Bipolar Supporter? Stop, Look, and Listen
Published: Sat, 10/01/11
Hi ,
How's your day going?
I hope it is a good one.
Remember when we were
little and we were taught how
to cross the street?
We were told to:
STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN.
Stop at the curb.
Look both ways for traffic.
Listen for a car that may be turning.
Stop, look, and listen.
It's useful advice for the supporter of
a loved one with bipolar disorder
too.
Think of it as a warning system.
Like we have smoke detectors in
our houses to alert us to a fire.
We have security systems in our
homes, businesses, and on our
cars to thwart a robbery attempt.
Some people think that's just
being paranoid, but I believe it
is smarter to take precautions
wherever you can.
Like the Stop, Look, and Listen
idea is a precaution.
In my courses/systems, I give the
symptoms of bipolar disorder so
that you can be aware if any of
them surface in your loved one.
I also talk about triggers to episodes.
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
Bipolar disorder is an incurable
disease.
Your loved one could have a
bipolar episode no matter how
long they've been stable.
Now, I'm not talking about
riding herd over them or being
too compulsive about watching
them for symptoms of the
disorder or anything.
But I am saying that you DO have
to keep a watch for symptoms and
triggers.
You can't trust bipolar disorder.
It will rear its head when you
least expect it (like when your
loved one has been stable for a
length of time).
Your loved one needs to do the
same thing.
They know themselves.
They know when they feel "normal"
and when they don't.
And they need to tell you when
something feels wrong.
They may start some acting-out
behavior that you can catch right
away if you:
STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN.
For example, they may start losing
sleep.
Now, in and of itself, sleep loss is not
a danger.
But if you are watching it carefully
and you pick up that it's been going
on for a week, it could be a symptom
of your loved one going into a manic
episode.
The same thing if you note that
they are starting to talk a lot, really
fast, and changing from subject to
subject.
If you are listening carefully, you
might determine that they are going
into a manic episode.
What if they start sleeping more and
more?
That could mean they are going into
a depressive episode, so you need
to watch for it.
Also, you know your loved one's
triggers (at least you should), so for
example, if stress is a trigger for
them, and they are in a stressful
situation, watch them carefully.
They could go into an episode.
Knowing the symptoms of
bipolar disorder and your loved
one's triggers can work as an
early warning system for you.
If you do think your loved one
is going into an episode, you can
call their doctor right away and
they can adjust your loved one's
medication rather than put them in
the hospital.
Or the two of you might decide
that your loved one does need to
be hospitalized.
But at least you'd have caught it
early.
What do you think of the
STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN
strategy?
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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