==>>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,
How are you? I actually have to go really
soon. It’s 8:05am and Saturday. It’s raining
again in New Jersey. Anyway, I have things
to do and people to see today but before
I left I wanted to tell you a VERY important
lesson that few people talk about related to
bipolar disorder.
Why? I don’t know.
Let me tell you a quick story about what happen
to me. Last night I decided it was time. It was
finally time. What was it time for? It was time
for me to put together my kitchen hutch since
every day that I looked at it, it didn’t seem
to be putting itself together.
I had avoided it for several weeks. I HATE putting
things together.
But this time, I tried something different. Normally
it’s a total night mare. Normally I break part of
whatever I am putting together. Normally it takes
days and days and days. Normally it drives me
crazy–kind of like how bipolar disorder can.
Why was it so easy for me to put it together?
Take a wild guess and then scroll….
Don’t cheat. Did you guess and then scroll…
I read ALL the directions first, call the 800
number and asked questions and went in the right
order based on what the directions said.
As a result I was able to do it. Actually a friend
of mine Lindsey said before I was done, “Are you
like the typical guy that doesn’t read directions?”
I said, “umm, nope I read them all and that’s why
I am the world’s greatest furniture putter togetherer.”
Anyway, what the heck does this have to do with
bipolar disorder. This is super important. Okay
medication is the foundation of success. Period!
There are instructions for taking the medication. Many
people never read the instructions, call the customer
service line and ask questions, or do what the doctor
says. If you or your loved one has bipolar disorder,
it’s critical that the instructions on how to take
the medication are followed. If you have questions,
do not guess ask someone who knows like your doctor,
pharmacist or call the toll free 800 for the drug.
I advise reading ALL the information that comes with
the medication BEFORE you take it. Not some of it.
I bet that most people on my list have never done
this. I bet most bipolar supporters never even thought
of this. I never did at first but I do now. I use
to read my mom’s stuff when I had to (today
I live further away and I am a long distance supporter).
The big lesson here is to read. And if your loved one
is an episode and he/she has to take medication, you
should do the reading for them and do the question
asking. The bottomline is there is a ton of information
that has to be learned and most people are not learning
it and as a result the medication is not working as well
as it should.
It’s like my kitchen hutch, those that don’t read
the directions probably mess it up. Make sense?
I hope it does. I have to run, catch you tomorrow.
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
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
DAVID,
Do you also have bipolar? Does your mom live with you?
TC
Dave:
I appreciate all the hard work you have put into this data. My husband is bipolar with PTSD, homicidal and suicidal. Your information has given me hope that through his manic time or through his docil time or through his times of rage I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for your hard work, it gives the rest of us hope. God Bless. Liberty.
Funny email, made me giggle, I have a handful of male friends that do not read the directions, do not ask for directions, do not ask for help – period. 🙂
I have to agree w/ the medication stuff. My mother is so awesome, and a great support for me in that when tasks like looking up info, reading info and so forth are so overwhelming to me that I never “get around to doing it”, I simply ask her for HELP and she does the footwork and reports back to me, then often we make a decision together. The simplest sounding tasks look like a mountain to me – but honestly asking for help even from my mom is a hurdle in itself. But just like anything else, the more I do it the better or easier it is for me. My meds are a good example. When my doctor switched me from Zoloft to Lamictal and Lexapro, my mom looked up all kinds of things on the computer like the effects of going off of Zoloft as well as effects of going on the other two. I knew what to expect and so did she. Since signing up for these emails, I have been much more motivated to do what is good for me. Thanks Dave and thanks all.
David,
I find your e-mails insightful and helpful. My husband has BPD and is doing well. I love your deriving meaning from ordinary things in your day and learning/teaching these things. Yes reading directions is such an easy way to make life easier and better! Thanks for your service in helping all of us out here. You are greatly appreciated 🙂
Enjoyed the e-mail; definitely makes sense.
I’ve been reading all of the info about your course, and would love to buy it, but as I’m on disability due to my illness, there’s no way I can afford it.
I appreciate all of the information you have sent, and you’re spot-on. It’s like you know me. I’m pretty stable now on appropriate meds, and have a GREAT therapist (not just out for money).
My biggest heartache is that my bipolar behavior has alienated my younger son (esp. the stuff that happened when he was young and I was not at all stable). My therapist and I are working on it, and are beginning to make some progress!
i have an 11 year old son that has been on meds since he was 5 years old and recently this summer he got so bad we had to put him in an institute for inpatient for a few days to stabalize his meds and as a result all of us go for counseling hubby when he can and i go so i don’t loose my mind..
he is on meds and is getting monitored. the stuff you mention is dead on, i am glad i happend upon your emails and information.. as a mother of a bipolar child it gives me some form of comfort to know i am not crazy and now finally people believe me that my son is more than a case of boys will be boys
thanks
tracey
As soon as I was put on antipsychotic meds, I have ALWAYS looked up info on them. The only thing that bothers me about this is the side effects portion. This used to drive my Mom crazy, as she said I was “looking for something” to affect me. Actually, I was looking for what to LOOK for when/if I took the medication. Things like “dry mouth,” “palsy,” “sexual dysfunction,” “nightmares,” etc.
Every time I’m put on a new med, I research it thoroughly, either from asking my doctor, to using the website of the med. Forewarned is forearmed, I believe. If I DON’T know what can happen, and something DOES happen, I want to know if it’s possible it’s the meds, and not some NEW manifestation of my illness.
Thank you, Dave. Your emails deal with everyday subjects that we ALL can relate to, not only bipolars, their supporters, or ordinary, “normal” people. I enjoy reading them everyday.
God bless you, and keep up the good work!
Dear David
I feel lower today and things are getting worse. My dearest nan has not long to go and rest in peace, however all my family have all gone psychotic around her dying bed including my own mother. my auntie and uncle and mum have suffered breakdowns before and are easily triggered and now their mother is on her last stretch everyone is behaving in Bipolared mass destruction. How do I cope with a mass of bipolared dramatic relatives. I coped well with learning my partners triggers but I must say I am way out of my league with this lot. Ever tried making a bunch understand each other that don’t speak about their episodes ect and make them less easily triggered, a buch of sensitive fully charged up with hatred and bitter siblings is so not my cup of tea. I know one of them is on happy pills as they call it but now I dread the after math. Yes my mum has gone home and has confided to saying she will not go to her mothers funeral when that time comes and will change her phone numbers the lot :(. I have got to face everyone on that day with an explanation at the funeral and like my nan who has coped with them all I am keeping all their secrets and letting them vent it. I must be taking over my nan’s roled because many of the other grandchildren are feeding of it and creating more problems by opening their mouths to each other too much.I better go to my healing church and so need some spiritual healing to get me through. I am so glad I am strong and non judgemental else go insane.
I hope you never experience what I’m having to go through. Take care David. By the way tc David is not bipolar he says and he doesn’t live with his mum. Chow!
How can a doctor tell if someone is bipolar and not just going through depression.
This lady I met said she was told she was bipolar,then come to find out later she was very depressed because her husband of 22 yrs passed away.
Hi Dave,
hope all is well with you and your mom.
So to begin with, I have bipolar disorder, I wasn’t officially diagnosed until a few months ago, but have had alot of episodes of depression and mood changes, and thoughts of suicide,for the better part of 20 years or more. I spent 7 months in Greystone Psychiactric Hospital, in 2001. That only came about because the Doctor in the in-patient section, of the local hospital , had me over dosed on medications, which cause me to hallucinate, and have severe suicidal and that of injuring others. Even though, I hated that they committed me, it was the best thing for me.It helped alot, because I wanted to get better, if fact, I could have been discharged, after 5 months, but I decided I was not ready to go.
Right now, I am finding, that I am more depressed and am having constant mood swings, to the point that my daughter and I got into big argument,yesterday, that led to me hitting her. This scared the devil out of me, because I am not a violent person, I am usually a very easy going person.
Anyway, I called the hospital, today, to see when my next app. was, it is not until the 24th of this month. I asked if I could get an earlier appt. to see the doctor, and when they called back, after checking with her, I was told to keep the appt. I have, and she will adjust meds then. Thank God, I am not suicidal, because I could be dead by then.Back then, I used to cut, to cause a different kind of pain, than I was feeling. It was only a quick fix each time, and can cause scaring.
I am so scared to fall back to where I was in the past, and was reaching out to this doctor for help, and I was told to wait.
This does not help, matters, when someone is feeling this way, it just causes, the anxiety, to get worst. Up until now, I felt very comfortable with my doctor. I am so afraid, of things getting bad , like yesterday, because I am having some major financial problem right now, that is escalating things.Please, tell me what you suggest, and I do understand, that all this, is info, that you have collected, after, months of research, and that you are not a doctor or therapist.
I am at my wits end, and because my severly handicapped son,and my daughter and her 2 little ones live with me, I need to do something,fast. So, I do not fly off the handle again, and risk hurting anyone.
Well, Thank You , Dave,the material you have sent, has helped alot , in understanding bipolar more. Unforunately, right now, I am not in a good financial postion,to order you course. Hopefully, in the next couple of months, I can. Thanks again, Betsy