Hi,

How’s it going for you today? I hope it’s a good day.

I have to tell you, I am not a car mechanic (no big surprise, huh? LOL) But I do practice good car preventative maintenance. I get my oil changed regularly. I flush the gas lines. I rotate the tires. I keep up the fluids. Now, do I like doing these things? Not especially. But do I like the alternative? Definitely not.

I’d hate to have my car overheat on the side of the highway on a really hot day just because I ran out of fluid. So I do it for good car preventative maintenance. It’s the right thing to do.

Well, it’s the same with bipolar disorder. You have to practice good preventative maintenance with bipolar disorder too, in order to stay stable.

So let’s talk about one of the types of preventative maintenance of bipolar disorder: Medication.

You don’t take medication in the middle of a crisis, right in the middle of a bipolar episode, and expect it to instantly stop the episode. You take it regularly, on a daily basis, to prevent the episode in the first place. That way it keeps you stable, on an even keel.

Just like a diabetic takes insulin on a daily basis to keep their sugar regulated, and doesn’t wait until they’re in the middle of a crisis to do it.

Another part of preventative maintenance for bipolar disorder is: A Psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist helps you control your disorder through management of your medications and the side effects from them, if necessary. This they do on a regular basis, so things don’t get out of hand – again, you wouldn’t go to see them in the middle of a crisis. You see them for regular appointments, when they can do the most good.

They can adjust medication dosages, change or add or delete medications, etc. They can watch and see how medications are affecting you.

Another part of bipolar preventative maintenance is: A Therapist.

The therapist works with you on a regular weekly or bi-weekly basis to help you deal with the issues surrounding having bipolar disorder. This helps you, for instance, to manage the stress and anxiety that you might have to face on a daily basis with your disorder.

You can learn skills, like anger management, stress management, and time management, among others.

Another part of bipolar preventative maintenance is: A Doctor (Family Physician).

A Doctor helps you by attending to your physical body and any other illnesses besides your bipolar disorder, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. They will also do routine blood work for your bipolar medications, check liver function, etc.

Another part of bipolar preventative maintenance is: Bipolar Support Group.

Going to a bipolar support group helps you get feedback from other people as to how you are doing with your disorder. It’s great for both supporters and survivors.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave