Hey,<\/p>\n
How’s it going? I spoke with several people yesterday
that used their f.ree consultation certificate for
non medical or non legal questions and one thing
that seemed to run through everyone was
how they need what I call a “Bipolar Bunker.”<\/p>\n
What the heck is a bipolar bunker? Well
when you are supporting someone with bipolar
disorder, you take what I call, “incoming
fire.” Incoming fire is the steady stream
of verbal abuse and threats and in some
cases physical abuse that a loved one
that is not stable will project on you.<\/p>\n
Many bipolar supporters make the huge
mistake of actually sitting and getting
screamed at and trying to make important
decisions or try to rationalize or
argue back that’s even worse.<\/p>\n
As a result the bipolar supporter gets
slowly worn down and eventually destroyed.
How do I know? I use to take a ton of incoming
fire with my mom every single day. Some times
9 hours a day. I am dead serious. I seriously
thought that I was going to die on some
occasions.<\/p>\n
I will tell you this. 99% of people do not
have the will nor energy to be able to successfully
out argue the unstable person who is manic with
bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
It’s just not possible.<\/p>\n
It took me months to figure this out. Eventually
I said to myself, “self, this is dumb, you need
a better strategy.” So I set myself up
what I called a bipolar bunker.<\/p>\n
Basically my bipolar bunker was mobile–it
was my car. This bunker would shield me from
my mom and allow me some distance and breathing
room so I could think with a clear head
so I could make effective strategies to try to
help her.<\/p>\n
I actually would drive about 10 minutes away
and put on the radio and sit and make plans
in my notebook. It was during these times
after about 20 minutes of my brain readjusting
to not being screamed at that I could think
clear. If I hadn’t done this, I would have
never been able to effectively help my mom.<\/p>\n
If you have bipolar disorder, and you go
into a manic episode you should want your loved
one to setup their own bunker so that you don’t
cause them to want to permanently leave you.<\/p>\n
I talk a lot about Michele Soloway who
has bipolar disorder and so does her husband. They
actually setup their own bunkers and want each other
to go into the bunker if they are in an episode. Why?
So the one in the episode doesn’t do or say something
really bad to one that is not in an episode.<\/p>\n
I advise all supporters to think about how
and where they can create their own bipolar
bunker so they are not taking incoming fire
and unable to make any good decisions?<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarsupporter.com\/report11<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING A CHILD\/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarparenting.com<\/p>\n
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.survivebipolar.net<\/p>\n
Some people move out of the house. Get an apartment.
Go live with someone else. You may think that is
quitting on your loved one but it’s not. It’s
called fighting the war from Washington. That’s
what I call it. If you look at let’s say the Iraq
war. The people running the war make decisions in
Washington, DC not in Iraq getting shot out on
a daily basis. Remember you are like a general
in a war. The enemy is bipolar disorder. The enemy
tries to attack you and you have to make sure
that you avoid all those “bullets.”<\/p>\n
I hope this all makes sense. <\/p>\n
Well I have to run. Have a great day.<\/p>\n
PLEASE POST RESPONSES TO THIS EMAIL HERE<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n
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>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hey,<\/p>\n
How’s it going? I spoke with several people yesterday
that used their f.ree consultation certificate for
non medical or non legal questions and one thing
that seemed to run through everyone was
how they need what I call a “Bipolar Bunker.”<\/p>\n
What the heck is a bipolar bunker? Well
when you are supporting someone with bipolar
disorder, you take what I call, “incoming
fire.”<\/p>\n