Hi,

You’ve heard of One Size Fits All, right? You’ve probably even tried something that has had a tag on it that says “One Size Fits All,” right? (Most people have, and found out otherwise).

Here’s a perfect example: T-shirts. One Size Fits All. Yeah, right. Until you wash it and find out that One Size Fits ONE – a child! What about using the One Size Fits All technique on shoes? Wouldn’t work, would it?

Then why do some doctors treating patients with bipolar disorder try to use the One Size Fits All technique on them? They prescribe the same medications to all their patients with bipolar disorder! Back when bipolar disorder was first diagnosed, the first drug prescribed for it was Lithium. Lithium was touted as the “wonder drug” for bipolar disorder. Until some people had psychotic reactions to it! Some people did well on that drug (still do), but others didn’t. So the drug companies had to come up with other medications to treat bipolar disorder. The One Size Fits All technique sure didn’t work with Lithium!

In my experience, there are good doctors and bad doctors.

A bad doctor will use the One Size Fits All technique and prescribe the same medications for all his patients with bipolar disorder. Whereas, a good doctor recognizes that different patients have different needs. If he’s really good, you should feel as if you’re his ONLY patient (while you’re there). If he’s a good doctor, he shouldn’t just keep prescribing you the same medications every

time you see him, year after year after year. There should be changes from time to time. Otherwise, he too is following the One Size Fits All technique.

Let me ask you something. When you go to your therapist, do they act bored? Are they easily distracted? Do they take phone calls during your session? Do they do other things while you’re talking? Just like there can be good doctors and bad doctors, there can be good therapists and bad therapists, too, and these are all signs of a bad therapist, one who is using the One Size Fits All technique – who treats every client with bipolar disorder the same way.

It can even happen in Support Groups! I know, because I’ve been there, and seen it happen.

Mary tells Joe that her sister Lucy found this miracle cure for bipolar disorder, so Joe should put his wife Linda on it right away so she can be cured, too! Well, first of all, we all know there’s no cure for bipolar disorder, so there’s some kind of scam going on there. Second of all, just because something worked for so-and-so, doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. Why?

Because One Size Does NOT Fit All!!!

Another example of the One Size Fits All is when one person tells another person that they go to the best doctor and that she should go to that doctor too, so she can get cured too.

First of all, as I said earlier, there is NO cure for bipolar disorder – only management of it.

Second of all, in this case, this woman is playing doctor and prescribing a “cure” for someone else, telling her what to do. In a desperate situation, someone might take the wrong advice.

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave