Hi,<\/p>\n
How’s it going today? Yesterday something
happen to me that happens all the time
when people are dealing with bipolar disorder
or mental health in general. I call it
“the turn around.” <\/p>\n
It’s kind of funny but I like to give things
names. My friends make fun of me about that.<\/p>\n
Let me explain what happen and then explain
what the turn around is. Okay, I am currently
moving. If you have been on my list for more
than a week, you are probably really tired
of me talking about it. <\/p>\n
You might think, “Dave I am tired of
you moving, I wish you would just move,
what the heck is wrong with you?”<\/p>\n
I don’t know what’s wrong with me either.
The move has taken way longer. It’s because
there are a bunch of people involved and
each one has let me know. Well not everyone
but most of the people. Anyway, let me get
to the important bipolar disorder warning.<\/p>\n
So yesterday I went into a big store that
was suppose to measure my window and make
my blinds. I started this entire process
July 3, 2007. I just got my measurements
for the blinds yesterday. It’s only suppose
to take like 3 to 4 days. That’s it.
I had to call the store maybe 7 to 8 times
and go by and try to hunt down the measuring
people or people with the information. I made
about 4 trips with the right people being
“out”, “sick”, “on lunch”, etc.<\/p>\n
So yesterday I was super mad. I called up
the manager of the store and I got the
operations person. To make a really long
story, I explain what happen from a to
z with a time line. Guess what? He turns
it around on me. He did the turn around.
The sad part is, I know what happens in
mental health with let’s say bipolar disorder.
How the turn around is used all the time,
but I wasn’t expecting it. So I kind of
got caught off guard until about 25 minutes
into the conversation.<\/p>\n
Basically he said that it was my fault
because it took so long. And there was the
4th of the July holiday and I didn’t
give the store the right phone number. And
I didn’t come into the store fast enough. And
if one measuring person was taking too long
then I could have requested another one (like
I would know that), on and on and on. <\/p>\n
He basically talked down to me like I had no
clue and then kept saying, “I don’t know why
you are getting so wound up.” Hmmm. Maybe
because I spent money to get some stuff and
it took like 12 days longer than they told me
it should.<\/p>\n
Then I used a technique you should and probably
are going to have to use for bipolar disorder.
As this person was talking to me I finally realized
he is no different than a bad mental health worker\/
provider so I prepared to treatment this way.<\/p>\n
I finally said, “Dave (that was his name too),
you seem to be doing something I call the turn
around in mental health terms. You are not
taking responsibility for what’s been going on
and turning it around on me the customer. I have
not done and thing wrong and you are suppose
to be about customer service. You have failed.
Because I run several mental health sites including
one that gets over 1 million visitors a year, I am
an expert at dealing with very difficult people
who don’t accept responsibility for a given matter.”<\/p>\n
I then asked him for:<\/p>\n
His first and last name
His title
His boss’s name
And thanked him for his time. I then indicated that I would
be calling corporate to get a third party to evaluate the
situation and the timeline to help figure out what should
be done since he was turning it around on me. I told him
how I was going to write probably a 3 to 5 page letter
by tomorrow and send and call as well.<\/p>\n
I noted that I had times\/dates and people. I then asked
several times if he was new to being a manager
because he seemed to have a different philosophy
then most people that do customer service or are in
charge of a store.<\/p>\n
IMMEDIATELY he changed his tune. He said, “Well you
don’t have to do all that. What will make you happy?”<\/p>\n
I told him. I want my measuring fee back, I want
the right measurements and I want some to give me
the right estimate on how much my blinds are
going to cost and to sit with me for 10 minutes
to make sure I am getting the right stuff. I know
NOTHING about blinds.<\/p>\n
He said “oh, okay, no problem.” So it was done.
It took 5 minutes after I got tough with him.<\/p>\n
LESSONS TO LEARN FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER<\/p>\n
I really want to warn you. And I am not kidding
around. You will find in mental health you’re
going to get the turn around all the time. People
in mental health almost never accept responsibility.
And if you have bipolar disorder, it’s worse. It’s
so easy to blame it on you because you have a mental
illness. <\/p>\n
If anything goes wrong, most places and people in
mental health will simply try to turn it around
on you, blame you, make you go away WITHOUT what
you should or what you really want and beat
you into the ground while making you feel dumb.
This is the truth. I am going to get tons of
hate mail from people who work in the field
telling me that what I say is not true.<\/p>\n
It’s true. <\/p>\n
So, here’s what you do. When you are going
to deal with someone for a mental health related
issue like:<\/p>\n
Why medication was wrong
Why a prescription wasn’t filled
Why an insurance bill was not paid or overcharged
Why you can’t see your loved one’s doctor
Why you were overcharged for something
Why your loved one was put somewhere they weren’t
suppose to
Why you or your loved one didn’t get a part of care
you were suppose to
Why the police mistreated you or your loved one
ETC.<\/p>\n
Most of the time, you will get the turn around.
They will try to turn it around on you. Blame you.
Be prepared. Get a small note book and carry it
with you at all time. Write first and last names
down, times and places. Make notes. People hate
to give their first and last name. They hate
when you talk about writing their boss or
the head of the organization. It scares them. <\/p>\n
They don’t want you to make trouble for them
because whatever bad they are doing, they
are doing to many other people so if they
keep you quiet they can keep on doing it.<\/p>\n
Final thing, make your requests reasonable
not a joke. <\/p>\n
In my courses\/systems many people who
I interview talk about the turn around
all the time and how it’s a big problem
in the field and some ideas on how to
deal with it. I feel that my method works
very well even though you have to be tough:<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING AN ADULT?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarsupporter.com\/report11<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING A CHILD\/TEEN?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarparenting.com<\/p>\n
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.survivebipolar.net<\/p>\n
Well I have to run. Catch you tomorrow. I really
hope this makes sense because this is really
serious stuff.<\/p>\n
Did you know that the big episode my mom
went into starting in 2003 through 2004
was because her OLD doctor would not
put her in the hospital even though my
mom asked him to multiple times. Imagine
that. My mom asked to go to the hospital
because she was very sick. He didn’t respond
at all and she got worse and worse. When I questioned
him, he turned it around on her basically saying
she didn’t ask him correctly? He’s a dummy. <\/p>\n
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":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
How’s it going today? Yesterday something
happen to me that happens all the time
when people are dealing with bipolar disorder
or mental health in general. I call it
“the turn around.” <\/p>\n
It’s kind of funny but I like to give things
names. My friends make fun of me about that.<\/p>\n
Let me explain what happen and then explain
what the turn around is.<\/p>\n