Hi,
What’s new?
I am dead tired today because I couldn’t sleep.
I figured I would send this out to you kind of early today.
I have a ton of things to do today but before I took off, I wanted to tell you about the exciting news about my bipolar blog.
My new blog has been setup. Actually Andrea who works for me who is super smart set it all up.
I wanted to say a few things.
Okay…
1. The old blog will work. Meaning you can read older messages AND comments. Take a look here:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/
2. There are some really good comments in the beginning of May and months back. You can click on the dates on the side to see messages that are older.
3. The new blog location will be:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsupporterblog/
4. There will be new rules. The blog will be moderated. What’s that mean? Very little. As long as you do NOT post death threats, hate speech and things that are totally insane your message will be posted. You can even make fun of or attack me verbally I don’t care. BUT, no death threats or violence.
NOTE-I was actually volunteering in a place with someone who was super manic and this person wound up walking around and scaring people in the room. There is nothing worse than a person that has bipolar who is manic and threatening in nature. I will NOT stand for it. Period. The people that run the place were I volunteer
stand for it. They allow it. I TOTALLY disagree with allowing this type of nonsense.
5. I have an audio recording that you can listen to that talks about what happen to cause me to stop allowing posts unmoderated.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=339971
6. Actually a good first message to take a look at comment on would be this one.
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsupporterblog/?p=4
I would appreciate if people do. It will allow me to test the system out.
6.5. Take a look at all these comments. This was a hot topic.
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/2008/04/bipolar-disorder-are-you-this-kind-of.html
NOTE-I put 6.5, because I don’t have time to renumber and I had to add that in 🙂
7. What’s a blog anyway? Why did I start it?
Here’s what I wrote like 2 years ago:
“I’ve just started my blog here at Bipolar Central, and right away I received lots of questions from readers who wanted to know just what a blog really was and why I had decided to add one to my website. My intent is to provide frequent updates to all of my site visitors on bipolar disorder in general and on what is going on in my own life specifically.
Blogs began in the late 1990’s as “web logs,” essentially lists of links to sites an individual had visited that he or she thought would be of interest to others. They quickly became more complex as the creators of the web logs began to add their observations on each link, commenting on their value, reviewing them a and adding observations and updates when they found that something new and interesting had been added.
Soon millions of people were searching the web and reading the content of these sites, now known as Blogs, and the journal entries and commentaries had become much more interesting than the links themselves. Some bloggers became so well known for their commentary and interpretation of certain stories that they made news headlines around the world. Bloggers who were interested in particular topics, such as health care, entertainment, or politics, posted links to minor stories that would otherwise have gone largely unnoticed by most people, and readers responded by posting their own comments to the Blogs, starting dialogues that blossomed into amazing exchanges of information.
With this kind of dialogue and exchange of information, I felt that a blog was a great way to get my website visitors talking to each other and to me! So please keep checking in regularly. There are several great advantages to a blog that you’ll love once you get used to how a blog works:
You read a blog page from the bottom up. In other words, the top of the page is my most recent entry, so if you want to read it in chronological order, start at the bottom!
If you hesitate to sign up for my emails because of fear of spamming or you miss some of my emails because of spam filters or firewalls, my blog is the place to go to catch up at your convenience You can read other people’s comments and you’ll realize that you are not alone – the observations, questions and stories of others dealing with bipolar disorder who link to my blog will be an important feature.
You can ask questions and expect to get answers – a blog is interactive! You’ll get important notices of upcoming events and releases at Bipolar Central You’ll find links to other sites I’ve found with useful information on bipolar disorder, ways to save money and other helpful advice to make your life easier as a bipolar supporter.” That’s what I wrote 2 years ago. It still holds true today. I would just add that I am surprised how much readership my blog has. When I look at the stats it’s kind of amazing.
But one of the best things is seeing what other people are thinking.
In my courses/systems below:
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 of the things that I stress is that normally the struggles that you have are the struggles that lots of people who are dealing with bipolar disorder have.
Many people think when they talk to me that I am a mind reader. I am not. It’s just that I know bipolar disorder well and I know what the problems that most people have.
When you are talking to others that are dealing with bipolar disorder or reading what they write, your goal should be to learn something. To learn what mistakes they made. What things they do that are working.
It’s shocking to me, how many people don’t know the basics. It’s the strangest thing. For example, to jump back to when I said I was at a meeting and someone was acting super manic. A person who was suppose to know what they are doing said, “Well, what can we do?” I was thinking in my head well, “there’s probably 15 strategies I can think of just off the top of my head.” I didn’t even bother saying anything because there are people that just don’t get it. You can’t let someone just walk around being super manic. Some think you can. I don’t think so.
Hey, I just look at the clock, I have to take off and head to the gym. Catch you tomorrow.
What do you think about what I am saying now?
FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT ME
Visit: http://www.bipolarcentral.com/testimonials
David Oliver is the author of the shocking guide “Bipolar Disorder—The REAL Silent Killer.” Click Here to get FREE Information sent via email on how and why bipolar disorder kills.
It is so sad when one of us deteriorates to the level they made threats and lies about you.
I am impressed with the level of compassion and education you provide us.
I was diagnosed as bipolar in 2003, after an attempted suicide. It caused me to have multiple hospitalizations in mental health facilities from August 2003 until January 2005.
At that time, all the information and coping skills that I had been taught finally made sense to me and I began to use them. I have relied on that information and ‘support’ those facilities provided and have not required hospitalizations.
I still have ups and downs and occasionally will misuse money and get in over my head financially; that is what I am dealing with now and moderately severe depression.
Here is my problem: during the last two trips to a facility, my social worker said that I probably needed a guardian and placement in a nursing home. I admit that I was moderately out of control and unwilling or unable to utilize coping mechanisms. I still do not agree that I needed a guardian or placement. My problem is that I am afraid to tell my psych doc or social worker or family all of what is going on in my life. I am handling all of the normal problems such as not enough money or enough cat/dog food, car gas and so on by myself. The financial difficulties I am in now I am able to make payments and have worked out payment plans and those problems are resolving. I fear that if I share all of this and more, that my twin sister (my dpoa) and new social worker might begin competency procedures. My sister said that she was considering doing just that in 2004.
The idea of having a guardian and not being able to decide the simplest of things like what to have for meals, what to wear, when I can have a haircut or bath, what shows to watch on TV, losing the ability to vote or to donate blood without my guardians’ permission—this absolutely terrifies me. I know she would think that she was doing ‘her best to make sure I was ok ‘ but it would be the worst thing. I can and do state that suicide would quickly become a reality. No attempt about it.
My sister and the social worker are my support system. Otherwise her husband and adult children will do nothing without her agreement or permission. Whatever I might say to them goes straight to her. Other family members still consider mental illness a weakness of character and not an illness at all. SO I really don’t have a support system that is not threatening me with loss of independence and I am so very very scared! I do not feel that there is someone completely in my corner that I can trust to take my side more than that of family members. If the time ever comes with I do require placement in a living center, then I expect that person to help me keep as much independence as possible.
Thank you for letting me vent.
Hi Dave
I have to tell you receiving your E-mails everyday has helped me so much. I am dating a guy whois bipolar but he himself has not told me. For the past few months his behavior has changed drastically. Some days he is as sweet and loving as could be and then he will suddenly not call or answer e-mails for days then he suddenly is back to his old self. I must tell you that he was layed off from his job back in December and has had a very hard time finding a new one. I try to keep in touch as best as I can but sometimes so frustrating. Please tell me am I doing the right thing by him or is there something that I can do. Thank you so much and please keep up the great work that you do .
Josephine