Bipolar Warning: Don’t ask the wrong people for help

==>>Help with ALL aspects of bipolar disorder<<==
Check out all my resources, programs and information
for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/catalog.asp

Hi,

How’s it going?

I don’t have much time today because
I have a whole lot of things to do.

Let’s jump into today’s topic.

I have gotten my emails from people
totally frustrated with trying to help
their loved one with bipolar disorder.

One theme that I hear is that nobody
in the mental health system knows anything
about how to help them. People feel
essentially that most people in mental
health are totally clueless.

Ever find yourself in this situation?
You have a bunch of problems related
to bipolar disorder and you just
can’t get answers.

I find that when you are feeling like this,
you have to look at a few things. Here
are some of them:

1. Do you have a list of pressing problems
that needs solutions written down AND prioritized?

2. Are your problems specific?

3. Are you asking the right people?

Most people violate number 1 and
2. That is, they really don’t know which
problems they really have and they are not
prioritized or organized at all.

Finally of the people that do have steps
1 and 2 completed, they are NOT asking
the right people for advice/help.

This is a huge mistake that leads to
a whole lot of trouble.

Many questions get directed to doctors
and many times doctors can only answer
questions related to specific things
about bipolar disorder like bipolar
treatment issues, bipolar medications
or generally questions about bipolar disorder.

But there are so many things that are related
to bipolar disorder that aren’t in the list
I just mentioned.

Things like:

-How to get a loved one to take medication
-How to get a loved one into treatment that doesn’t
want to go
-How to get a loved one on disability
-How to get a loved one a job
-What to do when a loved one has been discriminated
against because of his/her’s bipolar disorder
-How to get out of d.ebt because of bipolar disorder
-How to afford bipolar medication when there is no health
insurance
Etc.

These types of questions, doctors many times don’t
have answers.

I actually should say right now:

I am NOT a doctor, therapist, insurance person,
lawyer and any kind of professional. I am just giving
my opinion. You should question any thing that
I say. I provide opinions that are good starting
points for you to do further research. I never
want anyone to believe that I am a doctor because
I am NOT one and that’s why I say this so many
times.

Okay done with the disclaimer and back to my point.

But I find that frustration sets in when people
wind up asking the wrong people things that
they can’t answer or can’t answer well.
Some people can answer but provide such
complex answers or ones far too vague
to be useful.

The bottom line is, you really need to carefully research
who can help you with the questions that you have.
And you should ask potential people you might
think can help you a question like, “How much
experience do you have with [what ever pressing
problem you have]”

By asking this simple question to who ever
you think might be able to help you enables
you to gauge whether or not they
can indeed help you.

I have also found that many times you have to look outside
the mental health industry to get answers/solutions
to your questions or problems. This is kind of confusing
but let me try to explain.

Okay, there was a time that my mom came home
from the outpatient program and her insurance
ran out. They basically said she was out of the
program and needed to find a new doctor IMMEDIATELY.

As a side note, I will never forget how stressed
out when this problem was dumped on me.

Anyway my dad panicked. He went to the phone
book and looked for doctors. He called 3. Nobody answered.
He left messages.

He waited a hour for a call back and then looked
depressed and said, and I will never forget this,
“I guess there aren’t enough doctors to go around.”

I then panicked. But I said, I have to do something
different. I called around to ask people in the mental
health field how to find a doctor. I heard the normal
stuff. Referrals. Phone book. Etc. People kind of
thought of it as a lottery. Maybe we would get a
good doctor for my mom, maybe not.

Anyway, it hit me that I had a system of finding
a great accountant. I could use this system
to find a great doctor. I outlined my system
to my dad. He thought it was crazy but said
let’s try. I called mental health professionals
and asked them. This one guy, laughed at me. He
ran an entire program. He told me there was
no way it would work.

I asked him if he had a better idea. He told
me to call into the phone book. Let me back up
and say that I actually did try this. I called
every doctor in the phone book. It was a nightmare.
I didn’t find anyone. It’s so hard to keep track
of who you called. In my opinion it’s almost
an “insane” way of finding a doctor but every
always says it as a good way.

Anyway, I adapted my system for finding an accountant
for finding a doctor and it’s was incredibly
successful. My mom had more than 8 highly qualified
doctors contact me and say they could help.

The only reason that I was able to make this
happen was because I had a specific goal in
mind–find a good doctor and I did NOT listen
to the people who could not help me. If I would
have, my mom probably would still not be better
today.

In my courses/systems below, if you got them, you
see how powerful my doctor finding system is.

SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11

SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com

HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net

And many people have commented that many of the
ideas and strategies are unheard of in the mental
health industry. The reason is because most of them
were invented by me or borrowed from other
people in other areas and they were adapted into
mental health. When I first started helping
my mom, I found most of the mental health
system made no sense and was backwards. I kind
of felt like it was from the dark ages.

The key decision I made was to never ask the
wrong people for help. Never listen to people
who have no clue and to constantly try to
think outside the box and realize that most of
the common solutions to problems with bipolar
disorder don’t work well at all so you have
to look else where.

Another tip is to find people who have
already learned what you have learned. This is
how I got my start on how to find health insurance
for my mom. I found one lady that had one key starting
piece of information on how to get discount medication.
It was her idea that really helped me formulate my
entire “cafeteria” approach to getting affordable
health insurance.

