Hi,

Do you know about the war in Syria? About what’s going on over there right now? It’s not good, let me tell you, any way you look at it. But let me ask you: Do you agree with it? What do you think we should do? Do you think we should get involved with it? Why or why not? Some people think we shouldn’t get involved because it’s none of our business. Now, I’m not a general or anything…And I don’t even profess to know a great deal about military strategy. But I think we shouldn’t get involved because it would just open up a whole can of worms. And we don’t want to do that. It just wouldn’t make sense. And that’s what it’s all about – Doing what makes sense. Like with bipolar disorder. You just shouldn’t do what doesn’t make sense.

Just like I don’t have to be a great general to figure out that we could get ourselves into trouble if we go bombing Syria…You don’t have to be a great psychiatrist to figure out that if you or your loved one does things that don’t make sense, they are not going to get better.

First, let’s talk about your loved one. The absolute main thing to talk about is that it makes no sense at all for them not to take their medication. If they don’t take their medication, they will surely go into a bipolar episode, and that will just make them worse, not better. So it makes the most sense for them to take their medication.

It also makes sense for them to follow a treatment plan. That means going to see a doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist. They will have to see a doctor not just for their general physical well-being, but also because there are some bipolar medications that require blood tests to check for levels of the medication in the patient’s bloodstream. They will have to see a psychiatrist not just for follow-up of their bipolar disorder, but also for medication prescriptions. Although the general practitioner could also write prescriptions, he generally leaves it up to the psychiatrist to write prescriptions for diagnoses of mental disorders.

They will have to see a therapist for treatment of the ongoing issues surrounding their bipolar disorder. The therapist helps them deal with the day-to-day stress, for example, and can teach them stress management techniques. They may even see other mental health professionals,
according to their individual treatment plan. Some people with bipolar disorder have a social worker who helps them. Some have a case manager. Some who are married go to a marriage counselor, or a family therapist for counseling.

It also makes sense for your loved one to develop a strong support system. Some of these people may even be in their support system, if they choose. Their support system can also include family, friends, coworkers, support group members, church members, clergy, and anyone else they think might be able to help and support them when they need it. But it also makes sense that they tell the people in their support system what they need from them, as these people are not mind-readers. They want to help, but they may not know how, so they will need to be given direction from your loved one or yourself.

Secondly, let’s talk about you as the supporter. You need to do things that make sense as well.
If what you’re doing for your loved one is not working, or no longer working, you need to try something else. Try doing something that you’ve never done before. If that doesn’t work, then try something else. But do something that makes sense.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave