==>>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

Hi,

I just got up. It’s 6:47am. Long day yesterday.
Today I really have some really simple to tell
you about bipolar disorder.

First let me tell you the story about what
happen to me. Yesterday I had a monthly marketing
meeting down in Red Bank, NJ.

It’s such a pain to travel some times far
away. Why? Well depending on my goals and
objectives for my training I may have to
bring a big cooler full of food because
I have to eat 6 times a day.

As a side note, the neighbors who live
next to me think that I go on vacation
every day or to the beach because I always
have a cooler :).

Anyway, I got everything into my car, my
brief case, cooler, gym bag, etc. Lots of
stuff. I took off and then had to swing
by the super market to pick up some low
salt turkey.

So I was driving and I got a call from
someone. I would swear someone is giving
out my cell phone number because a person
called me and wanted to ask “just one
quick question” about bipolar disorder.

I know that turns from one to many. But
since I had a long drive I am okay with it.
Did you know that I do sometimes 12,000 minutes
a month on my cell phone :). It’s kind of
out of control.

Anyway so this person got my bipolar
supporter course and she said she doesn’t
understand how to know if her husband
is going into an episode.

I told her how first it’s a skill to be
able to know. That’s the first thing
you have to realize. That at first you
start out not knowing anything about bipolar
disorder, then you know about it, and if
you are a supporter you learn the skill
of how to know the signs of if your loved
one is in an episode.

So I was telling her all of this. She kind
of understood. I told her to fill out the
worksheets in my course and look at them
daily and that will help and be a great predictor
of future bipolar disorder episodes.

She said okay and then she asked me a bunch of
other questions about why I thought my mom’s
doctor was good and exactly what makes a good
doctor.

All of a sudden, I looked down and heard a beeping
noise. I was like what’s that? I thought my door
came up but obviously it couldn’t while I was driving.
I thought my engine was having a problem or something.
I kept looking and looking. I couldn’t figure it
out and at the same time I was trying to drive.

I think the lady who was on the phone thought
I was kind of crazy. She said, “you sound really
busy, I will let you go.” It sounded more like, “
you sound kind of crazy while you are driving,
I will let you go so you don’t kill yourself.”

Anyway all of a sudden after a while, I finally
saw what was beeping. Guess what it was?
Take a guess and scroll down.

DON’T CHEAT. Guess first and then scroll…

I had no gas!!!!! I was super close to empty. I mean
super close. I thought to myself, “how the heck
could I forget to get gas.” I was kind of panicked
because I didn’t know where to get gas right away.

So I was praying that I would find a place because walking
on the New Jersey Garden State Parkway isn’t a whole
lot of fun…not that I have done it but I can imagine
since I don’t see lots of people walking along side the
road, it’s probably not fun.

Then I thought I remembered that if you drive slower,
you use less gas. I am not sure if this even makes any
sense. It probably doesn’t and you are probably laughing
at me or rolling your eyes. I seriously think that I saw
this concept of slow driving equals using less gas.
But maybe that was a trick to get us all to drive slower.

Eventually I found a gas station and let me tell you,
I was close to empty. Super close.

This entire thing that happen to me got me thinking
about probably one of the biggest problems with
bipolar disorder for both those with the disorder
and those who are supporters.

What’s it? You know what? I want you to seriously
try to guess what the big lesson is from this sad
“I almost ran out of gas story.”
Guess and then scroll?

Did you guess? If so, then scroll….

People miss the signs of an episode coming. This is
the big lesson. You see on a car there is a gas gauge.
The gas gauge is designed to send a signal to you
about how much gas you have left. When it’s low, you
get gas. Unfortunately with bipolar disorder, people
don’t have episode gauges that you can simply look
at.

I personally recommend making a list of how you
or your loved one is “normally.” And then you have
to look daily at the list and compare against what
you are seeing. It might sound like a super pain
in the neck which it is at first but eventually
here’s what happens. You start to memorize the
“normal” part and then you can compare that
against what you are seeing.

Eventually you can start to spot bipolar disorder
episodes right away BEFORE they totally get out of
control. Once they are out of control it’s really
hard to get stability quickly.

The goal should be to catch the episode early,
so that modifications to the treatment plan can
be done by a doctor and you or your loved one
doesn’t go too far of course.

The woman who called had my bipolar supporter
course which has worksheets that you can use
to help know when your loved one’s episodes
are coming. MY bipolar supporter course has
similar worksheets but for people with bipolar
disorder.

You can take a look at 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

So remember to try to read the signs of
an upcoming bipolar episode.

Oh one more thing. Someone asked me if I was
a doctor. I say this so many times I can’t
believe that someone would ask. I am NOT
a doctor, therapist, insurance agent, lawyer,
professional in the field or dog catcher.

Actually someone wrote me and asked if I am
a dog catcher. I have no idea why should would
like I was a dog catcher. Actually I don’t
even think that there are dog catchers. I think
that falls under Animal Control who catch dogs
and other animals. But I am not in Animal Control
either. :).

Well I have to take off for the day. Have a great
day.

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