Hi,

Have you seen this show called “Undercover Boss” yet? It’s on cable TV. Well…On this show, the CEO or boss of a company puts on a disguise and goes undercover in his/her own company to try to find out what’s really going on behind the scenes. It’s amazing what some people will say when they don’t know they’re talking to the boss! But the CEO/boss does this so that they can stay on top of things. Do you know how the smartest people know so much? They stay on top of things. Do you know how the richest people stay rich? They stay on top of things. Do you know how the most successful people stay so successful? They stay on top of things, too. That’s the secret for all of these people: Staying on top of things. But it’s a secret that you can learn, too. You need to stay on top of things.

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. Stay on top of their medications, too. Keep a watch on whether they are still effective or not. This is important. Because some medications reach a level where they are no longer effective. At that point, the medication needs to be changed. And you can help spot this if you stay on top of things.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave