Hi, how’s it going? I\u2019ve been thinking about something, and wanted to share my thoughts with you. It\u2019s about what happens when you try to accomplish too much too fast. Or expect things to happen too soon.<\/p>\n
Think about it. When you try to accomplish too much too fast, you are just setting yourself up<\/p>\n
for failure, because you\u2019ll never be able to do it. When you try to accomplish too much too fast, it can lead to discouragement for you when it doesn’t turn out how you expect it to. Also, if you don\u2019t know how long something should take, you can start to think it\u2019s taking too long.<\/p>\n
For example, after an episode. The “too much too fast” idea can be applied to coming out of an episode, if you’re not careful. You and your loved one might expect that recovery will happen just like that! But it could take up to a year to fully \u201cfix\u201d the after effects of an episode. Like the financial ruin \u2013 you can\u2019t fix a bankruptcy in just two weeks!<\/p>\n
But some people think you can just do it overnight! We don\u2019t rush the stroke victim or even the cancer victim, why do we rush the victim of bipolar disorder? Thinking that they should be over<\/p>\n
an episode after just a week or two is just plain unrealistic expectations. Would we have that same expectation if they were getting over a physical illness? Then why are we expecting it from a bipolar episode?<\/p>\n
There are some things in life that take a certain amount of time to happen. It\u2019s just the way it has<\/p>\n
to be. Think about things in nature. Like the butterfly \u2013 it starts off as a caterpillar\u2026then it goes into a cocoon\u2026 and only after a certain period of time does it emerge as that beautiful butterfly!<\/p>\n
It just doesn\u2019t happen overnight.<\/p>\n
It takes time. A process has to happen. And if you interrupt that process at any point in the chain of events, the whole thing would be ruined! Some things just can\u2019t be rushed. Other things just have to take place in a certain order. And still other things have to take place at a certain time.<\/p>\n
Wanting your loved one who has bipolar disorder to get over their episode overnight is like wanting them to be that beautiful butterfly without going through the cocoon phase!<\/p>\n
Let’s look at it this way:<\/p>\n
When your loved one is first diagnosed and taking their first baby steps into the world of bipolar disorder, let’s call that the “caterpillar stage.” There are certain things that have to happen during that stage, or they cannot move on.<\/p>\n
For example, they have to learn to take their medications, every day and religiously. They have to learn to go to their doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist, and how important that is. They need to get used to a new lifestyle. Then they can move onto the cocoon stage, where they practice everything they’ve learned, so that in this stage they learn to control their bipolar disorder (and not the other way around). They can now manage their bipolar disorder, so that\u2026<\/p>\n
When the time is right for them to emerge from their “cocoon,”\u2026<\/p>\n
They can become that beautiful butterfly and enjoy a stable and happy life!<\/p>\n
But do you see how you cannot skip any of those stages? Each one is necessary. It may be hard to be patient during this process, but remember that<\/p>\n
beautiful butterfly.<\/p>\n
Some things are worth waiting for!<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi, how’s it going? I\u2019ve been thinking about something, and wanted to share my thoughts with you. It\u2019s about what happens when you try to accomplish too much too fast. Or expect things to happen too soon.<\/p>\n
Think about it. When you try to accomplish too much too fast, you are just setting yourself up<\/p>\n
for failure, because you\u2019ll never be able to do it. When you try to accomplish too much too fast,<\/p>\n