==>>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
Hey,
What’s new? I actually got a super late start today
and I have to kind of speed things along. I have
to leave work early today because tonight I am
volunteering.
Where do I volunteer? I volunteer at a group
that helps those with various mental illnesses
such as bipolar disorder, depression, borderline
personality disorder, schizophrenia, etc.
Actually as a side note, it’s very rare that
someone with or caring for someone with
schizophrenia comes. hmmm. I wonder if
that’s a marketing problem.
Anyway, tonight I am sure that I will
have a new list of things to talk about
and cover.
Okay let’s jump into today’s topic.
It’s actually as a result of talking
to someone that works for me. We
were talking about all the natural
treatment scams that are promoted
for bipolar disorder. There’s a bunch
of them.
Then the person who worked for me said
to me an incredible alternative therapy
that most people don’t think of and
many don’t even think it’s natural.
You know what it is? It’s therapy.
Why is it shocking? It’s shocking
because people don’t really consider
it natural.
Now before you hit delete and get
mad and don’t think this is as exciting
as I do…read on.
I never really thought of therapy as
natural either but it is. Think about
it. What’s unnatural about therapy?
Nothing. And best of all it works,
and works well.
My mom never use to go t therapy but now
she does. That was part of her plan. Part
of her bipolar stability equation. I must
say, my dad and I have clearly seen
that my mom does really well when she
is regularly going to therapy versus
when she isn’t. No question about it!
I am not sure why therapy doesn’t get
more promotion. I think because drug
companies don’t make any money off of
it. Neither do most doctors. I find that
some doctors feel therapy competes with
them in a strange way. That’s SOME
not all doctors.
I discovered how important and successful
therapy AND medication was and I write
about it in my guide called:
My Findings: Vitamins, Herbs, and Alternative
Therapies for Treating Bipolar Disorder.
Many people have gotten it but if you want
it, visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/alternativetherapies/
Anyway, during my research and the doctors I paid
to research it was clear how important therapy
was and is. BUT in my opinion, it must be used
in conjunction with medication. But let
me say for the 1000th time:
I am NOT a doctor, therapist, lawyer,
or other kind of professional. These are my
opinions. You should check out everything
I say from A to Z. I am just providing
opinions not giving medical advice.
Note I am no longer going to add that I am
not a dog catcher like some have asked
before. I think it’s pretty clear.
Anyway, I will say this about alternative
and natural treatments for bipolar disorder,
you MUST tell your doctor about them and
you MUST work with your doctor when you
introduce them. Period.
Many people hide stuff from their doctors.
If you hide stuff from your doctor, you are
a fool. And you are asking for big, huge
problems down the road.
In my opinion you should clear EVERYTHING
with your doctor. My mom learned this the hard
way. She was kind of doing stuff and the stuff
she was doing was making her less and less
stable. As a result, she runs everything
past her bipolar disorder doctor.
Anyway, I really encourage everyone with
bipolar disorder to seriously look into
therapy. It has tremendous benefits. And
I mean tremendous benefits.
In my courses/systems below, I have
done so many interviews with bipolar
supporters and bipolar survivors
that believe therapy helped make a
key difference.
If you want more information, please visit
the links 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
But I really want you to think today
if you haven’t considered therapy
that it has tremendous benefits. If you
haven’t considered it, visit your doctor
and speak with him her.
If you are a bipolar supporter, talk it
over with your loved one. If you loved one
is an bipolar disorder episode, make a mental
note and when he/she is more stable, remember
to mention it.
Lastly, I want to say to the people who think
therapy is a waste of money because you are
paying someone to listen to you talk to them,
it’s totally not true.
I really hope that some people on my list,
post some comments on the benefits of therapy.
If you have a comment, please post it.
Anyway, I have to run. Have a great day
and catch you tomorrow.
Your Friend,
Dave
P.S. Don’t forget to take a look through the
different programs I’ve put together… each one is designed
to help you with a different area of bipolar disorder whether
you have it or you are supporting someone with it.
You can see them all and get the details by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/catalog.asp
P.P.S. Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/
P.P.P.S Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can’t learn anywhere else.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com
I wondered why there were support groups for depression and bipolar disorder, but none for schizophrenia so I asked an expert. They said that many people with schizophrenia have paranoia, and they’re not going to attend a group where they think people are talking about them. By the way I support people going to therapy, the client and family, 100%!
I think the reason it may seem as if therapy isn’t promoted so much for bipolar disorder is because the meds are the most important thing, and according to all I’ve learned med compliance is the toughest thing to achieve with bipolar disorder. People can manage without therapy but they can’t manage without the meds. At least not with bipolar 1 which is what my daughter has. She’s finally got the med compliance issue under control. My next step is to try to convince her to go to therapy. The angle you use in this e-mail about it being natural was brilliant. I’m gonna steal that and use it to discuss it with her…LOL. Thanks so much.
Lois
how do you make someone accept he is bipolar? His mother never accepted it or took meds, and sometimes he admits he might be and sometimes he doesn’t. But getting him to take meds I am sure is going to be the difficult step.
Any mental health issue is hard for someone to accept about themselves or a loved one when you see it in black and white. People being in the so called norm, first stage is denial and last stage is acceptance. All the stages in the middle is fighting with the demon. When we finally get to the acceptance we learn to reach out to a doctor who we think is going fix things. What we all have to remember is that PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE to make us a whole person.
Hey David, I agree with you about therapy being an important addition to the ‘cocktail’ put together for the bipolar person. My husband being disabled by bipolar, he is on the medicare prgram which only allows 10 mins with the Dr. I certainly noticed an increase in negative activities.
After a two week stay at the hospital with reqular group sessions, even he noticed what he was missing.
Long story short, now some of his ‘therapy’ comes by way of visits with neighbors and long talks with clergy…a listening ear on the other side whether paid or not, does wonders. It oftens helps put the confused mind back on track, in my observations.
candy
I am interested in sending for the Alternative Therapies and Treatment book, but do not use a credit card. My son has been off his meds, and he is bipolar. Can I pay for this by check, and if so, where do I send the check?
Nancy
I totally agree about therapy being extremely important. Our son has been struggling with ADHD for 7 years and his medicines have just not been helping much the last couple of years. It is through his therapy sessions that they finally discovered just recently that he is Bipolar…no wonder he has been having so many problems! Also, just wanted to say that sometimes you have to try several different therapists/counselors before you find one that really helps. There has to be a connection there before they are receptive to it, otherwise it won’t do any good. The first 2 therapists that my son went to didn’t help him at all…he didn’t like them and didn’t like going, so he didn’t listen to what they said. Now he has someone that he really likes and he listens to her, and he’s finally starting to get better.
I also wanted to tell you, David, how much your emails and information have helped us…I am so glad that you do this for people like us, even though it gets frustrating and you are not getting rich from it. I hope you will keep doing it…you have no idea how much you’re helping people! THANKS!
I read your email today. I have a family member who has this disorder. He is always in and out of therapy but never sticks with it. He stays on my, and many others, prayer list. He is supposed to be in therapy as we speak but the mail came back. tw
David, You may want to check out Emotional Freedom Therapy and recommend that to some of your readers. Commonly known as EFT, and has had excellant results on some major issues. Hope you check it out. http://www.emofree.com
dolly
My current male friend has bipolar and I feel that therapy is very important. Therapy actually saved my marriage to a wonderful man who was not bipolar but was killed in an automobile accident about 2 years ago. I feel that just hearing the way you feel and getting an unbiased and non-emotional opinion about the way you feel is very beneficial. I also feel that it allows you to express your feelings without hurting someone you love and helps you understand whether or not your feelings are justified or if it is just an over reaction to the situation. I feel that therapy makes you really take a good look at yourself. I recommend therapy for anyone.
Hey Dave! I agree with you 100%. I’ve done my own therapy under my doctor’s rules and we found this amazings results: 3 years without any episode; and 2 years without drug therapy. I’m glad to share this with you. A lot of thanks!
theray is a good way to vent your felling or problem but it also good to take your Rx drugs
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
I have to agree w/ Candyce, I see my therapist every other week and in that time we discuss things that I am not sure makes sense, it makes sense in my head but she can give me logical perspectives when I can’t see them. I walk out of there feeling clear-headed again. I especially talk to her about issues surrounding my 2 yr old and how to protect her from my mood swings which are MUCH better due to MEDS and THERAPY but they still happen. It took me a while to find a therapist I really like, and it took me even longer to stick w/ it. It has been a relief to me to know that there ARE so many things I can do to make my life enjoyable let alone bearable. It seems like a lot of energy sometimes just to get to “normal”, but it is worth it to me in the end
I have been in therapy for over thirty years, and believe me, in conjunction with meds, it has kept me from MAJOR episodes and OUT of the hospital. I have the greatest therapist – originally a psych nurse I met at the University Psychiatric Ward in 1970. She is now a MSW, and I see her every other week. If it hadn’t been for her, I would have “dissolved” by now…
Also, another advantage to therapy that has only happened to me (that I know of). In 1997, I met a wonderful man who was in my group therapy for diverse mental illnesses. He had OCD, while I was bipolar. We would “work” together in group – he would have a comment to help someone, and I would contribute my point of view. It was a beneficial relationship…
Well, to make a long story short, we eventually married in June of 2003. We had lived together for five years, so marriage was the ultimate relationship for us. It was a mutually beneficial relationship, and we were sooo much in love. He was my soul mate. We KNEW what each one was thinking before we opened our mouths.
However, on September 21, 2003, he died of a perforated ulcer that caused peritonitis, and he died of sepsis, with me holding his hand, at 5 that morning. There will NEVER be a man in my life quite like him…
I am now in a two-year relationship with a “perfect” man; he WANTS to take care of me, and when he initially found out I was bipolar, did research and investigated the disorder. In a way, he monitors my symptoms, and lets me know when he thinks I’m going too far. He has led me to cut down on my spending (which was out of control), and tells me when I’m “raving” (talking too much, too fast), and I stop. We only see each other on weekends (he lives an hour-and-a-half away), and I THINK I’m going to fall in love with him. I KNOW he is already in love with me, so there is a little bit of pressure there for me to respond as he does. But – they say the journey is worth the destination, so I’m going to “go with the flow!”
To sum up (and I know I’m rambling), I encourage ANY and ALL bipolars to explore therapy, as it has been such a help to me, emotionally as well as spiritually. It is important to find a GOOD therapist – there are some scam artists out there. You WILL know when you have found one who is helpful within a few weeks of cognitive therapy. It is DEFINITELY a source of comfort, as well as education, to combine therapy with meds. So – DO IT…
Dave. Thanks for sending me all the E-mails. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one dealing with a bi-polar person. Sometimes I feel so alone especially when it’s a bad day for him. Debbie Bacci
ok normally i agree with you but i have bipolar just alittle fyi. there is not even one decent bipolar docter anywhere around my neck of the woods so hello i really doubt there is a shrink that even comes close to being qualified to sit back and judge me on this deman i have anyways they are not worth waisting your time on all they are going to do is tell you how it was your mommy or your daddy’s raising that made me this way well heck ya life really did suck when i was younger but that has nothing to do with the fact that i must of drawn the short stick out of all my sibblings so to some up all the rambling i am doing therapy is a joke and for people that want to wine all the time have someone to feel sorry for them and people that need to find someone for all the screw ups in life. and the last thing that i want to do with my day is go wine to a complete stranger about everything doubt they will understand dang nobody in my life does including ME!!!!!!