Hi.<\/p>\n
Today is going to be an interesting
day for me. You remember how I had all
those problems with my printer who
made all the printing for my bipolar
disorder material? Well I am in the
process of moving to another printer.<\/p>\n
NOTE-You can catch up on this story
by reading my blog at the end of this
email.<\/p>\n
After I started to take all my business
away from the first printer, they realized
it seriously hurt their sales. Anyway,
to make a long story short, they (
like 5 people) want to talk about my leaving
and going to another printer. The meeting
is at 10:00am this morning.<\/p>\n
Over the next few days, I am going to
tell you how I dealt with this printer
and why you will have to use the
SAME exact strategies when dealing
with the mental health system.<\/p>\n
I used the same exact strategy with
the printer I used with my mom’s outpatient
program she was at. The one that wasn’t
wasn’t helping her.<\/p>\n
You’re going to like it. But today
I want to tell you a quick story of
someone that I spoke to yesterday
in the store.<\/p>\n
I was in the store, looking for some
stuff for my office. I was looking
for one of those “things” that you
can put a bunch of stacks of paper
in. I have no idea what it’s called
and I am sure that the people didn’t
like the fact I asked for a “thing.”<\/p>\n
So anyway, I wound up mentioning
to someone that I had a number of websites
online related to disorders like bipolar
disorder and that I wanted to use this
thing to organize the papers and stack
them in groups vertically.<\/p>\n
Someone overheard me and asked
if I am a psychiatrist. I told him
that I wasn’t a doctor, therapist,
lawyer, accountant, insurance agent,
dentist, etc.<\/p>\n
He looked at me strange and I explained
why I tell people all the stuff that
I am not so they don’t get the
wrong idea that I am a doctor, lawyer,
therapist, ect. He said “oh I see.”<\/p>\n
So then I gave him
the short version of why I know about
bipolar disorder. I told him about
my mom, the websites, my list, etc.
etc.<\/p>\n
He was excited. He then pulled me ahead
and said that someone in his family
who he would not tell me who it was,
was in trouble.<\/p>\n
Hmm. I listened. I told him I really
had to go but I would give him
5 minutes but he could send me a fax
later on and I would answer any non
medical and non legal questions.<\/p>\n
He said fair enough. So he basically
told me how someone was having all this
trouble for years and how doctors
“suck” and therapists “steal money.”<\/p>\n
Hmmm. I listened. He then said that
no one can “fix” his loved one
and it’s terrible. He said, “I know
you aren’t a doctor but what would
you do.”<\/p>\n
I then asked him a series of questions
and since I have to go really soon
I will have to give you the short version
of the questions.<\/p>\n
To make a long story short, he
did what I call “the dump off.”<\/p>\n
THE DUMP OFF is BAD!<\/p>\n
I told him all about the dump off
and explained what he should be doing.
He thought about it and said, “you
are so right, that makes total sense.”<\/p>\n
You probably thinking, “Hmm
Dave, what the heck is the dump off.”<\/p>\n
If you are new to my list you may
be thinking, “This guy sure is
odd, first he tells me about his
printer then he tells me a story
and then he uses a term which I have
never heard about or seen…Maybe
he’s crazy??”<\/p>\n
I am not crazy. Actually crazy isn’t a
disorder either as a side note.<\/p>\n
But let’s get back to the lesson.<\/p>\n
The “dump off” is when a caregiver
takes a loved one with bipolar disorder
and simply “dumps” them off at a hospital,
group, doctor, or part of the mental
health system with NO follow up
and assumes the system will take
care of everything from a to z
and the caregiver or supporter has
to do nothing else.<\/p>\n
I have NEVER ever seen or heard this
working well.<\/p>\n
When you take someone to a doctor,
therapist, hospital, you can’t dump
them off.<\/p>\n
You have to follow up and follow through.<\/p>\n
You have to stay on top of things. You know
now that I am writing this, I realize why
someone would think that the “professionals”
should do a good job and “handle” everything
from a to z. That’s the way it should be.<\/p>\n
But the reality is, it’s NOT that way.<\/p>\n
Instead of just dumping a loved one off
you should take them to where they
are suppose to go and then<\/p>\n
-Ask questions<\/p>\n
-Act like you are in the know and have ways to figure
out and verify any information given<\/p>\n
-Check on things<\/p>\n
-Report signs and symptoms you are seeing<\/p>\n
-Make sure the person is in the 5% group not the
95% group.<\/p>\n
-Make your loved one is NOT getting AL treatment. This
is a huge problem<\/p>\n
-Demand proper treatment for your loved one<\/p>\n
This is just a few things you have to be doing
as a caregiver of someone who has bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
I don’t have any kids. But I think with kids
you have to check on them and make sure they
are not doing bad things.<\/p>\n
I do that myself with the people in the mental
health system. I am always checking. They
know it.<\/p>\n
It’s NOT LIKE FIXING YOUR CAR<\/p>\n
My blinker is blinking really, really, really
fast. And my back light is out. So I took my
car to the shop. Luckily for me, I got there
with only 7 miles left on my warranty. Great
for me. But anyway, I dropped my car off
and in one day it will be fixed. I don’t have
to do a lot of work to work with the car fixing
people.<\/p>\n
Some people think that bipolar disorder is like
having a car fixed. Dump off your loved one
and then they are “fixed” in a certain period
of time without any assistant on the part of the
caregiver.<\/p>\n
I have found this not to be true.<\/p>\n
In all my courses\/systems, people repeat this
theme over and over again talk about exactly
what to do.<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING AN ADULT? SUPPORTING A CHILD\/TEEN? HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER? I have to get ready for my meeting. I will Your Friend,<\/p>\n Dave<\/p>\n P.S. Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails P.P.S Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give Hi.<\/p>\n Today is going to be an interesting NOTE-You can catch up on this story After I started to take all my business
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarsupporter.com\/report11<\/a><\/p>\n
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarparenting.com<\/a><\/p>\n
Visit:
http:\/\/www.survivebipolar.net<\/a><\/p>\n
write you more tomorrow. Have a great day.<\/p>\n
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http:\/\/www.bipolarcentral.com\/supporterblog\/<\/a><\/p>\n
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can’t learn anywhere else.
http:\/\/bipolarcentral.libsyn.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
day for me. You remember how I had all
those problems with my printer who
made all the printing for my bipolar
disorder material? Well I am in the
process of moving to another printer.<\/p>\n
by reading my blog at the end of this
email.<\/p>\n
away from the first printer,<\/p>\n