Hi,<\/p>\n
My goddaughter is at that age where \u201cLet\u2019s Pretend\u201d is almost better than real life. So, even though it\u2019s winter outdoors\u2026An indoor picnic is just the thing for a cold, windy day! Of course, it must come with everything from real peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to potato chips to chocolate chip cookies for dessert, with lemonade to quench our thirst! The only thing that definitely does NOT come with our indoor picnic is ANTS! LOL Of course, coping and dealing with a loved one with bipolar disorder \u201cain\u2019t no picnic,\u201d as the saying goes, and I certainly understand that, from dealing with my mom. You have to deal with the daily ups and downs of the disorder, and that is really NOT easy. In fact, it can be downright discouraging sometimes.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sure when your loved one was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the doctor was going over some of the things to expect, he\/she didn\u2019t tell you everything. They sure couldn\u2019t tell you everything in the short time they have to be with you (your loved one). They just really go over the basics. Plus, everyone is different. And bipolar disorder can manifest differently in different people, too. So I\u2019m sure your loved one\u2019s doctor probably also stuck to just general information because they didn\u2019t want to give you wrong information for your loved one. But by doing that, I\u2019m sure they left you with some questions that went unanswered. I mean, even if they had answered every one of your questions at the time, I\u2019m sure there have been circumstances and issues that have arisen since your loved one\u2019s diagnosis that were not anticipated in the beginning. There are some things that you can only find out by going through them, unfortunately. For example: Everyone who has bipolar disorder has triggers. But everyone\u2019s triggers are different. So even if your loved one\u2019s doctor had talked about what triggers a bipolar episode\u2026You wouldn\u2019t necessarily know what triggers your loved one\u2019s episodes until you go through them. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to do what I call a PEA, or Post Episode Analysis, after the episode. That\u2019s where you and your loved one sit down together and analyze the episode, going over things like what led up to the episode (including triggers), and how they could<\/p>\n
be prevented in the future (or at least spotted quicker to prevent a major episode). These are just some things that you learn with experience as you go along with bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
So how do you deal with the daily ups and downs and discouragement of having a loved one with bipolar disorder? Well, what I just talked about will help. In other words\u2026TIME is a big factor. Experience as you go will help you to get along better, as you become more learned about your loved one\u2019s disorder. The more experience you have, the better you will be able to cope with it (and them). Another thing that will help is your attitude. Learn to just make it through the bad times with a \u201cThis Too Shall Pass\u201d (it always has before) attitude, and to appreciate the good times for as long as they last, and to get the most out of them. But you also need to stay realistic, and remember that, although you can appreciate the good times, they won\u2019t<\/p>\n
last. And always separate your loved one from their disorder, remembering that it\u2019s NOT their fault that they do some of the things that they do. That will also help you get through the daily ups and downs and discouragement. As one supporter puts it: \u201cI hate when my wife acts bipolar, but I always remember that eventually she will get back to herself, so I just wait it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
My goddaughter is at that age where \u201cLet\u2019s Pretend\u201d is almost better than real life. So, even though it\u2019s winter outdoors\u2026An indoor picnic is just the thing for a cold, windy day! Of course, it must come with everything from real peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to potato chips to chocolate chip cookies for dessert, with lemonade to quench our thirst! The only thing that definitely does NOT come with our indoor picnic is ANTS!<\/p>\n