Hi, how’s it going? Hope you are doing well.

The other day I was watching a team of people work on a tough assignment. They made a plan that sounded like it would work. But then, they didn’t follow it! I didn’t understand it. They ended up having a much harder time doing their job then they would have if they had followed the plan they had all agreed on.

And their plan was a good one, and it took them time to come up with it. So why didn’t they follow it?

It made me think about people with bipolar disorder. Most people with bipolar disorder who are on their way to recovery have made some sort of a plan. But often times, they will stray away from that plan. Most of the time, the plan includes communication with their support team. But often times, this does not get played out the way it should.

That’s where accountability comes into play. That’s right: accountability. The “A” of all words for bipolar disorder. It’s an important word because it’s an

important concept.

A person with bipolar disorder needs to communicate with everyone in their recovery team, including their psychiatrist and therapist, their supporters and possibly their family as well. Whomever they have chosen to be in their recovery team, it is important that they talk to them about how they are feeling, what they are doing, and any plans they may have.

Talking to them about how they are feeling is essential to help watch for relapses. Talking to them about what they are doing helps to make sure they aren’t overwhelming themselves. Talking to them about any plans they may have, especially when manic, will help them to make sure that their plans are sound and reasonable.

The important thing is to make sure that there is open communication between the person with bipolar disorder and their support team.

This goes both ways, too. The people in the recovery team need to communicate with their loved one who has bipolar. They need to be talking to them about what they are noticing in them. That way the person can learn to recognize their symptoms as they are happening, and hopefully even to recognize their triggers.

They need to be talking to their loved one about what to do in the case of an emergency. It is better to have that plan ahead of time, after all, so that it can be followed later. They need to be talking to their loved one about how to prevent a relapse. They also need to be talking to their loved one about what to do should a relapse happen.

However you look at it, both sides need to communicate with the other side. And both sides need to be accountable to the other side, and to hold each other accountable.

Communication is a good thing in most situations, but it is essential when dealing with bipolar disorder. Without communication, the person with bipolar disorder would be stuck trying to recover on their own. And, as supporters, we don’t want them to have to do that.

So make a point to communicate with each other, and to keep each other accountable. How do you think you could communicate better?

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave