that he is retiring in six months because I have difficulty now forming any long-term trusting relationship with any psychologist. I have had a lot of bad experiences with psychologists and it seems that I get all of the bad ones.
The new psychologist gave me a sentence completion form and asked me to write a two-page narrative of my childhood up to age 18. I am having difficulty with this because all I can think about is now and what the future. I don’t want to go back to the past. I don’t think I had a bad childhood and doubt my depression started until seven years ago when my dad passed away. I don’t especially want to have my childhood psychanalyzed. What I really need is to have someone help me cope with today. I suppose I need to inform this psychologist how I really feel.
why is it my daughter spoils great events in our family? when her sister got married she had a major break three days before the wedding. She had another at my nephew’s wedding.