Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder… tips for making it through the tough days.

Oh boy can this illness make a person feel sick. That is just a fact. I guess you can change that sentence around- We can all get sick and tired of having this illness. One thing I want to do on this blog is to encourage people to keep going and going even when the days are really tough. One good thing about bipolar disorder is that it’s episodic- that means mood swings end. You can get better. Sometimes it takes longer than expected- but life can be stable.

I talk a lot about depression as that is what I experience the most- some of my friends talk more about the agitated mania or the psychosis they live with, sometimes for a long stretch of time. I have a friend who has the type of bipolar disorder that is 90% mania. It truly is a spectrum!

Today is a good day because I can get work done- today is a good day becuase I have an appointment with Julie Foster, my excellent nurse practitioner. We are going to tackle my latest sleeping issues. Today is a good day because I’m out and about and I get to do my coaching calls tonight. By the way, I’ve been depressed for a few days, so finding the positives isn’t easy.

It’s important to focus on the good stuff on the days when you’re having a hard time- even if it’s only the small things!

Julie

PS: At least there isn’t a goat in your kitchen! HEHE

Do you Have a Child with Bipolar Disorder? Here is a must read article for parents of children with bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder changes a child’s behavior and
this changes your entire family.

Parents often take in an adult child with bipolar disorder and provide a safe environment but the child is not always cooperative. Chaos can be the result. If you are in this situation The High Jacked House article is for you. Simply click on the link below. It will pop up a PDF file that you can then save to your computer. Feel free to use this article to educate anyone in the family as well as health care professionals. I’ve learned a lot during my years as a family coach. This article reflects the patterns I see in many households. I know you will find it interesting!

Julie

The High Jacked House by Julie A. Fast

Radio interview with Rock and Roll Stations- what a difference in our mental health stations!

You are going to love this interview! Here’s a radio chat interview I did with the Moose Morning Show on Robin Williams. I’m trying to be balanced when talking about Robin Williams and suicide. I want to respect his memory and help others with depression and bipolar disorder find stability during a tough week.

Lazer 103.3/KAZR-FM’

Twitter: @Lazermoose

Yes. A rock station talking about mental illness. I was SO impressed with their questions and their commitment to fair reporting of mental illness. Wow! Kidos! Julie

Bipolar Happens! is #1 on the Kindle!

Bipolar Happens: 35 Tips and Tricks to Manage Bipolar Disorder is the #1 Bipolar Disorder Book on the Kindle!

That’s exciting. I went to the Kindle store to see how my books Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder and Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder were doing on the bipolar disorder page. These books are in the top ten ranking- and then I saw that Bipolar Happens! was #1.

Fantastic! Bipolar Happens! is an enjoyable book about a serious topic.

Guess what- it’s only $.99 I want it to be available to everyone.

Yes, I think this is a great deal and a good way to get helpful information about bipolar disorder at minimum cost. Bipolar Happens! was my first book. I knew I wanted to talk about how I manage the illness, but I also wanted to tell stories about how it affects my life daily.

There are stories about anger, manic spending, anxiety at a baseball game and what it feels like to be psychotic! It’s a book that family members love too. I love it myself. It’s hopeful.

Click here to go to amazon.com. You can read part of the book and then add it to your Kindle. Wow, $.99!

Julie

PS: If you’re new to my work, this is a great way to experience my writing style and the quality of my information. If you like it, you can come back for more.

Robin Williams

Robin Williams has died from apparent suicide. This is a tough one. For ALL of us in the mental health world. Let’s keep perspective. This is a tragedy, but depression has symptoms and suicide is one of them. Most of us have been there. His pain was stronger than his ability to see any hope in the future. It’s what depression does to all of us. This is NO different than his dying from another illness such as cancer.

I ask that all of us who have or care about someone with a mental health disorder pass on the information that suicide is not shameful. It’s not a dirty word. It’s the outcome of an illness. Rest in peace Robin. We have been there and some of us make it out and some of us don’t.

If you were already down and you heard this news, remember the mantra.. Mental health disorders are illnesses. We can get help. Reach out to someone right now if you need help. His death is not a sign that we need to be more depressed. It’s a sign that we need to get help if we are depressed.

I will now follow my own advice and turn off the internet and take care of myself.

Julie

PS: You can read more thoughts and comments on my Facebook Page at Julie A. Fast.

UPDATE: What a tough few days for so many people. I made the decision to turn off all media a few hours after I heard the news. I have not watched any since- nor have I looked for information online. I also said no to interviews until I knew I was stable myself. Here is my latest post on the topic. I hope I can help you if you are feeling down about the loss of such a great man.

Here is a wonderful article written by the comedian Jim Norton about Robin Williams and why it seems so many funny people are also so sad. It is a great article. I would like to add my
answer to this question. It’s because depression is an ILLNESS and when combined with substance abuse, its a volatile illness. I have a life that many would envy from the outside as well- but if you knew how often I’ve been suicidal since age 19, you might be shocked and wonder how I can still be so suicidal after having so much success as a writer. The answer is that I have bipolar disorder and being suicidal has ZERO to do with my actual life. This is why it’s so hard for us to understand why Robin Williams- a person universally adored- as you can see in this article- would choose to end his life. I say- he didn’t choose to end his life- not at all.

Depression took his life.

There is a HUGE difference.

Looking at it this way eases the pain of his being gone.

Click here to read the article. Unless you need to take a break and you can read it later!

Upcoming BP Magazine Blog. Partner of a Person with Bipolar Disorder? There is hope. There is help.. even in the most desperate situations.

Hi Guys- I originally posted this for the blog, but realized it was so good it needed to go on my BP Magazine blog, so it will be up soon and I will post the BP Mag link here. I can offer some tips now if you are a partner of someone with bipolar disorder who drinks- to hold you over until the blog is posted!

1. Create an alcohol free zone in the house. It’s easy for the person with bipolar to take over the house when they get drunk. If you make it a rule that they can only drink in the garage or the back yard for example, it frees up your house which in turn frees up your mind so that you can think of how to handle the problem. This may seem silly, but I assure you it works. I’ve had many clients create an alcohol free zone in their house and the person with bipolar listens. I think it’s because the partner isn’t saying- you can’t drink at all- but is instead saying- I don’t like you drinking in OUR home and until you deal with the drinking, you can take it outside. It works! When I’m coaching a partner, I help them create the exact script to use when bringing up the topic.

2. If a person is on meds, one way to get them to drink less is to discuss how the alcohol affects the drug’s efficacy. Once again, this may sound obvious, but many don’t think of how drinking interacts with meds and might make them not work! People who drink too much rarely want to drink too much and even a small reason to help them stop can change a person’s habits. I’m surprised at how many people don’t know that drinking can change meds!

3. If you’re a partner of someone with bipolar disorder who drinks too much- you’re in a tough situation. It will rarely get better until the person gets help for bipolar disorder. So, focus on the bipolar. Julie