Bipolar Supporter Blog

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews711/

HOSPITAL HORRORS: Patient locked in cell with no toilet, food or water
DO> You will find this man’s story shocking.

Doctors ignore tribunal decision
DO> Do you think this was fair?

Reversing the effects of binge drinking on mental health
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Researchers are backing major bipolar survey
DO> This is an important survey.

Pointers for boosting prophylactic bipolar treatment reported
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Clinical pointers to bipolar, unipolar depression confirmed
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

Anaheim doctor placed on five-year probation
DO> Do you agree with this decision?

Psychologist says KOP killer has bipolar disorder as jury decides his fate
DO> What do you think of this sentence?

ADHD increases major depression to bipolar disorder conversion
DO> This study makes an important point.

Mood and Magnetic Stimulation
DO> What do you think of this treatment?

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews711/

Check out all my resources, programs and information for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

A long time ago, there used to be an old song called No Man is an Island and talked about how none of us is alone. Yet many of us can feel that way anyway.

You know, one of the things that bipolar supporters as well as survivors struggle with the most is the idea that they are alone in their battle. I’ve even had people tell me that they still feel alone, even when they’re in a group of people. They just don’t feel like other people can relate to what they’re going through.

That’s why these people don’t attend support groups. That’s why they don’t have friends. That’s why they even shy away from their co-workers.

But, whether you are a bipolar survivor or supporter, isolation is not a healthy thing for
you.

My mom used to think that no one else had the disorder but her. So I asked her to think about anyone else she knew that might have it. She thought of two others.

Then I told her about the statistics, which say that about 4.4% of the people in our country have
bipolar disorder, amounting to around 9 million people.

So I told my mom that I figured that for each person that has the disorder, there are probably
at least 3 others who are at least associated with the disorder in some way.

I told her to conduct this experiment – I asked her to go out of the house that day and ask the people she came in contact with if they knew anyone with bipolar disorder. It turns out that my mom proved my theory right! The average was about 3 people for every person she talked to!

So when I did my calculations again, based on our population, bipolar disorder affects about
27 million people in our country every day! Now, that’s a LOT of people!

So if you’ve been feeling alone in your struggle with the disorder, just remember what I just
told you, and you’ll know that you’re not alone. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself. Do what my mother did.

Ask around – and you’ll probably find that for each person you talk to, there will be at least
3 others who are at least associated with bipolar disorder.

I mean, I was on the phone with my insurance agent one day, and while we were waiting for
her supervisor to get on the line, we started talking just to pass the time. She asked me about what I do, and I told her about how I work helping people with bipolar disorder and their supporters, and she told me that her sister had just gotten diagnosed with the disorder!

See how prevalent it is? And this was just someone who I’d been talking to on the phone about my insurance!

Bipolar disorder really is all around you, and you really are NOT alone! Still, you might feel that way sometimes if you’ve been isolating yourself, or if your loved one has been isolating.

Isolation, in someone who has bipolar disorder, is one of the triggers to a bipolar episode, so
your loved one needs to be careful about that. You both need to have things to do outside of the disorder. Try having a social life, friends, outside activities, that bring you pleasure.

Have fun, and do things that make you feel good, that you enjoy doing, that keep the bipolar from being the focus of your life. Don’t let it make you isolated.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDS

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews710/

US Children Diagnosed With Bipolar 72 Times More Often than Kids in UK
DO> These results make you think, don’t they?

HOSPITAL HORRORS: Patient locked in cell with no toilet, food or water
DO> This man’s story will shock you.

Trio proof mental illness diagnosis can have a happy ending
DO> You’ll find these people’s stories encouraging.

Training shines light on mental illness for Armstrong emergency crews
DO> This is a great idea, wouldn’t you say?

Researchers are backing major bipolar survey
DO> This study is really going to help.

Pointers for boosting prophylactic bipolar treatment reported
DO> This study makes an important point.

Clinical pointers to bipolar, unipolar depression confirmed
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews710/

Check out all my resources, programs and information for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

I got an email that said:

“David-
I am sick and tired of you people saying bipolar disorder is so easy to manage. You don’t understand. We try to manage it and you mock us. We can’t get jobs. We can’t handle money. We can’t help ourselves. The government doesn’t help. No one cares. You people don’t
understand.”
———————————————————————————————————————

Now, I ask you, is this a loser attitude, or is this just a sad story? Either way, I want to respond to it, line by line, because I feel like I have a responsibility to (and I need to defend myself and the people who work for me).

She says she is sick and tired of “you people” saying bipolar disorder is so easy to manage.

When have I EVER said that? I talk about how HARD it is to manage, as far as I know. That’s
why I write all these posts! I try so hard to teach supporters how to help their loved ones how to manage their bipolar disorder.

