Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Woke up Depressed- Still Went to Work

I’ve been stable for a week. This is a miracle for me as I usually have a mood swing every day.

My mind kept saying, “You will never get depressed again Julie! It’s gone forever!”

Almost 30 years of depression and my mind still doesn’t get it! I am open to being well forever. It’s always my goal- but so far, the depression always comes back.

I was ready for it in my mind, but when it starts I’m always so mad, mad, MAD!

The past week has been so wonderful. It wasn’t mania and my mind wasn’t mean to me. I worked as much as I could. I truly like my work, especially the family and partner coaching. It has meaning for me.

But this morning the big D was back full force. I woke up at 4:00 AM and it started.

“What is the point of getting up Julie? Every day is the same. Work for money- that isn’t worth it. No hope for the future. Things are the same as always. There is no point in getting up. You’re lonely.”

It’s such a pervasive feeling. It’s soaks up all of my cells.

I knew my management skills had to kick in. I called up my inner drill sargeant. “Get out of bed Julie! Don’t listen.” I jumped up. In the bath I said, “No wallowing in misery Julie! Get out of the bath and get dressed!”

It propelled me into getting ready to go to work. I’m at my office for the day now. Starbucks 🙂

And I’m working. The depression is better. I kicked it out of my body through action!

Julie

Information on Julie’s Books and Coaching for Parents and Partners

I’m often asked to explain what I do. This is it in a nut shell!

All of my books are based off of my Health Cards Treatment Plan for Bipolar Disorder. All of my books work for those with the illness and are especially helpful for those who care about someone with the illness and just want to know what in the world is going on when their loved one gets sick.

If you scroll to the bottom of the page- you can see my books package. This is the most popular way to get all of my work. I call it the complete management system. It’s also great to get a box of books delivered to your door that you know will change your life.

All of my books are guaranteed- I know they work.

You can tell this picture is before 2012 as the cover of Loving is still orange! It was changed to the blue cover when the book was reissued with a new chapter in 2012.

Partner and Family Member Coaching

Education about bipolar disorder is essential. It’s the only way to manage the illness successfully. When I work with my coaching clients, I have a three step plan: Education, treatment and then management.

Wouldn’t it be great if your loved one could have all three? They can. It’s a lot of work, but bipolar disorder managment is completely possible. I only work with parents and partners. Most of my books are for those with the illness or the partner- but I know that the parents and other relatives need some help too!

My coaching is so close to my heart. My clients are often in great crisis. The person with the illness may refuse to even talk about bipolar, may refuse medications after a diagnosis, and in many cases live at home with no means of supporting themselves.

I have worked with it all- nothing and I mean NOTHING surprises me and I know that everyone I work with will always have a better understanding of why their loved one is having a tough time. (When I say nothing surprises me, I mean it: jail, calling the police, alcohol and drug problemis, aggression, suicide attempts, prostitution, staying in a room all day for weeks, dangerous mania and psychosis, just to name a few of the topics I work on with my clients. I of course work with calmer cases such as helping a loved one accept a diagnosis and take medications.)

There is an application process to make sure we would be a good coaching fit. Once I receive the application, we can set up a free 30 minute intake session. We usually get a lot accomplished in that session alone.

http://www.juliefast.com/family-coaching/

Thanks for your support of my work. I have one goal: I want ALL of us affected by this illness to find stability and be healthy.

For those who are looking for an inexpensive way to read my work, Loving, Take Charge and Get it Done are available in libraries and are usually available used online.

Julie

Bipolar Happens! Kindle Testers Needed. Enter the Contest!

The Kindle version of Bipolar Happens is almost ready! I will send an email soon to all testers with all of the details. This contest had a great response- so I will have to do another one soon!

Thanks to everyone who wrote- the contest is closed. More later! julie

Bipolar Happens! 35 Tips and Tricks to Manage Bipolar Disorder is the first book I ever wrote. I was so excited. Finally, I was well enough to write. I’d tried to write a book for many years, but something always got in the way. That ‘something’ was usually bipolar.

When I started using my Health Cards Treatment System for Bipolar Disorder, my life changed- I could work again. I could write.

The result was Bipolar Happens! 35 Tips and Tricks to Manage Bipolar Disoder: I know that many of you have read it as it has sold thousands of copies all over the world.

It’s soon going to be available on Kindle.

In the spirit of this wonderful, new technology. I’m looking for 35 people to test the product. This of course means you need a Kindle! If you’re interested, click on the comments button below and send me your contact information. Those who reply before next Saturday, May 21st. will be entered into a contest to win all of my bestselling books. In return, I ask for any suggestions on content, formatting and a testimonial/review of the book to put on amazon.com.

Please note that by sending me a message through comments, it will not be on the blog.

Here are the books in the contest: These are the hard cover copies and will be mailed to your home. Great!

– Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner

– Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder: A 4 Step Plan to Help You and Your Loved Ones Manage the Illness and Create Lasting Stability

– Get it Done When You’re Depressed: 50 Strategies for Keeping Your Life on Track

Wow! I will let readers know the results through email.

I look forward to hearing from you! The contest will close after I received the first 35 Kindle reader replies.

Good luck!

Julie

PS: Please know that I never have and never will use your contact information for anything other than this website. Names are used only by permission of the writer. So let’s gets some people in the contest! Please forward this to anyone you know who has a Kindle. They don’t have to be related to bipolar.

PPS: or PSS. Not sure which one to use! I’ve had 20 people respond so far, so there are 15 spaces left!

Bipolar Depression Management Secret: Every day has a plan

Depression has been my unwanted companion for many years. I work hard to make sure it doesn’t take over my life. I’ve noticed that free days where nothing is schedule are a problem for me. Because of this- I try to schedule myself out a week in advance. This doesn’t always work. Would you believe there are people who aren’t this crazy about scheduling and say, ” Let’s see what happens?” 😉

I know what works for me. Scheduling and being with people. This is especially true on Friday and Saturday night. Do I wish I were different and more ‘fluid’ with my scheduling? Of course! But I’m depressed a lot- and this is what helps. Julie

Bipolar Disorder Medications Side Effects Tip

I take a lot of Lamictal for my bipolar disorder. (My dose is really high: 700 mg)

This can be hard on the system if I only take it during the day. I now have it on a 24 hour cycle. I take half throughout the day and then take the rest throughout the night.

It’s hard to keep track of bipolar meds- I find it very frustrating, upsetting, worrisome, etc when I look at my daily bottle and all the meds are sitting there. I forgot to take them! That happens rarely, but it’s still a problem.

Here’s what I do to remember my meds. I have an empty bottle that I fill every day with my Lamictal dose. I put that in my bag and take the half of the meds. Then I come home and empty the bottle on my counter next to a glass of water. I take a pill, then leave the rest for when I wake up in the night to go to the bathroom. It helps a lot to space the dose out this way. I don’t get the stiff neck and twitches!

If you have a lot of meds to take- a mood stabilizer, an anti psychotic, etc. the side effects can be intense. Check with your health care professional and see if you can do the 24 hour dose process.

It sure helped me!

Julie

Are you a selfish, mean and nasty depressed person?

In the past, I was definitely a self centered, whiny, sad and complaining person. I HONESTLY didn’t know this could be a part of depression. I always thought depression was sadness and crying. Since my diagnosis in 1995, I’ve studied all forms of depression and was surprised to see that many people with depression can be just downright nasty and negative!

My former self included.

When I found this out- I wrote down all of my negative behavior and one by one changed it- the depression still brings it on. But I know how to counteract. When I get restless and unhappy, people drive me crazy and I feel like punching something. When I’m negative and nasty, no table in a restaurant is ever good enough for me and people are always happier than I am.

When I’m negative and nasty, nothing is right, so I make sure everything is wrong around me by being mean to others and BORING them with my self centered complaining.

Guess what. I don’t do it anymore. When I hear it in my head and my body wants to react, I stop myself from letting it get out. It took a few years to get good at it, but I sure do have happier friends and family.

I’m happier myself. I was embarrassed a lot. I knew that negative person wasn’t me. It was and still is depression.

Julie