Hi, how’s your day going? I hope it is a good one.

Have you ever heard those jokes – the ones where two people walk into a bar? Two therapists walk into a bar. The first says, “Do you come here often?” The second says, “Only on my crazy days.”

These jokes are usually funny, but there’s something to be said of them, too. There are always two people interacting with each other.

Interaction can be a healing time for anyone, helping them regain perspective on the world and on themselves. It can be a time to make new friends or to enjoy spending time with the ones you already have. It can even be a time when a supporter gets to finally be supported themselves.

Everybody needs it. Unfortunately, not all supporters get the interaction they need and deserve. Sometimes we let ourselves forget about our own needs when we’re too busy focusing on the needs of our loved one.

Did you know it’s very difficult to take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself first?

Interaction can help in many ways. It can give you feedback on what you could be doing better as a supporter. Spending time with friends and family can give you the strength to go back to your loved one with the patience and care you want to show them. You can learn things from interaction better than you can from being alone, both things about yourself and things about the world around you.

It can be a time to focus on yourself and on how you can enjoy life. It can be a time to grow in the different aspects of yourself and your life. It can even be a healing time when you feel hurt or alone. Friends and family can help you know you are loved and appreciated and that you have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.

Even basic interactions are helpful. Ever stood in line at the grocery store and the person ahead of you started talking to you about the price of groceries? Or maybe the weather? This may be “small talk” and may seem irrelevant, but it can still be a good thing. It gives you a chance to talk to someone that you will probably never meet again about things that you may or may not be interested in.

It is a good time to practice your interpersonal skills. We all need practice at them, even if it is just to keep up the skills we already have.

Interaction is also important with you and your loved one. If all you ever talk about is their illness, then it can be exhausting for both of you. If you make the effort to enjoy time well spent with them, it can help ease tensions and give you both the skills you need to deal with their illness.

Want to know a secret? It may even be fun.

Interaction is good for your loved one, too. When they get a chance to interact with other people they can get feedback on their behaviors which can help them learn to counteract their symptoms. They may have heard from you a hundred times or more that they are being jittery and not paying attention. But when they hear it from someone else they may realize that it is true.

There are times when you need to be apart from your loved one. Maybe you can interact with your family and friends so that you can refresh yourself to deal with them better when you get back to them. There are also times when it might be a good idea to bring them with you, so you can both enjoy some time with each other and with other people. These can both be good opportunities to fulfill your needs as a person and to get feedback on your thoughts and actions.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were in one of those jokes? A person with bipolar disorder and their supporter walk into a bar.

What happens next? Do they meet new people? Do they enjoy a couple glasses of orange juice and exchange punch lines? Ultimately only they can decide.

Only you can decide if your choose to interact with people and meet your own needs.

There are many ways to do so. What are the ways that you can interact with people today?

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave