==>>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? Hope all is well with you.

I got a very interesting email from someone that
said:

“I am wondering if anyone can help me
distinguish between a bipolar episode and
typical behavior?

Any advice and or suggestions would be
appreciated.”

I get this email a lot. I am actually
going to record a podcast about it
but in the meantime, I wanted to write
an email about it.

Now I will be the first to say, this is
a VERY complicated thing to explain
via email but I will try to do my best.

First let’s take a look at some of the
things that I have learned:

-People with bipolar disorder are allowed to have
emotions (anger, sadness, happiness, etc.)

-Everything isn’t bipolar disorder

-Some things are signs of a potential bipolar
episode and some things aren’t.

First I have found it takes time to figure out
what is bipolar and what is normal behavior.

The first step is to set a goal of trying to
figure out which is which. Some people, my dad
for many decades and currently my brother never
set this as a goal. As a result the struggled
to figure it out.

I set it as a goal about 3 months after my
mom was stable.

The second important point is to realize that
the longer you work on trying to figure this
out, the easier it is. So there is no instant
quick fix.

The next thing you do is when you have something
in question, you ask yourself:

What was the person like when you first met him/her
and how does this compare to what you are seeing
or hearing now.

How did the person act when you first met him/her and
how does this compare to what you are seeing or hearing
now.

How would you act in the situation you think may be
a sign of bipolar disorder.

In reference to the last point I just made, I remember
a few years ago when my brother’s wife’s brother
said something really stupid at Thanksgiving. He said
that people with bipolar disorder “have their wires
crossed.” He then went on to say other stupid
things.

My mom got mad but didn’t say anything at all. I was
SUPER MAD about it. I wanted to confront him but
my mom made me promise that I wouldn’t ruin Thanksgiving.

So after Thanksgiving, my mom got home and called her
sister (my aunt) to vent about it. My aunt called me
to ask if I thought my mom was going into another
episode and was this a sign.

I said no because a normal person without bipolar
disorder would have done the same thing. She agreed.
Make sense?

I remember this other time that someone cut
my mom off on the highway. And I guess the
person screamed at her as well and made
mean hand gestures. My mom told my dad and
myself about it and she was mad.

My dad asked if I thought she was going
into an episode. I then reminded him that
he gets mad at people if they don’t use
their blinker and he goes on and on and on
and on and on about it. My point to him
was, if you get cut off, screamed at, and
someone makes weird hand gestures at you,
it will probably make you mad. That’s normal.

Now if my mom had day after day of getting
into conflict or having these situations occur,
I might think that is an episode.

It’s really hard to write how I figure this all
out but I tried. I hope it makes sense.

In all my courses/systems, I talk about this at
length and go into it from a to z.

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

For me, after several years of supporting
my mom it’s rather easy for me to know
which is which these days.

But for my dad, it’s still difficult. I am not
sure why it’s so hard for him. Actually
I don’t think he really has made a commitment
to determine which is which. I think he just
figures he can ask me 🙂

Now another point. When people with bipolar
disorder go into episodes they may misperceive
what is going on and relay things that are not
true…otherwise known as lie.

Now if a person is normally honest but starts lying
then that means that probably is related to bipolar
disorder.

But on the flip side, if someone lies all the time,
then that’s their personality and is not bipolar
disorder.

The final thing you can consider is the bipolar
stability equation. If you look and see if all
the variables in the equation are okay and if
they are, and you are questioning a behavior,
it’s probably NOT related to bipolar disorder.

I hope this all make sense. I spent more than 1
hour trying to relay this in the best possible
way. I hope I didn’t confuse you.

I have to run.

Catch you tomorrow.

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

==>>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

Hey,

How are you today? I hope you had a
good day yesterday.

I want to ask you one simple question
right now. What do you think the single
worst thing you can do with a loved
one who is NOT stable and has
bipolar disorder?

I want to you think long and hard
and then scroll down for my answer.

Don’t cheat. Guess first and then scroll.

It’s to do absolutely nothing. It’s to be paralyzed.

There is a concept that I coined call bipolar
supporter paralysis.

What to do when you experience bipolar
supporter paralysis?

I think there are two steps. You need
to get away and clear your heard. Too
many times when you are trying to help
a loved one with bipolar disorder, you
are so close and so caught up in it
that you simply can’t think of anything
that will help or work.

Where can you go?

-The movies
-A friends
-The Park
-A walk
-In your car for a long drive
-A hotel for a night
-Somewhere that’s fun and gets your mind off things

Then after you have “cleared your head”,
you make a list of potential options
to deal with the most pressing problem
at hand.

SIDE NOTE: Sometimes we get caught up
in insignificant problems like, “I am
mad at the receptionist at my loved
one’s doctor because she lost
my power of attorney form.”

That actually happen to me and
I was so mad but then I was like, “Hey
after I fix the other important bipolar problems,
I can deal with this which is not that
significant.”

So don’t get caught up in the non important
things.

Now after you have your most pressing bipolar disorder
problem, start to make a list of potential solutions.

You get a blank sheet of paper or blank sheets
of paper and you start to list potential solutions
to your most pressing problem with bipolar disorder.

HERE’S AN IMPORTANT KEY

Your list of solutions has to be immediate and
free flow. Free flow means there is no restrictions
on what you write. You just write really fast.

WARNING!!!
Do not worry about grammar, spelling, what you are
saying or even if it makes any sense.

Now after you have your list, read your list,
then go to sleep. First thing in the morning, do
the exercise again. Then read your old and new list
together before bedtime and then do the exercise
again one last time.

If you do this you will find solutions to even
your greatest problems with bipolar disorder.

This technique helps to overcome bipolar supporter
paralysis which causes people.

Now one of the things that you can do is the following.
Get the course/system that is appropriate for you
and go through the entire thing from a to z.

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

Then what happens is the information is stored in
your head and using this process you wind up
having solutions to problems with bipolar
disorder that previously seemed impossible.

If anyone has gotten my course/system you know
I have a doctor finding system. The way I find
doctors was the result of this process. People
laughed at me when I said what I was going to
do but for those of you who followed the system,
you know it works and it works really well. Period.

Well I have to run. Catch you tomorrow. Have a great
day.

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

==>>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

Hey,

How’s it going? Hope you had a good day
yesterday.

I got a very interesting email from
someone who said to me:

“Dave, I swear that I am going crazy.
I have a loved one with bipolar disorder
and she acts really crazy. I seriously
had no idea whatt to do about it
until I found your sight…

Here is what she does that drives
me crazy. She says I am the one who
is sick. Everything that I tell her
she is doing, she tells me I am doing
and sometimes I start to think
she is right maybe. I don’t know. I
am so run down and my life is now a
wreck like hers. I need help.
I think I am going crazy
or maybe catching bipolar from her.”
–Jimmy

I have seen this condition when someone
who is a bipolar supporter actually winds up
feeling like they are “losing it” or possibly
even start acting like the person who is
not stable with bipolar disorder.

This is an interesting phenomenon that occurred
me with and my mom. When she was really, really
unstable I wound up like the following:

-Not sleeping
-Not eating
-Not shaving
-Rambling all the time
-Angry
-Snapping at people
-Losing tons of weight
-Disoriented
-Unable to make good decisions
-Not doing well in my day job

Now when you think about it, these are
some of the same characteristics
of someone who is in a bipolar episode.

So there I was, the bipolar supporter
who wound up acting like the person
who was unstable with the disorder.

I have seen so many situations where
the bipolar supporter winds up seeming
like they have caught bipolar disorder
from the person they are supporting.

The turning point for me to avoid this
feeling was when I decided to learn
everything I could about bipolar disorder
and start being proactive not reactive.

When I was proactive, I stopped arguing
with my mom and started to figure out
what she needed: the right medication,
a good doctor, a plan to pay off her de.bts,
a good therapist, a way to manage bipolar
disorder, etc.

If you got my courses/systems:

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

You can see that I have lived through it
all and have lots of practical solutions to
virtually all the problems that someone
with bipolar disorder may have, someone
who is supporting an adult with bipolar
disorder or someone who is support a teenager
or child with bipolar disorder.

The thing is, if you aren’t proactive and you
are reactive, you will wind up getting in a
situation where you start to manifest the behaviors
of a person who is NOT stable with bipolar disorder.

This is exactly what is going on with Jimmy
above. He thinks he is going crazy because
right now, his wife’s bipolar disorder is controlling
him. Her bipolar disorder does something and then
Jimmy reacts. So he winds up being led by bipolar
disorder. That might sound confusing but that’s the
situation that so many supporters find themselves
in.

If you feel this is happening to you, start to be
proactive. Get as much information as you can to
get a good doctor, therapist and a way to manage
either your own bipolar disorder or your loved
one’s depending on what your situation is.

If you don’t take action and be proactive,
you wind up second guessing yourself, thinking
you are going crazy, feeling like you have
bipolar disorder and ultimately being so
confused that you become paralyzed and unable
to do anything.

Make a list today of exactly what problems
you are having. Then go one by one and start
looking for solutions but don’t just sit
around and hope things get better because
they won’t. They will get worse and you
could in some cases be in a situation
where you feel like you are catching bipolar
disorder.

IMPORTANT NOTE
I want to say one thing. You can’t really catch
bipolar disorder. It is NOT a contiguous
disease.

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

==>>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 got trapped in ez pass
yesterday while driving and I was super angry!

It was this totally ridiculous experience of
trying to drive through the ezpass toll booth.

But the good news is, there’s an important
bipolar disorer lesson for you to learn from my
ezpass driving nightmare.

Here’s what they say ezpass is on their website:

E-ZPass is a remarkable toll collection technology
that makes traveling more convenient, helps you save
money through discount plans offered by many toll
facilities, and helps reduce traffic congestion
for everyone.

Conventional toll collection methods require you to
deposit coins, tickets, and tokens at toll plazas.
This challenges highway capacity because the number
of vehicles that can be processed at toll plazas is limited.

With E-ZPass’ electronic toll collection (ETC) technology,
account information on an electronic tag installed in
your car is read by a receiving antenna at the toll
plaza. The toll is electronically deducted from your
prepaid toll account. Not only does E-ZPass make
toll collection more convenient for you, it helps
achieve a number of benefits for everyone.”

So I as coming up on a toll yesterday and I saw
the ezpass. I wasn’t sure if I should just fly right
through or slow down. There was one of those arm
things that is down and has to raise up so I slowed
down. It worked fine for the person in front of me.

So I was kind of nervous and thinking, “I hope I
put my ezpass thing on right?” Then I was thinking,
“I wonder if my ezpass thing fell off?” “Then I said
maybe I should just pay?”

I had all these negative thoughts since it was
my first time.

IMPORTANT BIPOLAR LESSON COMING UP

So I come up and there’s people behind me. I stop
and guess what? The arm thing doesn’t raise.

So then I am like sitting there and kind of stuck
in ezpass limbo.

People behind me are super mad. I was like, “what the
heck it’s not my fault that this system isn’t EASY?”

So then I panicked. I didn’t know if I would have to
get out of my car or what. I didn’t even see anyone
who worked at the toll booth. And worse yet, people
were stacking up behind me probably thinking, “What
a moron, he doesn’t have ezpass and he is trying
to get through and he doesn’t have it.” People wanted
to hang me. I looked in my mirror and saw a sea
of angry ezpass users.

So finally after some time of beeping, an ezpass person
came out and looked at me and then the arm raised.

Who knows what the heck happen. I was probably get
like a fine in the mail or something.

Anyway, I was mad. I felt dumb like hey
100 million other people can go through ezpass
EASILY.

Then I thought maybe I got sold a bad ezpass
thing that or whatever it’s called that goes
on your car.

I was soooooooooooooooo mad. I wasn’t sure who
to be mad at however.

So I got to my friends and I was mad. My friend was
all excited that I came over to help move a bunch of
stuff around in the house.

After like 20 minutes my friend says, “what’s wrong,
you seem so angry.” So then I said, “I am!!!!!” I told
them the ezpass story and they were like, “well it’s
not the end of the world.”

So then for the next hour I was still mad. But
then, it hit me.

When You Have Trouble In One Area, You Should Spill
It Over To Other Areas.

Then I was thinking about bipolar supporters who
are angry about their loved one’s bipolar disorder
and wind up taking that angry out on anyone and
everyone around them.

Is this you?

I know this has happen to me back in the day. My mom
would scream and yell at me. I had no idea what to
do to help her. I had all kinds of problems. I wasn’t
getting any sleep.

I then would walk into let’s say a store. The person
would say the slightest thing to me and I would take
it out on them.

I did the same with my friends. Slowly, nobody wanted
to talk to me because I was so angry and taking it
out on everyone.

This past Friday I was on the phone with some bipolar
supporters that were super hostile towards me. They
yelled at me. One called me stupid. There was like
5 in a day. It was tough to deal with.

I was so annoyed at one person that I said, “Sir,
please don’t take your situation out on me, I didn’t
do anything to you.”

He had ordered my bipolar supporter master course,
and his wife threw it away. He was mad at me
for well I have no idea. I said “sir I am not sure
what to tell you, I don’t have control over your
wife.” Then he screamed at me, saying I wasn’t
helpful and it was my fault and then he hung up
on me.

I was thinking that this guy is transferring his
anger at bipolar disorder to me and I wonder who
else he is doing this with.

In my courses/systems:

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

One concept that is covered for both the people
with bipolar disorder and those who are bipolar
supporters is how to handle anger from the
disorder.

It’s really important that you do. Because if
you don’t, you can seriously find yourself alone.

There are many bipolar supporters that I know
that nobody wants to be around because they are so
angry all the time. These same people also wind up
getting fired at work, having virtually no friends,
no fun and can’t really have any kind of life.

Back to my situation yesterday, after I realized what
I was doing, I stopped being angry and told my friend
sorry. I then realized that if I did get a fine from
ezpass it’s like $25 and I will fight it tooth and nail
because I paid for ezpass even if the stupid ezpass
thing doesn’t work right.

The big lesson here is don’t let your anger about
bipolar disorder spill over to all areas of your life.

Hey I have to run. See you tomorrow.

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

==>>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

Hey,

How’s it going today? What a day I had
yesterday. I had so many people calling
and complaining about various things.

I never realized how hard it would be to
have a mental health organization that has a mailing
list of over 100,000 people.

Anyway, I have to get going really quick. I got
this email I wanted to share because it really
bothered me, but more important because it
might be really bothering you, since you might be
one of the many people who have written the same
thing to me.

This is the email I got:

“Dave, I hate my wife. I know that sounds
terrible but I am so sick and tired of her.
She is out of control. She destroyed my family.
She wrecked her finances. I hate her. But
I feel guilty hating her. I am misserable.”
-Stan
—————————————————–

You wouldn’t believe how many people write to
me saying the same thing. I’m a supporter too,
and you’ve heard my story, so you know I know
how this man feels. There were so many times I
wanted to walk away from my mom and just keep
walking because she just kept yelling at me and
she was so out of control.

There were more times than I can count that I
was that angry at my mom for destroying our
family.

I know how this man feels that he hates his wife.
I know it sounds harsh and terrible to some people
but I also know there are a lot of you who also
feel like you hate your loved one at the same time
as you feel guilty that you are supposed to love
them too.

Then you have to add guilt to the number of
other feelings you’re already feeling, and that’s
not good.

In my courses and systems:

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

I talk about adding guilt and remorse on
top of your other feelings. It’s not your fault
that your loved one has done the things that
they’ve done, like let’s say trashing your finances
or saying mean things to other family
members or friends.

And it’s NORMAL for you to be feeling the’
way you are! So many other supporters are
feeling the very same way. Does that make
you a terrible person? No way!

But it does mean that you have to learn to
manage your feelings, and this is what I
teach in my courses.

There is no simple, one catch phrase answer
that I can give this man or to you on how to
manage your emotions. I can tell you that
it’s normal to feel your emotions, but I can’t
tell you that it would be right to ACT on
those negative emotions. That wouldn’t
help your situation at all.

One thing I do teach is how to turn negative
thoughts into positive ones. But YOU have
to be the one to do it. It takes effort on your
part. And you have to be willing to do it.

This man is very, very angry, and it seems
like he lost his patience with his wife a long
time ago. Many of you may be feeling the
same way.

The answer is to turn your anger away
from your loved one and turn it toward
your real enemy. Your real enemy is
NOT your loved one. It’s not even yourself.
It’s the bipolar disorder.

If your turn your anger toward the disorder
itself, then you can channel that anger into
doing something about it. In SPITE of the
disorder, you can decide you’re going to
BEAT it!

You can “fix” what your loved one has
broken in their episodes, like your finances.
It may take time, but you can do it. You
can do that with other things as well.

But the greatest way to get back at the
disorder is to make the decision to stand by
your loved one no matter how much you
fell like you hate them. To continue to be
their supporter no matter what.

One thing that might help is to remember
what they’re like when they’re NOT in an
episode.

If you have bipolar disorder, and you have
angry feelings you can do the same thing
and channel your feelings not towards
your loved one but to the disorder itself.
It sounds kind of strange but if you listen
to the success interviews in my courses/systems
that’s what many people do.

Well, I have to go. Hope this helps! Catch you
tomorrow.

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

Hi,

Here is the current Bipolar Disorder news.

Make sure you take a look. I work hard to put
it together for you :).

To see the news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews342

There’s some really interesting news stories this week.
Take a look at them. Also, write me some feedback by
visiting my blog below.

Here are some of the headlines:

Searching for new therapies for bipolar disorder

Facts about bipolar disorder

Rapid rise in bipolar diagnoses among youth

Shortage of talk therapy for bipolar

Researchers Turn to Surprising Remedies for Bipolar Disorder

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews342

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

==>>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 must say, this month
hasn’t really started off that good for
me. I’ve had a lot of problems advancing
my sites related to bipolar disorder and
other mental illnesses.

Someone called me the other day (know
I idea how he got my number) and said,
“Hey I wanted to know, is it hard to run
all your websites and a big mailing list?”

I told him yes.

Anyway, I am not here to complain because
I have a new set of solutions to the current
problems that I am having.

The good thing is, my mom is doing great and
I don’t have to worry about that right now.
She really has managing her bipolar disorder
down to a science.

I wanted to talk today about something I call
De-escalation.

Yesterday evening I was doing an interview
with a person by the name of Jackie. It was a
great interview. She is super knowledgeable
on how to help someone with bipolar disorder.

She works in an office that specializes in
this. It’s hard to find such a person. I am
not sure if people realize this, but whenever
you hear an interview or a success story
whether it’s a person with bipolar disorder,
supporting someone with bipolar disorder or
a person who is a doctor or therapist, it’s
the result of a whole lot of work.

To get just one good interview, we go through
many many people. Probably 25 or 30. To find
25 to 30 POTENTIAL interviews it requires contacting
hundreds of people. So you can see it’s a difficult
task.

Recently I hired Cherie to setup all kinds of systems
to help me make this more efficient. She has done
a fantastic job.

Anyway let me get on with my point. Sorry to digress 🙂

So I was on the phone with Jackie and we were talking
about the fact that in her office she can have people
who come in who have bipolar disorder, are super angry,
super manic, unhappy, screaming, yelling and blaming
it all on her.

I asked her how she deals with it and what kind of
techniques she uses. If you got my bipolar supporter
course at http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11 you know
there is a incredible interview with a woman who actually
leaves her office and goes out to people’s houses to
deal with people who have a mental illness and are
in serious and major episodes. Actually it was that
person who first taught me the concept of de-escalation.

Last evening Jackie mentioned it as well. What is
it? It’s the act of actually de-escalating a situation
with a person with a mental illness instead of
escalating it.

Let me give you some examples and if you have
bipolar disorder, you’ll appreciate this as well.

Let’s say that someone has bipolar disorder, you’re
loved one and he/she is not well. He/she is unstable
and needs a change in his/her treatment plan.

So they start yelling at you. For really no good
reason. The start blaming stuff on you. They even
make up things. So you have two choices. You can
either yell back at them (escalation), or lower
your voice, act calm, say very few words and
try to deescalate what’s occurring.

Many times, supporters wind up making conditions
worse by escalating the situation or what I call
feeding the mania. If you imagine the episode
is like a fire, you wouldn’t add more wood
or worse yet gas on to it. That’s what many
bipolar supporters find themselves doing.

If my courses/systems:

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

You’ll notice that in the interviews
de-escalation is a common theme. That word
really isn’t used but the concept is talked
about regularly. It doesn’t matter if you
have bipolar disorder, are supporting an adult
or 18 or a child under 18, this concept works.

Listen to the success stories in my courses above
and you’ll hear how it works for people.

Even with those with bipolar disorder use this concept.
If you talk to someone who is high functioning, they
have trained themselves on how to deescalate situations
and to in many cases avoid places that will get
themselves worked up or upset. That’s another common
theme.

I actually find that this concept of de-escalation
works in all areas of life. Give it a try
and see how it works for you. When people are
yelling, screaming, arguing, talk lower, calmer
and ask if they don’t yell at you in a nice way.
You’ll be amazed with the results.

Oh side note, Jackie mentioned to me that this
technique has worked even on people who really
are very unstable and very angry and not coherent.
When I asked her why she thinks it works, she really
didn’t know. Which leads me to something else. Sometimes
stuff works with bipolar disorder and we don’t know
why but it works.

Hey one more thing. As for children, one person
that I know will hug her child when he/she
starts to go into an episode instead of back
away. I have not used this method personally,
but just wanted to let you know if you are
supporting a child.

Hey I have to run. Catch you tomorrow. Oh tomorrow
I will be sending out the bipolar news.

See 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

Hey,

What’s going on? How are you. I hope you are doing
well.

Yesterday I saw a post on my bipolar disorder blog from
someone and it made me want to send out an email immediately.

Let me show you the post:

PTumminello said…
I have Bipolar.The side effects of the medication
scare me more than Bipolar does.So yes,I can see
someone not wanting to take them.
I still have good days and bad days, so what does
it matter?

=======================

I find this post rather disturbing. Sometimes I don’t
understand why people with bipolar disorder don’t
understand the ultimate side effect of NOT taking
medication is death.

Bipolar disorder is a SERIOUS deadly disorder that
if not treated properly can cause a person to actually
wind up killing him/herself. That’s exactly what
Michele Soloway’s sister did one day. She was doing fine.

Then she decided she didn’t need bipolar medications
anymore and started to spiral downward. At first she
started telling everyone how great she was feeling.
But everyone around her saw she was getting out of
control.

Eventually she bought a gun, sat in her bathtub
and shot herself. The sad part is, if she was on
medication Michele has told me, there is no
way she would have done this. Now Michele doesn’t
have a sister all because of one thing–her sister
stopped taking her medication.

Now if you have bipolar disorder, you may be worried
about various side effects from the medications. I am
here to tell you, there is a ton that can be done
with side effects with medications. If you work
with a good doctor, you will most likely be happy
with your results. Meaning the doctor can work
to reduce the side effects and create a situation
where the major ones are eliminated. You just
need to work with your doctor.

The very worst thing you can do is stop taking
medication. If you do, some say there is a 20
to 25% chance you will attempt suicide.

And for those who don’t kill themselves, some
can become homicidal and kill someone else.

And for those that don’t become homicidal,
people who have bipolar disorder not on medication
can do and say really bad things that can get them
into big trouble.

I can tell you after doing this for over two years
now, I have seen that the people who get off their
bipolar medications almost always do really bad
things. Period.

In my courses and systems:

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

So many people talk about the negative consequences
of not taking medication. People with bipolar disorder.
Supporters of those with bipolar disorder all share
a common theme–if you get off your medication, it
puts you on a road filled with a nightmare.

Don’t let it happen to you. Stay on your medication.
If you are worried about side effects, find a good
doctor and work with him/her to help reduce them
but remember at the end of the day, the ultimate
bipolar disorder side effect is death.

Well I have to take off for the day. Talk to
you tomorrow.

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

==>>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 kind of have to make
this really quick because I have a meeting
to be at in about 45 minutes.

Anyway, I saw this posted on my blog:

Pat said…
the need to a correct treatment plan.
Boy that sounds so simple!
What do you do with the person with the bi-polar
disorder who:
1. lacks insight about how their bi-polar is
affecting them and those around them?
2. Is non-compliant about taking medication?

Forgive me for seeming so negative.
I am a tired out mother of a 26 year old son
who is in the midst of an episode that swings
from mania to paranoia to depression. Who has
the problems listed above.
We have moved him out of our house to a nearby
city that has excellent mental health resourses,
now the question is will he avail himself of
these services.
We are all on a huge learning curve when it
comes to this bi-polar disorder.
Any tips?
Pat

=========================================

This post was in reference to a daily
email that I sent in regards to many people
forget that they have to focus on getting a
loved one on the right treatment plan.

Anyway, many people wrote me back via email
and posted on my blog.

I wanted to address Pat’s question by
saying, there is no easy way to deal with
her two problems.

There is no way that I can just email out
a simple solution to a very complex problem.

In my bipolar supporter course, I must have
maybe 25 methods for getting someone into
treatment. There is no one magic method
that will work no everyone. To make
matters worse if you have someone who
doesn’t want to go into treatment and
you find a method to get them in, if
another episode comes, many times whatever
technique you used won’t work again.

It’s sad but true. It’s really annoy.

Anyway, I guess my advice to Pat is to
realize that it’s going to be difficult,
she is going to have to try a number of techniques,
and it’s going to take time for her son to
accept he needs treatment and needs to continue
to take his medications.

I have a bunch of courses/systems on dealing
with bipolar disorder, whether you are supporting
an adult, child or have the disorder yourself.

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

In these courses/systems, when you listen to the
interviews, you hear bipolar supporters talk about
various techniques to get someone into treatment
or get someone to realize they have a mental
illness. On the flip side, when you listen to
the interviews of people with bipolar disorder
many talk about it took them several years to
come to terms with their bipolar disorder.

BUT, most people who do well had bipolar
supporters to help them through this period.
Meaning, it’s rare that someone was way off
track with bipolar disorder and got themselves
back on track without any support or help
from someone else.

Does that make sense? Meaning once people
with bipolar disorder aren’t stable it because
really difficult for them to make the right
decisions and it requires people like us–bipolar
supporters–to help get them back on track.

It’s all very confusing and unfortunately when
it comes to this aspect of the illness, there is
no one solution. There are lots of potential
solutions that have to be tried.

I wanted to write this because there are thousands
of people on my lists looking for that one
major solution but in my opinion there isn’t
one.

Hey I have to get ready for my meeting. I will
catch you tomorrow.

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

==>>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 have something rather
interesting to tell you today about
bipolar disorder.

It all started yesterday when I went to
the movies to see Halloween.

You might not be familiar with Halloween
the movie but basically to make a long,
story short.

It’s about a killer named Michael Myers
who goes around killing people during Halloween.
He does it during Halloween because of something
bad that happen in his childhood.

Anyway, the movie first came out in 1978 or so.
There have been like 8 sequels or so since that
maybe 7 or maybe 9. Not sure.

Anyway they came out with a new movie that
was a “do over” of the first Halloween.

So my friend Rob bought the first Halloween
and we watched that and then went to see
the new one.

The new one was suppose to explain why
the main character Michael Myers is a
killer.

I don’t want to ruin it for you if
you are going but basically his
psychiatrist says that Michael has
internal mental functioning that has
a predisposition towards being a psychopath
or having anti social personality disorder,
combined with external events and
triggers that combine to make into a
cold blooded killer.

I think that means that he basically had
the genes of anti social personality disorder
and external events caused his disorder
to manifest itself.

During the movie they show Michael as a
young kid who is sent to a “sanitarium”
the old school name of a mental hospital.

In there, there is a psychiatrist assigned
to his case that simply performs what looks
like “talk therapy” on him for 15 years.

When he has to leave they give him tons
and tons of medication that make him unable
to function.

During the 15 years, Michael is deemed “treatment
resistant”–meaning there is no treatment
that appears to work on him.

Eventually he escapes the hospital and then
goes out on a killing spree.

Anyway, if you like horror movies it’s a good
one.

I am bringing this up today for a few reasons.
First, I had some friends ask if people with
bipolar disorder are like Michael Myers?

Again I am no doctor and can’t diagnose anyone
but based on my knowledge of mental illness,
Michael Myers, if he were a real person would
have anti social personality disorder which is
DIFFERENT from bipolar disorder.

Those with antisocial personality disorder have
characteristics like:

·failure to conform to social norms with
respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by
repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest

·deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying,
use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit
or pleasure

·impulsivity or failure to plan ahead

·irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated
by repeated physical fights or assaults

·reckless disregard for safety of self or others

·consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated
failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor
financial obligations

·lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent
to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or
stolen from another

When you hear of serial killers or mass murders these
individuals generally based on what I read have
anti social personality disorder.

With bipolar disorder, this is a disorder that can
be managed, there are treatments for and people
can go out an lead productive lives.

So I told my friend “no.”

If you are struggling with bipolar disorder or
have a loved one with bipolar disorder, always remember
there are lots of people who were NOT doing well
and eventually found their way and developed a system
to manage the disorder.

In my courses/systems:

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

You hear countless stories of people who
have been at the bottom and eventually made their
way back up to become productive and successful.

The other thing interesting in the movie is how
there was only one treatment–talk therapy. They
didn’t seem to try a combination of things. But
based on my understanding of antisocial personality
disorder, there aren’t too many things that can work.

Well I am off to go to the gym. Catch you tomorrow.

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