Hi,
Before we get started, I wanted to say…
H A P P Y M O T H E R S D A Y
If you are a mother. Well, I got some bad
news about someone who works for me with
bipolar disorder.
She began going into an episode a few weeks
ago. I detected it. She detected it and
did call her doctor and there were medication
changes.
BUT, eventually that wasn’t enough and she
had to be taken to the hospital. I wanted
to share this story because she is a true
role model and so is her husband.
She practices what I preach in my Bipolar
Success Course (she is actually featured
in it).
Let’s look at some things that she and
her husband had in place:
She had a plan on which hospital to go to
Her husband knew where to take her, and
what the doctor’s phone number is
She had a plan in place if she got
sick on how to inform me
She didn’t fight her husband tooth and
nail because they had a special agreement
Her husband knew the signs to watch for
to determine when she needed to go
to the hospital
Her husband had permission to call me
and let me know what was going on
She had a system in place if she was
to get sick on how someone else could
easily take her place
She did finish her assignments before
she was put into the hospital. (Note
she didn’t have to but was able to…
amazing)
I told a friend about this and he said
“Man it must be hard to work with
all those people with different
disorders.” Actually I don’t think
so at all. I have 4 businesses and
I can compare and contrast.
With the entire organization that
deals with mental health, there is
more redundancy and more systems
in place if someone gets ill. EVERYONE
realizes that they can get ill so
they put a plan in place for someone
who may have to take over.
I am sure we run more efficiently
and effectively than 98% of other
organizations our size.
This particular person who works for
me who has bipolar disorder is truly
a role model and so is her husband.
I will be interviewing her when she
gets back and is okay. Along with
her husband so you can learn from
them even more than what I wrote
in this email.
Here is the things that she has told
me in the past.
You can go into an episode even
if you do everything right.
After episodes I have to look back
to figure out if this was a “freak”
episode or one that was brought on
because of things that were done
incorrectly. I call this post
episode analysis and she engages
in it and involves her husband.
This creates a situation that allows
for on going refinement of her bipolar
stability equation
Also, by her “leveling” with me and
not keeping me in the dark when she
is not doing well, I totally respect
that and when she gets back, she will
have a job.
She is a complete role model. Right now
you might be feeling bad for her. Since
I know her well, I know she would not
want you to feel bad, she would want
you to learn from her.
According to her husband, she is improving
each and should be back in a few
weeks.
She is truly an incredible person. She is
in all my courses/systems as an interview.
SUPPORTING AN ADULT?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
Have a great day.
Dave
What would you do if the person you love doesn’t take very good care of themselves when it comes to his bipolar and as it is you’ve seperated twice. When I am gone he actually becomes more independent and stronger but about 4 weeks after I am back he is so codependent, doesn’t take his meds right, and becomes so selfish. Everything is about him or how every feeling I feel it becomes about him. Any advise for someone that just wants peace and some happiness.
kgh
I am Bipolar and I can tell you firsthand people with Bipolar or any other mental illness dosent’ take care of themselves. Its a disability. It’s something that has to be brought up constantly to the person with mental illness.People with mental illness are just short of a hospital stay where they are watched and made sure they take their medication. I think personally people with mental illness has to watched carefully and need encouragement to take their medication and take care of theirselves in other ways too. I’ve been called everything from irrisponsible to krazy. because I don’t take good care of myself. Its not that I do it on purpose but it is a disability.Compliments to every body who can be with somebody that has Bipolar. Its not an easy task!Try not feel frustrated when things go wrong, try to look at it as a disabilty and if you do that you will be more patient when things go wrong. You’ll also need alot of education, support to deal with it.
TO JOSIE,
I must say, I use to think what you wrote, but I have found many people that don’t fit what you said. Here’s the thing. The most successful people around, don’t generally say they have bipolar disorder. If you know someone who does really well in life, he/she might have bipolar disorder. We tend to only see and focus on the least successful but there are many that are successful. I have 8 that work for me.
Please note I do not see the person who works for me as a failure. I look at her the same way I look at someone who gets let’s say the flu. Both conditions will be about the same time away from work. I am VERY proud of the person who works for me that is in the hospital. I in no way think less of her. Actually I think more of her now.
I have been married 1 and 1/2 years, and found out quite by accident he is Bipolar. He takes Lithium, and without it he is crazy, verbally abusive, and swims in bizarre behavior.
I will not be jacked around by his wild mood swings, always ending in no accountability for his actions.
One of his many addictions is flirting, always with the rationale…..”you are just jealous.” Actively seeking the attentions of any woman that he can make eyes with or flirt openingly.
Living with a Bipolar is mostly just a great big
SUBTRACTION of one’s energy and sense of well being.
It is just as easy to fall in love with a person who has it mentally all-together. It is all about choosing a quality of life as opposed to the selfish, self serving Bipolar.
Marzie
I also don’t agree with Josie. Medication worsten my symptons – we have tried everything possible. I use my hobby as an “escape” and always ensure that my work is up to date. My moods can litteraly change within days… My family has learnt to cope with it; although it mostly means they just turn a blind eye. But, I have a very good friend – he is just very far away. But only an email or phone call. HE went and did research on being bi-polar. He is a very good support system, although I don’t know he realises it; for him – he is just being a good friend. And that is what we need – support & love.
Hi David, I feel for this person because I think I know what she may be going through. Although never hospitalized myself which amazed my doctors I brgab to notice at a very early age that I was different from the other kids. But like your co-wotker my episodes all took place while at work which is why still today I’m considered to be unemployable. Before a level of understanding was reached and I personally believe we are still on that ladder I was summarily dismissed.
Today with a title of my nemesis that wouldn’t happen so indeed stides have been made. I only wish for that they had been made a little sooner.
Supplemental, It is without a doubt so very difficult at best to pigeon whole a person with Bipolar.
Those who irregularly take their meds if at all are mostly unaware they are only hurting themselves its the can’t see the forest for trees syndrom. In my own writings I sight the fact that a person with Bipolar unknowingly is in search of a hobby that undying need to focus their energy or in a word structure. We all can admit that without structure thrives kaos
the worst enemy of a persone with Bipolar. My last major episode is now over well over two years ago and although I was not hospitalized
the final tally became a very very
expensive six weeks. When my doctors finally caught up and were maintaining my pace my medications were changed again for I don’t know how many times now. Today I’m am of course on lithium the staple for most Bipolar patients and I take two anti-depressants and something for anxiety. Every day without fail because I know of the ruination left in my wake if I don’t. I am without a support system and have no plan but I tell myself each and every day to get up and do it. And for the past two and half years this system that I myself put in place has worked.
Hi,
I want to thank you for your article this morning. I have a bi-polar 26yr old daughter. Needless to say this was not a Happy Mothers Day. She wokr up and came out to fix me my special day breakfast, only problem with that is that she spent the whold time while she was cooking complaining that she had to get up and do this. After breakfast she went into her bedroom to get ready for work, on her way out the door she dropped her gift of to me with the words I have to leave now. The first time I heard the words Happy Mothers Day is when I opened you e-mail. Thank you very much for bringing a little ray of sunshine into my otherwise horrihle day.
It is so difficult having to deal every day not expecting what will happen in that day. Again I thank you very much.
Dorrie
xx i want 2give him all he needs..and heal a s0ul that quietly bleeds but he will push me far away and make it hard 4 me 2stay…. xx
Happy Sunday people!! And happy day 2 all the mums..it’s not mothers’ day over here but hey… :o)
xbuTTerFLy ~ Londonx
Hi David,
Getting hospitalized for bipolar disorder is normally the last resort. It is imperative that the situation is controlled with medication in the house itself
Having said that hospitalization is sometimes the best solution
I remember when i first was diagnosed as bi-polar- i went totally and completely out of control
The funny part is that for most of the part I was clinically consious abt what i was doing and feeling
I’m sure that made no sense to anyone….and i was detected to be mentally unstable
My question- who decides that one is mentally unstable- the society- that has laid down some rules. And anyone who deviates from there is mad.
I always feel that such people are special- and need special care! If a person with bipolar is not given special care- we are losing out on a special person
So David you are doing a great job…kudos
And yes to accept that one is bipolar is the biggest step towards discovery and enlightened.
Thanks for all of the help you’ve provided. I’ve got your course. It made me beleive I could do something about my daughter’s health, and giving me ways to do it. It worked, we did it. Mother’s day was so rewarding for a change.
In fact, one of your recent emails, Dave, was about each time a person gets emotional, it doesn’t have to be thought of as an episode comming. We’re all allowed dto get mad on occasion. That was so helpful!
So, now I have some questions about this Sunday email about your employee. First off, congrats!!!! Next:
what type of hospitalization was this?
My kid has been in 3 times. All forced, using police and courts.
Even when her stay was “voluntary’ it was coerced.
I’m just having a hard time understanding…..how was your employee admitted? How willing was she?
I have a lot of questions about how this happened, but I can’t put them into words yet.
Thanks!