Well I have to run. I hope this all makes sense
to you.

Your Friend,

Dave

P.S. Don’t forget to take a look through the
different programs I’ve put together… each one is designed
to help you with a different area of bipolar disorder whether
you have it or you are supporting someone with it.
You can see them all and get the details by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/catalog.asp

P.P.S. Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/

P.P.P.S Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can’t learn anywhere else.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com

  1. Ok, I have written you before about your valuable information. Yes, I am grateful you are informing people without the skills or know how to attain this info on their own. And yes, much of what you say or suggest is valid. I know being the mother of two (now) adult children with bipolar am all for people being informed so their loved ones get the adequate care. I am also grateful for your encouragement for supporters of the mentaly ill. BUT, it grieves me that people have to pay for in dribs and drabs…How about, if your information is that valuable (and I do believe most of it is.) Just write a book and be done with it. If it is that good word will get around and it will be a bestseller and you’ll be set for life. Not only will your information get out, but once it catches on, just think of all the people you will help. You may even get a spot on Opray. I am not being sarcastic, but for real, isnt it too much trying to email and discuss all this via the web. Belive me I will buy your book too. I would love to be able to share and compare notes. I could write a book as well. I am sure most supporters of the mentally ill, who have been doing it sucessfully and sometimes learning by mistakes could too. I guess what I am trying to say is that your letters that go out everyday are cool and may give people incite into your world, as well as tidbits of info to help readers, I believe you would reach far more with a well written book with all the info gathered and the way you market your letter each day you clould market a book.
    Sorry so long winded…. Get a publisher… And start writing….Hang in there, I know our road is a difficult one…..m.v

  2. This is wonderful information. I’d like to also suggest that clashing realities continue even after our loved ones with bipolar disorder are in treatment and using the appropriate medications. I have looked back over my own journal and see my sadness, confusion, and sense of defeat. I, too, was ill because of the different belief systems I was trying to “see” and understand.

    Would you consider creating a free bipolar support group online?

    Thank you for (as mentioned the other day) your willingness to take a call in the wee hours of the morning. The situation for the one calling must have seemed dire and quite hopeless for such an imposition to have occurred. Thank you for the material. We each have to take it, use it, and continue to learn other information for our own particular relationship situation. This is a terrific help.

  3. Please Note.

    I am NOT willing to take calls in the the middle of the night. My phone just happened to be on at that time. But I can not and do not want to get calls that late.

    Dave

  4. I agree with MAria. It would be useful to have all those ideas summed up in a book.
    You can always open and read the relevant and much needed chapter in a book, whereas if information is divided into sections, it will take a long time for me to get information on the topic that really interests me at the moment.

  5. David:
    I find your communications to be informative, applicable and quite complete in nature.

    Nonetheless, I have never seen you address a problem I face. I can’t be the only one. In fact I am certain many untreated bipolar affected individuals are incarcerated as a result.

    What does a person do to get help with legal issues related to their untreated bipolar disorder. If one can’t avoid incarceration, how can they receive treatment while under state corrections or federal prison supervision.

    I am in trouble with nonviolent bipolar episode issues. I and others need your help.

    Faithfully,
    Stephen

  6. Maria! Dave has ALREADY written a NUMBER of books. I have one on treatment for bipolar sufferers, for which I paid a pretty penny. He advertises these books on his website. Just go to bipolarnews.net, and there are many links.

    Dave is right; there are some questions that a psychiatrist is not equipped to answer. I see my shrink for 15 minutes every 3 months for regulation of medication, treatment plans, identifying hypomania or depression, etc., meaning “physical” problems that medications can help, as she is the one who prescribes.

    For all other problems, I see a psychotherapist every other week, who helps me with daily decisions, ways to handle my illness in relationships, following my treatment plan, etc. There are just some things the shrink doesn’t have TIME to address; that’s where support groups or cognitive therapists come in.

    If you are lucky enough to have a Community Mental Health Center, as I am, then direct your questions to the RIGHT person…

    BIG HUGS, and God’s blessings on all.

  7. I have found out first hand that most psychiatrists are only in their business to write out prescriptions. Sure, some will listen and empathize, but their main job is trial and error with medicine. That is all and well, but everyone needs a good therapist. My son and I have a wonderful psychotherapist.

    As for not being able to afford medicine, due to any reason, go to NeedyMeds.com. I guarantee there is help there from different drug companies. I take Lamictal, which is around $275.00. The income allowance is high, so try to get meds there if help is needed. These drug companies help with many different meds and it does burn me up to know that the drug companies mark up everything 300%.

    Have a good day everyone.

  8. Wrong people? Who are the right people? So many have been diagnosed with this disorder, the psychatrists & psychologists are probably being diagnosed with it themselves and just say, “Hey, I think you need some meds, here ya go, see you in a month or two, thanks for the three-hundred dollar check!” HA! That’s just my take on that…on the book thing, good idea David. You would probably make a mint on that, as well as everyone here who has their own stories, conclusions, experiences, and life traumas associated with Bipolar Disorder. I think we should all put our lives together somehow in one book and we’ll all make out! How’d that be? I’m in…well, sounded good.

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