I KNOW how hard it is to manage the disorder, because I’m a supporter myself and I watched my mother go through it (still go through it).

Then she says I don’t understand. Oh, how well I do understand. I get hundreds and hundreds of
responses to my emails and posts. And I have over 10,000 testimonials about my courses and materials about bipolar disorder. If I didn’t understand, why would all these people thank me for understanding?

What about her line about, “We try to manage it and you mock us.”? Where is THAT coming
from? Have you EVER heard me say anything that is mocking? Sometimes I might say something in my posts that is humorous, but as one of my people who works for me that has bipolar disorder says, “Sometimes if you don’t laugh about it, you’ll cry.”

But mocking? No. I think bipolar disorder is a VERY serious disorder. I talk about that all the
time.

“We can’t get jobs,” she says. Then what about all the people who work for me? They got jobs.
And what about all the people who bought my material on getting jobs even though you have
bipolar disorder? That one is a BIG seller! Those people have gotten jobs, too.

Just because you have bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you can’t work. Many people who have
the disorder have even started their own home businesses. Another one of my materials is
about just that – starting your own home business, and that is another one that a lot of people buy, and they do very well. They don’t let their bipolar disorder stop them.

“We can’t handle money.” Well, that may be true. Many people with bipolar disorder can’t
handle money. But they have supporters who can.

Yes, one of the symptoms of bipolar disorder is excessive spending. But bipolar medication does help with that, too. So maybe this woman is just off her medication?

“We can’t help ourselves.” Well, I’m sorry, but I strongly disagree. I have just known too many
people with bipolar disorder who HAVE been able to help themselves.

“The government doesn’t help.” I’ve tried and tried to tell people that you can’t live on disability alone. You have to supplement your income somehow. But I also know a woman on SSDI who says she is not too proud to take charity or go to food banks to feed her kids. She says she does whatever she has to.

“No one cares. You people don’t understand.” I guess I would leave that for you to answer. Do
you agree with her? Do you think I don’t care? Do you think I don’t understand?

Because by now I am frustrated with this woman and her email.

Because I have so many people who work for me who have bipolar disorder, and they are some of the most creative, hard-working, problem-solvers, and productive, stable people I have ever known. They are not like this woman at all.

I told one of the people who works for me about this email, because at first I felt sorry for this woman. I thought her story was so sad.

This is what my employee told me: “When I was first diagnosed, I felt sorry for myself, and I told my girlfriend my problems. She told me, “You’re not on a pity-pot, you’re in a pity-bathtub!”

In other words, she didn’t get any sympathy from her girlfriend. She was practically told that she had a loser attitude, not that she had a sad story.

So that’s what I’m asking you. I’m done defending myself. Do you think this woman has a loser attitude or a sad story?

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine on the phone and he says, “I’ve got to go. I’ve
got to take my daughter out for a walk.” Believe it or not…He wasn’t talking about his real daughter…He was talking about his DOG!!! Lol

But some people do feel about their pets like they’re their children, don’t they? I’m sure you’ve seen or known people like that. Maybe even you’ve been like that when you’ve had a pet in the past.

But here’s the point: Animals can really capture our hearts, and they can be very good for us. In fact, a dog can be very good for a person with depression. Even for a person with bipolar depression.

You need to do whatever works with your loved one, and if something isn’t working with
them, you need to try something new – whatever works, that’s what you need to do, even if it may seem strange at first.

But using a dog to treat depression isn’t a new thing – They’ve been trying it for awhile, and it’s been working with success!

For one thing…You can kind of figure that just having something that offers you unconditional love and affection would be good for you emotionally, wouldn’t you? So that would be a major advantage to having a dog for your loved one’s bipolar depression.

But there are also emotional benefits to loving and giving affection to someone (something) else as well. In addition…There is the added benefit of having to take care of that dog.

It would help to take the emphasis off your loved one. They would be caring about something other than themselves and their problems for a change. They would be seeing to the needs of someone else. It would give them something to do. It would give them something to think about.
It would give them a higher activity level.

It would give them a higher purpose (or even just a purpose, if all they’ve been doing is lying in bed or on the couch). It would give them some goals. It would give them someone to interact with. It would give them something to wake up for.

It would give them some responsibility. It would help them feel better about themselves. And more. Do you see all the benefits?

Up until now, your loved one has probably only depended on you for their love and affection.
And that’s a pretty big responsibility for you to shoulder by yourself.

But a dog would give them unconditional love and affection naturally, too. And dogs are also a source of joy – They can be very entertaining. They can really make you laugh with some of their antics.

Can you imagine your loved one actually laughing again? I mean…Not just starting to come out of their depression and starting to care about something again, but actually laughing at something? Wouldn’t that be great?

Maybe this is something you could try for your loved one. It certainly has been working for other people with bipolar disorder.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews709/

ECT benefits demonstrated in randomised controlled trial
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Weight cycling linked to relapse-prone bipolar course
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Former Renda Broadcasting/Johnstown Business Manager Sues Over Termination
DO> Do you think this was fair?

Mental illness remains taboo topic for many pastors, study shows
DO> These results make you think, don’t they?

Disabled Student Dies on Bus, Prompts Suit
DO> Do you think there’s something there?

Clinical practice study supports ISBD recommendations
DO> This study makes some good points.

Could depression soon be diagnosed through a blood test?
DO> Don’t you think these study results are exciting?

Dendritic spine density also reduced in bipolar disorder
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews709/

Check out all my resources, programs and information for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

For those of you who have taken my advice about doing a Date Night once a week so that your loved one’s bipolar disorder doesn’t overwhelm you…One good idea for a Date Night is a picnic!

Unfortunately, sometimes it’s too cold to have one outside, but you can always have an indoor picnic! Of course, it must come with everything from real peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to potato chips to chocolate chip cookies for dessert, with lemonade to quench your thirst!

The only thing that definitely does NOT come with an indoor picnic is ANTS! LOL

Of course, coping and dealing with a loved one with bipolar disorder “ain’t no picnic,” as the saying goes, and I certainly understand that, from dealing with my mom. You have to deal with the daily ups and downs of the disorder, and that is really NOT easy. In fact, it can be downright discouraging sometimes.

I’m sure when your loved one was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the doctor was going over some of the things to expect, he/she didn’t tell you everything. They sure couldn’t tell you everything in the short time they have to be with you (your loved one). They just really go over the basics.

Plus, everyone is different. And bipolar disorder can manifest differently in different people, too.
So I’m sure your loved one’s doctor probably also stuck to just general information because they didn’t want to give you wrong information for your loved one.

But by doing that, I’m sure they left you with some questions that went unanswered. I mean, even if they had answered every one of your questions at the time…I’m sure there have been circumstances and issues that have arisen since your loved one’s diagnosis that were not anticipated in the beginning.

There are some things that you can only find out by going through them, unfortunately. For example: Everyone who has bipolar disorder has triggers. But everyone’s triggers are different.
So even if your loved one’s doctor had talked about what triggers a bipolar episode, you wouldn’t necessarily know what triggers your loved one’s episodes until you go through them.

That’s why it’s important to do what I call a PEA, or Post Episode Analysis, after the episode.
That’s where you and your loved one sit down together and analyze the episode, going over things like what led up to the episode (including triggers), and how they could be prevented in the future (or at least spotted quicker to prevent a major episode).

These are just some things that you learn with experience as you go along with bipolar disorder.

So how do you deal with the daily ups and downs and discouragement of having a loved one with bipolar disorder? Well, what I just talked about will help. In other words…TIME is a big factor.

Experience as you go will help you to get along better, as you become more learned about your loved one’s disorder. The more experience you have, the better you will be able to cope with it (and them).

Another thing that will help is your attitude. Learn to just make it through the bad times with a
“This Too Shall Pass” (it always has before) attitude, and to appreciate the good times for as long as they last, and to get the most out of them.

But you also need to stay realistic, and remember that, although you can appreciate the good times, they won’t last.

And always separate your loved one from their disorder, remembering that it’s NOT their fault that they do some of the things that they do. That will also help you get through the daily ups and downs and discouragement.

As one supporter puts it: “I hate when my wife acts bipolar, but I always remember that eventually she will get back to herself, so I just wait it out.”

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

Have you ever thought about the cereal that you prefer? I’m sure you have a preference, like everyone does. Many people even still eat the kind they ate as a child.

There are all kinds: There is hot cereal, like oatmeal or Cream of Wheat. Then there is cold cereal, and that’s where you get into every kind under the sun. With fruit or without fruit…Fruity tasting…Graham cracker-ish…Frosted…Sugary or not…Flakes or not…With almonds…With oats…Chocolate flavored…Or other flavored…Bite sized or regular sized…Made for kids or made for adults…

And now they even push for added vitamins and minerals and even antioxidants and other things
good for your health! Eating a healthy diet can help with your loved one’s stability with bipolar disorder, and a good choice in cereal can be a part of a healthy diet.

But, like I was saying earlier, many people still eat the same cereal that they ate as a child. Do you? The point is that many people choose one thing and then stick to it because they hate to change.

That’s one of the problems that your loved one may be experiencing with their bipolar disorder.
One of the first things that their therapist will ask them to do is to change. Usually, to change the way they think. Like, the way they approach things. Even the way they look at life.

For example, they may look at life and see it not for the way that it is, but for the way that they would like it to be, and that can cause them all sorts of problems. It can cause them problems not only with their bipolar disorder, but with other things as well. And especially cause them problems in a relationship.

Say they’re in a relationship with you. And they see you not as you really are, but the way that they would like you to be instead. Well, that’s going to cause problems, because you will undoubtedly let them down, because you can’t possibly live up to their expectations of you, because you’re not perfect.

And this can even lead to fights, or cause them not to communicate with you, or to not tell you how they feel or what they are thinking when their moods change or they are being triggered into a bipolar episode.

But another thing that can happen, whether you have bipolar disorder or whether you are the
supporter to someone who has it, is that you can fall into a rut (like still eating the same cereal you ate as a child).

If this happens, it means that you’ve been doing the same things over and over again for awhile, and you’ve probably been getting the same results, too. And probably not the results you want, either.

That’s the common definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting
different results.

So what can you do about it? Change your routine. Change your cereal, in other words (but that it were that simple). Make some changes in your life, like your loved one’s therapist is asking them to do.

It can even be simple ones. Like…If you normally take your shower in the morning, take it the night before. That way, you can spend more time with your loved one or the children in the morning, or just more time getting yourself ready, or just relaxing with the morning paper or extra cup of coffee, or whatever.

Or…Say you or your loved one have been isolating too much. You can change that routine by adding more days where you spend more time with friends and family, say, by going to lunch or dinner or going out for coffee with them or otherwise just spending time with them.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

 

Hi,

What’s new? Hope you are doing well.

To read this week’s news visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews708/

Survey finds benefits, risks of yoga for bipolar disorder
DO> This technique might benefit your loved one.

Life events may worsen bipolar I disorder course
DO> This study reveals something very interesting.

Cyclothymic temperament linked to suicidality
DO> Important study, don’t you think?

Stress coping strategies may protect against bipolar disorder recurrence
DO> Interesting study, don’t you agree?

Testing your mental health in the privacy of home
DO> Your loved one could use this app to check their mental health.

Siblings of Bipolar Patients May Have ‘Reproductive Advantages’
DO> This study makes an important point.

S.C. Ryder Releases New Memoir on Depression and Bipolar Disorder
DO> You might enjoy reading this book.

‘Bipolar’ gym-goer ‘bludgeoned man to death with a weightlifting bar’ after victim invited his …
DO> How do you think he should be punished?

ECT benefits demonstrated in randomised controlled trial
DO> Don’t you think this is an important study?

Weight cycling linked to relapse-prone bipolar course
DO> These results make you think, don’t they?

For these stories and more, please visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarnews708/

Check out all my resources, programs and information for all aspects of bipolar disorder by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com

Your Friend,

Dave

Hi,

Did you know that bipolar disorder does not discriminate? It doesn’t care if you’re black, white, r
purple. It doesn’t care if you’re young, old or in-between. It doesn’t care if you’re male or female. It doesn’t care if you’re married or single. It doesn’t care if you’re blonde, brunette, or redheaded.

It doesn’t care if you’re Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Traditional Chinese, or whatever spiritual belief you adhere to – Or even if you’re agnostic or atheist! It doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor. It doesn’t care if you graduated from high school or not, or if you have a thousand
college degrees.

It doesn’t care what you wear…What your shoe size is…What your favorite color is…What type of ice cream you like…What type of movies you watch…Or anything else.

BIPOLAR DISORDER DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE.

If you want to gain stability with bipolar disorder, it has nothing to do with any of the above listed things. If you want to gain stability with bipolar disorder, you have to do certain things.

You still have to take your medications every day. You still have to see your doctor and therapist
when you’re supposed to. You still have to continue your treatment plan. You still have to get the right amount of sleep. You still have to exercise. You still have to eat a healthy diet.

You still have to be productive, so that you can feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of every day. You still have to have a strong support system and interact with that support system, making sure they know how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking.

You should still be keeping a mood chart and/or journal so you can keep a record of your moods, thoughts and feelings. You should still be being proactive and watching for signs and symptoms so you can notice patterns and avoid bipolar episodes before they happen.

You should still have outside interests so that bipolar disorder doesn’t take over your whole life.
You should still try to join a bipolar support group (if there is one in your area, or a NAMI group if there isn’t). And you should still find pleasure in your life, do things that make you happy, so that you also have joy in your life.

It’s all these things combined that will bring stability to your life. It’s all about doing the hard work to get the results you want.

I heard this story once about two brothers. One was lazy, but the other was a real go-getter. Well, they both went to college. The go-getter went because he wanted to – he had hopes, plans, dreams, and goals. The lazy brother went just because his brother was going and, what the heck, his parents were paying for it, after all.

College was not easy for the go-getter, but he did his best and studied hard and got his degree,
being offered jobs even before he graduated! The lazy brother struggled in college, because
it sure wasn’t as easy as he’d thought it would be. He cheated where he could and faked the
rest. He passed his courses, and barely graduated.

Now, who do you think will be the greater success in life?

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave