Hi,<\/p>\n
Today I want to talk about how people in a manic episode make mistakes when it comes to other people (\u201cfriends\u201d). They tend to choose the wrong people to surround themselves with (negative or toxic people) when they are in that episode, and it comes back to hurt them and their families.<\/p>\n
Remember before when I\u2019ve told you about Michele and how she taught her children about
\npicking the right friends by using the 10\/2 Equation.<\/p>\n
It works like this: If you are a 10 and they are a 2, and you hang out with them, you are not going to bring them up to an 8, they are going to bring you down to a 4!<\/p>\n
So that\u2019s what I\u2019m talking about here. It\u2019s hard for a supporter to watch their loved one go into a manic episode\u2026Your loved one might get all outgoing and such (whether that is their normal behavior or behavior caused by the bipolar disorder)\u2026 and the next thing you know, your loved one is hanging around with these people\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026and you KNOW that these people are bad for your loved one, but they just use excuses, or defend their \u201cnew friends\u201d, because they can\u2019t see how these people are bad for them.<\/p>\n
In a manic episode, your loved one’s judgment can be totally altered by their bipolar disorder.
\nThey may not even realize that these people are bad for them (or you).<\/p>\n
That can be so frustrating for you, because your loved one just won\u2019t listen to you when it comes to their friends, because they think they’re ok, and they may get defensive about it. And you don’t want to get into a fight with your loved one over their choice in friends, but you may not know
\nwhat else to do!<\/p>\n
It’s really tough, but you may even have to stand silently by and watch your loved one get hurt by these “friends.” Maybe they are just negative people and will bring your loved one down, but that’s not as bad as what some will do \u2013<\/p>\n
Some will take advantage of their \u201cnew friend\u201d (your loved one while they’re in a manic episode) and possibly use them for their money, etc. Even so, your loved one might still defend them! It\u2019s very difficult in this situation to get your loved one to listen to you.<\/p>\n
For example: Michele (who works for me), her mom has bipolar disorder, just like my mom.
\nMichele spent hours with her mom, working out a routine for her to be able to manage her bipolar disorder. Her mom was doing great on her routine. Until she met Mary.<\/p>\n
Mary became close friends with Michele\u2019s mom. But Mary decided that Michele\u2019s mom didn\u2019t need her routine any more, and that she had better advice for her. So guess who Michele\u2019s mom listened to?<\/p>\n
Well, after awhile, Mary kind of floated away from Michele\u2019s mom, and Michele\u2019s mom went into a mini-episode, most likely caused by the fact that she had no routine to cling to, like she had before.<\/p>\n
Do you see the important point that I\u2019m making here? Now, I’m not saying that people with bipolar disorder shouldn\u2019t have friends. But only that they should be VERY particular in who
\nthey choose for friends. In fact, this is one of the areas where your loved one should trust you more than themselves.<\/p>\n
A manic episode will definitely affect their thoughts and, like I said before, it will affect their judgment as well. If you see that your loved one is making a poor choice in friends, or even being taken advantage of, then you should tell them.<\/p>\n
Hopefully, they will listen to you. Or at least think twice about who they are hanging around with. I will tell you this as a p.s. \u2013 Michele\u2019s mom sure learned her lesson about choosing her friends more carefully. And now she sticks to her routine, too!<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
Today I want to talk about how people in a manic episode make mistakes when it comes to other people (\u201cfriends\u201d). They tend to choose the wrong people to surround themselves with (negative or toxic people) when they are in that episode, and it comes back to hurt them and their families.<\/p>\n
Remember before when I\u2019ve told you about Michele and how she taught her children about
\npicking the right friends by using the 10\/2 Equation.<\/p>\n