Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder and Work Stress

Bipolar Disorder and Tough Situations

I believe that how I deal with problems when I’m well determines how well I will deal with problems when I’m sick. I’ve had a stable mood for four days in a row now. I love it! I’m also thankful as work has been very stressful. There was a problem on amazon.com for my book Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and I’ve had to wait a few days to get it resolved. This took patience and a lot of my coping skills. My books are my career- so it’s like having a bad day on the job when amazon.com has trouble!

I work up early in order to work early and there were the negative and worried thoughts. I stayed in bed a while and listened to them- and then I said to myself- use the tips in Get it Done When You’re Depressed. Get out of BED and get GOING. That is what I’m doing. The same worry is there, but I know how to lessen that worry.

I am going to do something to make my current work situation better so that I can be proud of myself when I go to bed.

Julie

PS: Taking action always makes you feel better. It beats worry and stress.

the relationship newsletter below….

I just read my newsletter- the one under this post. I learned a lot!

Yes, this sounds a bit odd- but it makes sense as the newsletters are a message from the well me to the ill me. They remind me that bipolar disorder is an illness and that no matter what I go though, I can bounce back. In 1999, I had few friends and was truly miserable in that area. Wanting more friends- like the friends I had before I got so ill, was an impetus for creating the Health Cards. This newsletter reminds me of how much work I’ve done to have happy people in my life. I can rely on them when I get sick.

Julie

PS: There is a button on the right under the relationship topic that will take you to all of the blogs on relationships! Also, you can read more about my books by clicking the Julie’s books button at the top of this page. You can also add this blog to an RSS feed on the upper right. This will send my blog to a folder in your email service when I post a new one!

Inspirational, Funny and Educational Podcasts

Did you know you can download free podcasts from Itunes that are very helpful in all areas? A reader commented yesterday that listening to sports radio made him happier than listening to the news these days. I agree! If you love sports, the Dan Patrick Radio Show podcast is hilarious. And free! I literally can laugh for three hours when I listen to the show – and all of the biggest names in US sports are interviewed regularly. If sports are not your thing, there are weight loss podcasts, prosperity podcasts, spiritual and language podcasts!

All free. Ipods are certainly not the only way to get this great information. Most people have their podcasts on a website. You can also listen to live streaming radio. Believe it or not, I listen to Dan Patrick before bed every night. It’s so great to laugh before sleeping.

Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me (very funny) and Fresh Air interviews with Terri Gross are amazing as well. There are also political and spiritually oriented podcasts such as Dave Ramsey on money or Marianne Williamson on spiritual miracles. Podcasts are great for walking! It’s endless entertainment and education.

If you want to create your own podcast, you can download a recording program at audacity.com. It’s super easy to use and many make the recording using the mic on their computer! This program turns your recording into a file you can then send to itues or put on your blog. There is free information on the web on how to do this!
Julie

Thank you for your reader comments!

Thank you so very much for your kind reader comments. I had NO idea the blog was helping so much. I know it helps me to write it! I wish I could respond to each comment on this blog individually. I will do what I can- and will get to as many questions as I can! Reader comments of any kind- positive, negative, confused, disagreeing with my post, scared or wondering about the future are all appreciated.

Julie

Many of the answers to questions I get on the blogs are answered in my books. There is a link about that says About Julie’s books- it’s hard to find that link sometimes!

Bipolar Depression and Mania (euphoric and dysphoric)

I often wonder how to describe the difference between mania and depression.

Depression: Feel you are the only person in the world.
Mania: Feel completely at one with the world.
Depression: Living in the past
Mania: Living completely in the moment- this is particularly true with euphoric mania
Depression: Silence
Mania: Chattering nonsense when it goes too far

I could go on and on! Things get really complicated when the moods are combined- this is known as a mixed episode or dysphoric mania. People with dysphoric mania have all of the energy of a person with euphoric mania, but it’s agitated, uncomfortable mentally and physically and often comes with psychosis.

I have had a few mixed episodes myself. Anti psychotic medications- including Zyprexa, Abilify, Risperdal and Serequel are often used for dysphoric mania along with the mood stabilizers Lithium, Depakote and Tegretol. I find that Lamictal helps me a lot, especially since I can’t take anti psychotics due to side effects. The problem is that Lamictal alone is not a treatment for full blown mania- I have hypomania (Bipolar II) so it works for me.

What kind of mania have you experienced? If you care about someone with the illness, what kind of mania do they experience?

Julie

PS: I will be a broken record for the next five months- spring is here and summer is coming- you have to know the signs of mania as this is mania season!

FDA Approved Bipolar Disorder Drugs

Here is an interesting list- the FDA (federal drug administration) has to ok a drug for use with bipolar disorder before a drug company can advertise that the drug can be used for bipolar disorder. Here is a list of the approved drugs with their initiation dates. I will write more on this topic in the next few days:

FDA: Acute Mania
       *   1970: Lithium
      *   1973: Thorazine
      *   1995: Depakote
      *   2000: Zyprexa
      *   2003: Risperdal
      *   2004: Seroquel
      *   2004: Abilify
      *   2005: Geodon
      *   2005: Equetro (Tegretol)

FDA: Acute Bipolar Depression
            * 2004: Symbyax
                 (Prozac-Zyprexa combo)
         * 2007: Seroquel

FDA: Maintenance (for use in managing bipolar disorder in general)

            * 1974: Lithium: both
         * 2003: Lamictal:
                         depression
         * 2004: Zyprexa: both
         * 2005: Abilify: both

This list can be a bit confusing- especially when it comes to how the drugs are categorized- I will go through this information step by step in future blogs!

Julie