Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Happens Blog Readers: Thanks for all of your comments!

I just posted all of the recent comments. Even the ones that were not happy with this blog! I do read everything that comes in and wish I could write each person directly. As you know from reading this blog, work is always a challenge. I’m currently working with my friend Dorian on his book The 30 Day Corporate Innovator. I’m excited to write on a business topic again, but wow, this illness is just too hard sometimes. Dorian is phenomenally understanding of my work time constraints due to bipolar disorder. It really is about the hours I can work and not my ability to work. If I limit my hours, I can stay well enough to do an excellent job!

This is a pic of Dorian and myself at the Back End of Innovation Conference last year. We’re holding a puzzle I created to help innovation executives evaluate if their innovators were ready for a funding discussion regarding their ideas.

I’m happy to be writing again.

My next book will be on bipolar disorder!

Julie

PS: The post below is about my applying for insurance. I did get the application in- despite the crying- and all is well.

Signing up for my Health Insurance Late: Monday Make it Happen!

Before you think I’m late in doing this because I’m a dodo bird- it’s not what it seems! Two months ago I called Regence and signed up for my new insurance plan over the phone. It took 90 minutes and I was so pleased with myself that I got it done early. I was on a special plan here in Oregon for those with preexisting conditions. This plan ended with Obama Care (thank heavens- choosing my own insurance is heaven!)

But.. why is there always a but when it comes to stuff that’s hard to do when you have bipolar? I just got the following call:

Regence: Ms. Fast? This is Shelly from Regence. I’m sorry, but there has been a mistake. I just got a memo from my manager that I’m not allowed to sign people up for the service over the phone. I’m sorry. I should have known this. You will have to go to the site and sign up yourself.

Julie: (Stunned! With the familiar feeling of dread that I would have to get online while dealing with a dysphoric hypomanic episode and sign up for insurance. I handled this well. I could tell she had been quite reprimanded and it took guts for her to call. I didn’t tell her the truth- could she handle it?)

Miss Shelly! Miss Shelly! Do you have ANY idea what a mess you have made of this? I have freaking bipolar disorder and dealing with forms and regulations in a rushed manner is not exactly my idea of a good time! I’m sick today and you will never understand how hard it was for me to stay on track and get my insurance well ahead of time like a good girl and now you’re telling me that I don’t have insurance! Are you kidding me? Thanks for making me more ill. I’m so upset!

Of course I didn’t say any of this. Mistakes happen, but here I am in 2014 without insurance. Guess what. I’ve decided to do the insurance right now and I’ll post how it goes. Maybe if you or a loved one hasn’t done their insurance yet- I can be an inspiration.

I want to do this as much as I want a root canal.

Here goes! I’ll be back. Please let it be a happy story!

Monday, 1/6/14 10 AM.

Julie

PS: I started to get anxious as soon as I went to the site. I’m going to do this today!

Get it Done When You’re Depressed: A letter from a reader

Hi Julie,

I’m writing to say thank you for Get it Done When You’re Depressed. I went through it really quickly because I was so excited to see myself described so well in a book. Was it written specifically for me? 🙂

I wanted to tell you about how I used two of the strategies today.

– It takes longer to worry about something than to do something

– If you have the money to get help- use it

My car has been disgusting for about three months now. I am probably being too harsh, but when your seat has some crushed potato chips just sitting there, things have to change. A few days ago, my 10 year old nephew said, “You need a new car Uncle Cole. This is embarrassing.”

The weird thing is that I’m a professional and there is no reason my car should look like this. I get so overwhelmed. Every time I got in the car I was disgusted with myself. For months- and then I read Get it Done When You’re Depressed. I realized I had worried enough and that I have MONEY. What have I been thinking?

I just got overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do.

Today I took my darn car to SuperWash. I got it washed and vacuumed and cleaned on the inside. It looks great.

It took 30 minutes.

It cost $18

I am going to remember your tips from now own. I will not let my overwhelmed depressed feelings rule my life.

Eighteen dollars!!!

Thank you Julie!

Cole

Blog Reader Question on Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety

Hi Julie,

I am having a really rough time with anxiety and i haven’t been able to track down what the issue is. I’ve also been cycling very rapidly from morning to night. Wish i knew what the problem is. Gail

Hi Gail,

I’ve had anxiety for many years- it’s a normal part of bipolar and it can be reduced. It comes from many areas:

1. Work- sometimes the requirements of work are stressful for people with bipolar disorder. I remember working as a teacher- as long as I was with my students I was fine- but when the classes ended, I would go into the teacher’s lounge and lie on the couch. I am not like that at all anymore now that I do the stuff in my books- I can work through the anxiety, but it is still often there

2. Relationships- I don’t date because the situation adds too much pressure to my brain and the anxiety and OCD get bad. I think we all have our weak spots for anxiety. Also, any difficult relationship can lead to anxiety. Calm relationships are essential. Yes, it’s hard to do this if the troublesome person is a partner, family member or coworker, but it has to be done. If you look at the relationship tab to the right or read Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder ( for partners, it helps) there are suggestions.

3. Travel- this causes stress for most with bipolar as there are often time changes, lots of people in airports, tons of things to do before you go and family member squabbles- this doesn’t mean you won’t have fun- it means that the travel itself can be difficult.

4. Caffeine- people with anxiety should cut out caffeine completely and see if it helps. My coauthor Dr. John Preston says that if you do drink caffeine, you should keep it to less that 250 mg a day.

5. Medications- many meds can make you nervous, shaky, jittery or just worried. Check with your doc if you think this is the case. Be very careful with herbs and supplements as well.

6. Bipolar Disorder Itself- sometimes the anxiety is purely from the illness without a trigger. Mania can be really, really anxiety causing if it’s dysphoric mania. In fact, dysphoric mania means agitated mania. 90% of depression has mania. So the better you treat bipolar, the less anxiety you can have. This is hard to deal with of course as you can’t simply stop doing something in order to get better. Medications such as Ativan or Klonopin can really help here. I use Ativan in very small amounts- .5 mg for example. Yes, they can be addictive – but most people with bipolar disorder take them without getting addicted, so make sure your doctor doesn’t simply say no because of the addiction chance. He or she can give you just a few to start. Some people with bipolar have the anxious type- this means the better they manage the bipolar, the less anxiety they have. My book Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder has a good treatment plan for this.

I could go on for pages, but I will stop here- all of my books, especially The Health Cards Treatment System for Bipolar Disorder talk about anxiety – you can read more about them on www.BipolarHappens.com.

I also feel the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Anxiety by Joni Johnston is excellent.

Thanks for writing,

Julie

This information is also available on Facebook and through my latest newsletter. Feel free to post the link on your Facebook page!

I Know Why You Want to Do Drugs, Drink and Eat A Gallon of Ice Cream Until You Throw Up

There is a reason people with bipolar abuse so many substances- I can add stupid sex, quitting jobs, leaving the country and driving like a maniac to the above list!

We hurt sometimes- and when the meds don’t work or we refuse the meds or the side effects grab us by the neck, we want relief.

When you have an illness that affects the emotions, relief often comes in dangerous packages. Danger makes you feel alive- we do dangerous things to FEEL something. We do dangerous things to NOT feel something.

It’s human. So if you have bipolar and you get destructive when you’re sick, you’re normal.

There is a solution.

The solution is to manage the illness and use your good days to set up checks and balances that will prevent the dangerous behavior on the bad days.

For example, when my depression is bad, I isolate myself. As you may have guessed, I’m not exactly an introvert. If I could have a reality TV show record my every movement, I would. I would love it because that would help me feel alive.

It’s better than taking too much Vicodin or eating a half gallon of Bryer’s Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. 😉

We are regular people under these mood swings. Regular people struggle with dangerous behaviors, so imagine what it’s like for those of us who don’t get to choose our own moods?

I’m a striver- I strive to manage this illness. I strive to live. This past year changed me profoundly- it was a tough year and I made it through. I will not let this life be wasted. Writing this blog is my way of giving the finger to this illness.

It will not get me and it doesn’t have to get you either!

We can stay stable together!

Julie