Bipolar: The First Step to Success

Hi,

You know, many people look at my mom’s story and ask, “What’s the secret? How did she do it?” After thinking about this question for many months, I have identified the key to her success with bipolar disorder. It was the fact that she accepted that she had bipolar disorder and she took the diagnosis very seriously. I think that’s the first step to success with bipolar disorder. You can’t do anything else until you first do what my mom did. If you look at most people who DON’T manage their bipolar disorder successfully, you find they do not accept that they have this disorder. You also find they do not take their bipolar disorder seriously at all. These individuals continually pretend they do not have bipolar disorder. They almost never learn anything about bipolar disorder and how it is successfully treated. This is a HUGE mistake!

From the tens of thousands of people on my mailing list all over the world, from speaking with the individuals that work for me who have bipolar disorder, and from talking to many people that I meet at all the places where I do volunteer work for those that are supporting people with a mental illness, I have come to the conclusion that you absolutely must come to terms with bipolar disorder. You must realize that you do, in fact, have the disorder and that it is not going to simply go away. This is the only way you are going to be able to successfully manage this disorder and your life.

But you can lead a completely productive life if you want to. But not until you take the first step.

The choice is your loved one’s if they have bipolar disorder. They can choose to accept the fact they have bipolar disorder or not. Once they accept that they have the disorder, it paves the way for the next steps toward stability. They can choose to learn more about it. They can choose to follow a treatment plan prescribed by their doctor and/or therapist. The choices are theirs, remember.

They can keep following the steps to stability. They can keep learning – not just educate themselves, but educate others. Keep taking their medication (without fail, no matter what), and seeing their doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist whenever they have those appointments.

Following the steps means doing everything they have to do to stay stable. Keep a good sleep schedule. Exercise. Eat a healthy diet. Stay productive. Keep a mood chart or write in a journal.

Have a good social life, and do things that they enjoy. Spend time with family and friends.

Don’t isolate, because that can lead to a bipolar episode. You know the steps they have to take.

These steps keep them healthy. These steps keep them stable. Unfortunately, if they choose not to follow this path, they will probably end up as one of the sad stories of people who wind up doing something really bad to someone or something or wind up killing themselves.

Someone once said that the longest journey begins with one small step. The first step to stability begins with accepting that they have bipolar disorder. Then they can take the other steps.

If they already have, they should never stop doing them. It can mean the difference between stability and instability.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

 

Dave

 

  1. Hi David,
    I have been reading you blog posts for quite some time now. My husband was diagnosed as bipolar about ten years ago. He was put on some drug for people that have seizures. It did no good whatsoever. He then quit taking them because he did not believe that he was bipolar. Our marriage has almost broken up several times because of his abusive language, fits of rage etc. He had a terrible fit of rage a few months ago and finally filled out a intake form to our mental hospital here in Ottawa, Canada because he has lost track of his phyciatrist. He was no good anyhow. So, my point is, I phoned them yesterday and they said it will take up to TWO YEARS possibly to see him. You cannot get an appointment with a phyciatrist here without a referral and even then it take years. So, what is one to do. He gets very violent sometimes as well. I am ready to throw in the towel. My Father – God Bless him was also bipolar but he was not violent or abusive. What would you suggest that I do. Joanne

  2. Hi
    My husband have diagnosed with Bipolar after we lost everything and he lost all relations..But still he did not accept it and suffring.I want to help him but cant do anything..

  3. Hi!

    I believe you are very close to “truth” up there! I know because of your blog. I am 37 years old and my friend Marie gave me a digital camera and a collection of movies one named “to ____ on ___ 37th birthday”. Well I find this very coincidental as this is the first time, I am knowing my father – that age is very significant to me for many reasons. I have been working with a young lady who was recently admitted her tenants possess “asperger” and sometimes their “energetic field” comes into her field and she was very lucky never to have exibited “rage”, “fits” or “anger” and it’s because of her personal convictions of not letting the sun set in a provoked state. Marie is a peacemaker and has always been identified as a genuine Child of God; which makes her gift so awesome. This weekend I will not only be attending a communion but I am meeting my Dad for the first time. Can lightning really strike twice?

    God Bless Marie always

  4. Joanne,
    What do they do with your Husband in the 2 years it takes for him to see a quack?
    Do they lock him up and drug him whilst they wait as they would do so here in Australia, have 1 quack see him for a moment then drug him out of his mind, or worse ECT him? ECT think they mostly do that to women and the elderly mainly. For depression. I seen one woman in her 20’s she had a course of ECT, she ended up like she had been hit on the head hard. She walked wrong, spoke with a drool, looked smashed…
    Did you know the placebo is as good or better than most “antidepressants.” Antidepressants lead to sucicide, mass murder… So they are not effective. Same as psych drugs lead to psych behaviour.
    I feel sorry your husband is an angry man, perhaps anger management? Swearing don’t hurt no-one some people just swear a lot anyhow, I have a cousin who swears a lot, though he don’t mean anything by it.

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