Hi, how’s it going? I hope it’s going well for you today.
You know how the smartest people know so much? They stay on top of things. You know how the richest people stay rich? They stay on top of things. You know how the best business owner gets the most business? He stays on top of things. And do you know how the best bipolar supporters become the best? They stay on top of things, too. That needs to be you.
For one thing, you need to stay knowledgeable about bipolar disorder. With information so plentiful, it should be easy to stay on top of the news and latest research on bipolar disorder. But you have to make the effort, and you have to take the responsibility. Anything new that you can learn might help your loved one to get better, you never know. So stay on top of things.
Stay in contact with your loved one’s medical and mental health professionals. Make sure there is a signed Medical Release of Information form on file at all of them, giving them permission to talk to you. Then periodically “check up” on your loved one to see how they think your loved one is really doing. This is especially important if you notice that your loved one is behaving differently from their normal self. How will you know? Well, you’ll have to stay on top of things.
Be observant of your loved one’s behavior, so that you can tell at the first sign of any kind of
irrational behavior as soon as it starts. Especially if your loved one is hallucinating or having delusions. These are easy enough to spot.
As their supporter, it is your responsibility to stay on top of things when it comes to your loved one. Because you know them best… And because you know so much about bipolar disorder…
And if you stay on top of things… You could very well mean the difference between them being
treated at home or in the hospital.
If you can catch an episode before it begins or even as it first starts, you can get your loved one the help they need before they go into a full-blown bipolar episode.
You just have to stay on top of things!
Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave