Darn it – I really do have quite a great week in terms of work – I am speaking to psych residents today and am teaching at a writing conference on Friday. And I just went into a pretty strong downswing. I promised myself I would not use the word UNFAIR to describe what we go through- so I have to come up with other words:
Unfortunate- too bad, sad, bummer, rotten, awful, @#$@%
Haha. I can keep going when I’m down- I have my plan. Get it Done When You’re Depressed is sitting right here on my desk: I am going to open it randomly and then promise myself I will do what it says”
#34 Educated Your Friends and Family About Depression.
Heck yea! I am doing that. I know there will be a downswing on Sunday after the conference, so I’m already asking for help from family and friends- I must have [ Read More ]
I have what I call Ultradian Rapid Cycling Bipolar II with psychotic features, etc. Truthfully, my form of bipolar is pretty rare- which is probably why I can write about bipolar 24 hours a day- my moods change so constantly. I just counted that in the last ten days I’ve had 15 mood swings. I get very, very tired of it. These mood swings have been constant since 2002- I am not sure why I’ve gotten so much worse over the years- though I know my management skills have improved 1000% since I wrote the Health Cards. That is why I talk about them so much.
I am speaking to a group of psychiatric residents at Oregon Health and Sciences University hospital next week. I am very looking forward to this- and in the opening of my talk, I’m going to ask the audience to guess how many mood swings I’ve had since January 1st [ Read More ]
Mania is devastating. Mania ruins relationships. Mania gets people fired. Mania gets you drunk, makes you gamble away your child’s college fund, gives you STDs, makes you so ‘creative’ you can’t see that what you’re creating makes no sense. Mania… is… dangerous.
I talk about mania in these terms because I have been there, my former partner was there and in the hospital for two months and I work with families in my coaching business who are either dealing with a manic child who has left the family to ‘take a trip around the states to see what’s out there!’ , has left a partner for greener pastures, is in jail, stopped their medications (this is often the reason for the mania), bought a $10,000 painting because it was so beauuuuuuutifuuuuuuuul!
I have seen and felt the destruction of mania.
I am here to tel you that mania starts small- it’s starts with small [ Read More ]
People often ask me for financial management advice for people with bipolar disorder. I am going to do a teleseminar on the topic and will keep you posted. If there are particular things you would like me to cover in the teleseminar, just let me know.
It has a lot of great tips- of course, it describes people with jobs and what seems to be a healthy life- but we can learn from their ideas. Here are a few things you may not know about me!
1. I am cash only. I mean this. I don’t have debit cards or credit cards AT ALL.
2. I try to budget for each place I go. I find that budgeting for a whole day doesn’t work for me- but budgeting the cash for a certain event such as a Thai restaurant with friends really helps. This [ Read More ]
I have read The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz many times in the past ten years. I have listened to the recorded version even more. The four agreements are simple:
1. Be impeccible with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.
I have lived my life using these agreements since first reading the book. It has been hard. In fact, writing about them today gives me a good reminder that I have a situation in my life right now where the assumptions are rampant! I will take care of that! I also remind myself that doing my best is often based on my best in terms of where I am with bipolar disorder. On the really, really tough days, my best is quite different than on the more normal days. And on the hypomanic days- watch out! 😉
As many of you know- one of my greatest regrets of the past few years is that I could not date due to panic attacks, OCD and a lovely dash of psychosis- this often leads a person to spend time with someone who is not the right someone! Dating was just too stressful for my bipolar disorder. Note that I say it was too stressful for the bipolar. What is so frustrating is that the real me under all of the mood swings is not all that stressed out by life situations. But unless it’s treated daily- bipolar wins.
I have worked diligently for the past few years to learn how to manage this stressful reaction to dating in a few specific ways. Here are two:
1. I decided to become celibate so that I could relate to men without feeling nervous or worried that I might have to go out with them when [ Read More ]
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Mom Brain Podcast
Listen to Julie’s latest interview on bipolar disorder and mental health in children, teens and adults on the Mom Brain Podcast with Hilaria Baldwin and Daphne Oz.
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