Hi,

You know, I don’t really get to watch too much TV, because I’m usually too busy, but I saw a commercial for a reality TV show the other day, and I just couldn’t believe they’re really doing a show about this. Now, I usually don’t like reality shows in generally, because I think that most of them are, in my opinion, downright silly. Also, I think they just take advantage of people.

Some of them even hurt people. But I don’t know of any of them that really show people in a good light. And this one definitely doesn’t show people in a good light – in fact, it shows people in probably the worst light it could show them. This reality show is about people who hoard

things. People who pile things up and don’t let them go. There are more people than you can imagine who are like this (apparently enough to make a whole show around).

There was one woman who bought all kinds of things from a TV shopping network, and hoarded

everything she bought – she didn’t even open anything she bought – she just hoarded it all! But you know, this can be a type of illness. This not letting go of anything. There was one woman who collected all kinds of birthday wrappings, boxes and boxes and boxes of them! For all kinds of occasions – she just wouldn’t let any of it go. And not just the wrappings – but all the party supplies that went with them. She hoarded them and wouldn’t let go. She lived in a little trailer, and all these party supplies and wrappings took up a whole room in themselves! Still, she wouldn’t let go of them, even though she really didn’t have room for them.

Now, you and I can look at people like this and think, “I would never do that.” But it’s not for us to judge. Because we may do the same thing in other ways. What am I talking about? Bipolar disorder, of course (I always bring everything around to bipolar disorder, don’t I?).

You can easily become overwhelmed by things if you’re not careful. If you try to take on too much, without letting go, you will become overwhelmed. Like the lady who has a whole room full of party supplies is overwhelmed (to the point of not being able to get rid of any of it). If you have too many stressful situations facing you all at the same time, and you try to tackle them all at once, you will find yourself overwhelmed, and unable to tackle any of them at all.

So you have to take a step back…Look at them realistically…Figure out which ones you can solve…Deal with what you can at the moment…And let the rest go. That’s right – you have to let them go. I didn’t say it would be easy, just that it’s what you have to do. You’ll probably find that some of the situations will resolve themselves if you let go of them. Others may take longer, but may also resolve themselves. The ones that you do need to resolve will do better if you have let go and have time to rebuild your strength and energy to face them and be able to solve them. This way you aren’t overwhelmed by them. It’s hard to let go at first, but it leaves you the energy you need to come back and “fight another day.”

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave