Bipolar? Laying Down and Playing Dead
Published: Sun, 08/08/10
Hi ,
How are you doing? I hope today is a good day for you.
I had a discussion the other day with a friend of mine
who is also a supporter of a loved one with bipolar disorder.
The topic was accepting the disorder.
His point was that you have to accept the disorder and you can't
really do anything about it. My point was that you can accept
the disorder without "laying down and playing dead."
So who's right?
Of course, I think I'm right. Especially because that's what
I try to teach people all the time - that you can "fight back."
The point is, you don't just have to "take it lying down." You
can do certain things to "fight back". Like, for instance, you
can take care of yourself, like making sure you get enough sleep.
Not just you, but your supporter, too.
A supporter who's tired all the time isn't going to be a very
good supporter, are they? And if you're tired all the time,
you won't be able to control your disorder as well.
Yes, bipolar disorder is a serious disorder with serious
consequences. But there are so many things you can do to make
it harder for the disorder to have control over you.
Like in my courses/systems, I
teach that you CAN have control
over bipolar disorder, instead of
it having control over you, and
this is something you can learn
how to do:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
Besides getting the right amount of sleep, you can make
sure you take your medications, as prescribed, when prescribed.
And if your supporter is having to remind you all the time to
take your medication, you aren't controlling your disorder very well.
You can make sure you go to all your appointments and be a
participant in them. Don't just pretend you're listening,
either, if there's something you don't get. If you have
questions, ask them. Your doctor isn't a mindreader! If
you don't speak up, he'll just assume you understand what
he's saying.
So it's your responsibility to ask questions if you
don't understand something. And this is where your
supporter can help. If they don't understand something,
then maybe you don't understand it, either. It helps
to have that second opinion.
It's a good idea to go to your appointments with a list
in hand of what you want the doctor to go over with you.
It saves time, because then the doctor knows exactly what
you want from him. Doctors like this. It's kind of a
"To-Do" List for the doctor, and he knows what you're concerned
about. Then he can go down the list and nothing is forgotten,
and not a lot of time is wasted, either.
And your supporter can help make the list, and you know the
saying, "Two heads are better than one." Another reason this
is good is that then some of your supporter's concerns are
addressed as well.
For example, if you have questions about medication side
effects, this would be something to put on your list.
Therapy is another area where you can "fight back," and
this is a big area. Therapy helps you learn techniques
that help you manage the disorder. You might even go
into family therapy, where your supporter attends with
you.
Or individual therapy, where you can learn stress
management or other methods to manage the disorder -
specific ways to fight the disorder. Again, you don't
have to "take this lying down." Fight back! You are
stronger than the disorder!
Get educated. That's one of the most important things
you can do to manage bipolar disorder. The more you
know, the more empowered you are. If the disorder
were an entity, it would be counting on the fact that
you wouldn't know more than "it" does.
But if you turn the tables on "it" and do know more,
then you have the power to "outwit" it! You will
have the knowledge it takes to overpower, manage
and eventually become stable and successful with
bipolar disorder.
Accepting the disorder doesn't mean that you don't
do anything about it. To me, accepting the disorder
means that you do everything that is in your power
to do to make it acceptable to you. In the case of
bipolar disorder, your goal is to become stable.
Because the ultimate acceptance leads to stability,
and stability is the name of the game!
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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