Bipolar Supporter Blog

Hi,

How’s it going?

I hope you are doing well.

Here is today’s news.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews396

Bipolar Disorder Linked With Hibernation
DO> This really interesting, do you believe it?

Huge risk when sick stop using medication
DO> EXCELLENT MUST READ ARTICLE!

Reach out for help, says suicide prevention speaker
DO> Great article.

Missing bipolar woman hid from searchers
DO> Sadly, this happens so often.

Clues to Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disease
DO> Good article to review.

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews396

==>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

Your Friend,

Dave

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.

Hi,

I wanted to say welcome to another about  1700 new subscribers in the last 24 hours or so.

We have had two really, really big days.

Someone wrote me how come I don’t welcome every new subscriber. I would if I could but we get up to 2000 a day some times : )

Anyway, I hope you’re having a good day.

Oh wait, one other thing. Someone had a great suggestion to have a link in this message that says who I am. They said that friends had signed up but weren’t sure who I really was. I am going to get someone to set something up.

Okay, let’s jump into today’s topic that I thought of because of all the problems I have been having in IT (information technology).

SIDE NOTE:

In order for me to make all this happen and make the entire organization help lots of people who are dealing with bipolar disorder, there is a on, and I mean a ton of IT related stuff.

It’s taken me a month to really get a handle on understanding what I need to understand. Fortunately I have many smart people who are doing a great job.

I wanted to ask you something, okay?

Have you ever thought about how things were in the beginning compared to how things are now? I know how frustrating things can be sometimes, because I’m a supporter, too, but…

Sometimes it helps to think back to how helpless you felt back before your loved one was diagnosed and before you had any information on bipolar disorder to begin with.  Then think of how much you’ve learned since then, and how much your loved one has, hopefully, also learned since then about how to manage is/her bipolar disorder.

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

Of course I teach many things about how to manage bipolar disorder and how to deal with it, both for survivors and for their loved ones.

But think about it –

In the beginning, you knew nothing about the disorder. All you knew was that your loved one just wasn’t “normal,” just wasn’t “themselves.”

But now you know so much more, don’t you?

Hopefully, you’ve done some research, gotten educated, read my material, and at least I know you’ve been learning from these emails.

Educating yourself is the main thing, as I teach in my courses/systems. You have to learn as much as you can about the disorder in order to help your loved one. It’s like you have this enemy that you’re fighting, and the enemy isn’t your loved one, it’s bipolar disorder.

In any war, they tell you to know your enemy. in order to know your enemy, you have to know as much about your enemy as you can.

So I encourage you, keep learning. Keep studying. Keep reading. Keep researching.

Never stop growing in knowledge, for the more you know, the better equipped you are to deal with the disorder and your loved one.

• Keep researching on the Internet
• Order BP Magazine or read it online
• Read books about it
• Visit your local library
• Research online articles or at your Library periodicals section
• Go to your loved one’s bipolar support group for f.ree literature
• Ask your loved one’s doctor for f.ree pamphlets

Keep learning as much about bipolar disorder as you can, so you can stay in control of it instead of it in control of you and your loved one.

Remember, knowledge is power!

It takes time. I know bipolar disorder inside and out because I have done a ton of studying on the subject AND I have real world experience. I have a mom with bipolar disorder. I have friends with bipolar disorder. And I have people that work for me that have bipolar disorder.

It takes time to get all the learning down. Best thing to do is try to short cut it by learning from someone else who knows what he/she is talking about.

Well, I have to go.

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.

Hi,

How’s it going?

I wanted to say welcome. He had a record night with about 1500 new subscribers coming in in a short period of time.

Welcome to everyone.

I hope you are doing well.

Want to hear something odd. I had several people “testing” recently in my organization.

When I say testing I mean it’s like “try outs” to see if the person will do well in our organization.

Anyway, 7 people tested. 3 with on or more disorders like bipolar disorder 4 without bipolar disorder.

ALL the people with bipolar disorder are still working and on track to do great things. I had one problem with one person and that was corrected. However this person does do great work.

The odd thing is, all except one of the people without bipolar disorder have already quit.

Someone who works for me who does NOT have bipolar disorder was amazed how the people who have bipolar disorder work so well and can get so much done in ways that no one else ever thought of.

Every time I see this happen, I am simply amazed myself.

You might not know this but I have about 14 people now who work for me with one or more mental illnesses. Sometimes less than that. Some people are very part time and only have specific duties that require only 1 day of work a week some people work every single day.

One has been diagnosed with 10 different disorders.

Am I out of my mind? Some think that I am.

But I want to tell you two things.

First, if you have one or more disorders you can do well.

Just look at this one person’s story:

She is a writer who has 10 different disorders, starting from when she was 12 years old! She is on disability, but she loves to write, so maybe that’s part of it – she is doing what she loves to do. Do you think that’s her secret?

I think her secret is that she is stable. And she is stable because she follows a good treatment plan, including taking her medication and seeing a therapist.

Secondly, I have found that people who have mental disorders like bipolar disorder are really very smart when they are stable.

It’s amazing actually.

I have found people in my company that once stable can do tasks and projects that nobody else can do or wants to do.

These people can think faster, better, solve problems faster, and are solution- oriented, proactive, take initiative, etc. It’s amazing!

If your loved one has a mental illness, remember this:

Great things in society were done by many people with mental illnesses.

Edgar Allen Poe was a great writer, and they say that even he had a mental illness. There were a number of great authors, actors, composers, etc., who they say had mental illnesses.

If someone says you are odd, the only reason you would be odd is because you have such tremendous potential.

But does that mean you have a mental illness? Not necessarily.

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

I talk about the stigma associated with mental illness, and that it’s due to society’s fear of people who are different than they are. Different? Smarter? More creative?

If your loved one is these things, it’s not something to be afraid of. As long as they are stable, and taking their medication and following a good treatment plan.

Remember about the people I told you about who work for me.

Different is not always bad.

People always fear things they don’t understand.

And people don’t understand mental illness in general, and bipolar disorder in specific.

So, sometimes people might be afraid of your loved one just because they have bipolar disorder.

Just because your loved one is “different.”

Did you know that some people still believe that they can “catch” bipolar disorder like they can catch the flu or a cold?

That’s how ignorant some people still are.

So don’t think that different is bad.

People with bipolar disorder are still some of the most creative, intelligent, strong, productive people I have ever known.

I could not have come as far as I have come unless I had many people who have bipolar disorder working for me.

Remember about the person who works for me who has 10 different disorders!

Let me ask you a question. If you are a bipolar supporter don’t you find when you loved one is stable he/she is really, really, really, really smart?

If you have bipolar disorder, don’t you find that things that seemed hard for other people are easy for you? Don’t you find yourself bored and not challenged because you are creative and smart?

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.

Hi,

Hope you’re ok today.

You know how much I talk about medications and your loved one, and how you need to make sure they stay on their medications, right?

Well, I’ve had so many supporters write me to tell me their loved ones struggle with side effects from their medications that I decided to offer some suggestions on what you can do to help them with some of these side effects.

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

I have a whole section on all the side effects of bipolar medications and what to do about them, but here I’ll just go over the most common ones.

DRY MOUTH
This is one of the biggest side effects of bipolar medication. One of the things your loved one can do is to chew gum or suck on hard candy (make sure, if they have diabetes, that it’s sugarless candy, though).

Another thing is that your loved one can do to help with dry mouth is that they can suck or chew on ice chips.

NAUSEA
Another common side effect is nausea, and what they can do about this is to take their medication with food, or to eat a few crackers or a dry piece of toast.

If your loved one takes their medication in the morning or during the day, some doctors even tell their patients to take their medication at night instead if nausea is a bad problem for them.

WEIGHT GAIN
Unfortunately, this is a common problem with bipolar medication. The best way to combat this problem is with a proper diet and a good exercise program.

Other people have changed medications to other types of medications that do not make you gain weight, or at least as much weight as other medications.

However, I am NOT a doctor, and cannot advise you in this regard. All I can tell you is to contact your loved one’s doctor if they are having a problem with their weight because of their medication.

FATIGUE
If this is a problem for your loved one, have them talk to their doctor about it, so that the doctor can have your loved one take their medication at night instead of in the morning or during the day.

In most cases, you will find the doctor to be very cooperative, and this will solve the problem.

CONSTIPATION/DIARRHEA
If your loved one experiences either of these problems, over-the-counter medications are probably best.
If constipation or diarrhea continue to be a problem, however, it is best to contact their doctor for advice.

NOTE: These are just common side effects to bipolar medications.

If your loved one experiences any serious side effects like heart problems or problems breathing, contact their doctor right away, as they may be having a reaction to the medication.

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.

Hi,

How’s it going?

I hope you’re doing ok. I’m not.

I have had a whole lot of problems recently. IT or programming and coding issues.

There are so many programs and softwares that are now being used it makes my head hurt. And you’re talking to a guy that doesn’t like technology at all.

I just started using CDs a year ago. I use to use tapes. Seriously.

Anyway, we had some problems with the blog, we have problems with something else. This new person I hired who is super smart has solutions but he is so smart that I don’t even understand what he is saying so I
have to have a person translate what he is saying so it makes sense to me.

Anyway, I am not going to cry on your shoulder today. I will get it all handled.

You would be shocked how technology goes into this entire organization to make it work.

You would never see or get good information to help you with bipolar disorder if it weren’t for all these different programs.

I am kind of also annoyed because I got a couple of emails and even a phone call in the middle of the night saying that I am not a real person and I am taking advantage of people with bipolar disorder. I know I am suppose to ignore these but they are SUPER annoying.

When you spend your ENTIRE weekend fixing stuff for the good of the people so to speak the last thing you want to hear is stuff like this. I am just being honest.

Imagine working ALL day on something and someone is like, “you suck.”

I was telling Michele that works for me and Pascale who helps me that this entire organization has pushed me thinking to it’s limits. I never realized that in order to make all this happen and hit the goals we set a few years ago it would require so much work, so much thinking and so many people.

The team has done a great job and I will say this. It would have NEVER happen if I didn’t hire people with bipolar disorder.

I take c.redit for that decision. I am serious. If I didn’t decide to hire people with on or more disorder like bipolar disorder this organization would have vanished long ago.

So if you are reading this and think people with bipolar disorder are such a problem, you are wrong. They are a major asset. As it stands today, the huge IT related problems that are going on are being solved in part by people with disorders.

In one case, one particular problem that alluded someone without a disorder for a long time, was solved and you’re going to think I am lying with about 25 minutes. I know that sounds like a lie. I wouldn’t believe it either.

Anyway, I have to get into today’s topic because I have a lot of stuff to do today.

Whether you are the supporter or the loved one,

YOU BETTER NOT DO THIS:

Never wish you were somewhere else.

Haven’t you ever heard that old saying, “Wherever you go, there you are?”

In other words, it doesn’t help to try to run from your problems, whether literally or just in your head.

You can’t wish your problems away. You have to deal with them.

I know it’s hard. I have to do it too. (Try being me for a day! LOL)

But NEVER wish you were somewhere else.

“Somewhere else” has its problems there, too.

Because, “Wherever you go, there you are.” And so are your problems. They’re still in your head.

A supporter doesn’t stop being a supporter just because they’re not home with their loved one.

Running away doesn’t help. And neither does wishing you were somewhere else.

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
I teach how you have to face what’s in front of you – how you have to develop systems to help you deal with those things.

I know it’s hard dealing with a loved one with bipolar disorder. And sometimes you’d rather be somewhere else doing something else (anything else).

But it doesn’t help to think that way.

In fact, you better NOT think that way, because it will only get you into trouble.

You have to face reality. You have to deal with what’s in front of you, good AND bad.

And there are ways to do that:

1. Remain positive
2. Be proactive
3. Maintain contact with friends
4. Maintain contact with family
5. Take care of yourself
6. Journal your thoughts and feelings
7. Exercise (it gets out your frustration)
8. See your own therapist
9. Take up a hobby
10. Go places without your loved one

These are just some suggestions. I’m sure you can think of some of your own if you try.

Another thing is that you have to separate yourself from your loved one.

You have your own identity outside your loved one and outside their disorder. Make sure you remember that!

Also, try to separate your loved one from their disorder.  know that’s hard sometimes, especially because you have to live with them every day, but you have to try to do it anyway.

Some people do this by looking through old photo albums or scrapbooks and remembering what their loved one was like before the disorder.

Other people keep in mind what their loved one is like when they’re not in an episode (and they’re grateful for that!).

But whatever, always keep in mind NOT to think about being somewhere else – it will ruin you’re trying to stay “in the moment.”

You may not be in the best “moment” of your life, but at least you’ll be dealing with reality.
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.

Hi,

Yesterday was a major pain for me.

I had a whole bunch of problems.

You might have seen the blog was broken.

Here’s what happen. This new person who is working for me who looks over things alerted me that there was this problem.

We are building a new super job system to keep track of all the people applying for jobs. Anyway I guess the programmer did something.

I guess it’s like if a development is built and they hit a gas line.

Anyway after many hours it was all fixed.

Then after that, I had all kinds of issues that wasted hours and hours of my time.

I am looking forward to a peaceful NEXT Saturday.

Okay, let’s just to our topic today.

Today I want to talk about football.

Ok, I’ll only talk about it for a little while. 🙂

Because I know you’re already thinking I’m crazy (like you do sometimes), like, what does football have to do with bipolar disorder?

Ok, here’s the deal:

I used to play football. And in football, the main guy is the quarterback.

And it’s the whole rest of the team’s job is to protect the quarterback – to run interference for him (so he doesn’t get “sacked,” or hurt, or whatever).

See what I mean?

Ok, well, let me use another example then.

I run bipolarcentral.com. And I have a lot of people who work for me. We all work as a team, like a football team.

See, I head the company, so I’m like the quarterback on the football team.

And the people who work for me, well, their job is to protect me. To run interference for me.

Get the connection?

Ok, I know, I know, so what is the bipolar connection?

Well, scroll down, and I’ll tell you! 🙂

(Keep scrolling)

There IS a bipolar connection.

See, your loved one is like the quarterback in football.

And it’s your job as their supporter to protect them and to run interference for them.

Sometimes it’s hard for them to face things in a social setting (or even around other family members or at a family gathering, like at holiday times).

They might be ashamed at their bipolar disorder, or they might not have even told their family or other people that they have bipolar disorder.

Or they might be afraid that they’ll “act out” or show their depression or mania in front of other people.

So you have to protect them. You have to run interference for them.

In my courses/systems below, I teach people how to be good supporters, and how sometimes you have to protect your loved one, without becoming an enabler:

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
(An enabler is a supporter who does things for their loved one that their loved one can do for themselves.) But do you see the bipolar connection here?

I know you don’t need any more put on you than you already have, but you’re actually doing it anyway, you just may not have looked at it quite this way.

But really, you are like the football team, or my team, the people who work for me, all rolled up into one person – the supporter of a loved one with bipolar disorder.

So there really is a bipolar connection.

Can you see it?

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.

Hi,

How are you doing today? I hope you’re having a good day.

I didn’t yesterday. So get this.

I go to log into the service that sends all these emails to everyone. It’s all changed.

Then I go to log in to another service in our IT department and that’s all  changed.

I can’t figure out what’s where and how to send an email to you. Then I find out the companies have tech. problems. It was so annoying.

Anyway it’s all fixed.

I am actually up super early today. It’s like 5:30am Eastern time because I went to bed at like 10pm.

I am going to take off for the gym early today so I can get back. Plus, I am going hiking. Lots of people have been asking me about where I go. I go all over the tri state area.

Actually it’s pretty cool because I met this kid hiking that sent me DETAILED information about places I can go by me. I live in a very wooded mountain type area so there are lots of places to go that are not marked.

Also, this kid said, “I did a search on you and saw that you are really involved with bipolar disorder. Do you mind if I ask questions?”

So you know what that means? He probably knows someone with bipolar disorder.

Okay, let’s move on to today’s topic.

I was talking to a reporter a few weeks back, who was asking me questions about a story she was doing concerning pregnancy and bipolar disorder.

She asked me why so many people did not prepare for a pregnancy when they had bipolar disorder.  About why they didn’t talk to their doctors about it.  Why they just seemed to “wing it.”

I told her I just didn’t understand it, either. That they just seemed to treat it like it was a game of chance.

Like teenagers and sex.  Some will use protection, while others won’t.  Like some take it seriously, and some don’t.  Again, like a game of chance.

A real game of chance is like rolling the dice. There is a certain percentage of whether you will win or lose.  Most of the time you will lose.

Bipolar disorder is NOT a game of chance.  It is a serious disorder.  That’s why over 13 million people in this country have it.

That’s why 20% of people who have it and don’t take their medication DIE from it!  That’s 1 in 5 people!  That’s how serious it is!

Many people with bipolar disorder will KILL themselves because of the disorder!  That’s how serious it is!

I know that, because that’s not just me.  In my courses/systems below, I quote experts who give the statistics all about it:

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
Many people, especially young people, don’t take bipolar disorder seriously, and I just don’t understand why.  Maybe it goes back to that teenage sex thing. They treat it like a game of chance.

Here are some reasons:

· They are undiagnosed

· They are unmedicated (unprescribed)

· They are medication non-compliant (they won’t  take their medication

· They are in denial

· They won’t tell others they have it

· They try to hide it

· They think they’re too young to have it

· They think they can “beat” it

· They think they can be “cured”

· They think they’re “better”

Why would people gamble with their lives?  Why would they treat bipolar disorder as if it were not a serious
disorder?  A disorder that people DIE from every day?

Life is NOT a game of chance.

It should be taken seriously.

Bipolar disorder is NOT a game of chance, either.  It should be taken seriously, too.

Don’t you agree?

I am going to the gym now. Catch you tomorrow

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.