Bipolar: Worst Case – Best Case

Published: Tue, 07/30/13

=>PLEASE FORWARD TO FRIENDS, FAMILY AND LOVED ONES <=

Hi,

How's it going for you today?

I hope it's a good day for you.

I want to start by defending myself about
something.

I am not an eavesdropper.

No, I'm really not.

But I'm out a lot, I go different places, like to get
something to eat, or to go work out at the gym, or to
volunteer, or to the library, or wherever, but I do go a
lot of places.

And I hear a lot of things.

I don't mean to, but I still do.

And there are a lot of negative people in this world,
let me tell you!

But there are also some positive people, too.

So I've "overheard" someone say, "It was the worst
case of the flu I've ever had in my whole life!"

But I've also overheard someone else (about something
totally different) say, "It's the best case of making something
out of nothing that I've ever seen!"

Two different people. Two different situations. Best case.
Worst case. That's what I overheard.

But it made me think of bipolar disorder. (Doesn't
everything? : )

It's about attitude toward your situation.

You can look at things in a "best case" scenario or a
"worst case" scenario.

For example, think of a worst case scenario, like:

My loved one could:

- Quit their job
- Scream, yell, holler
- Go into an episode
- Stop their medications
- Etc.

Now, I am all for having plans for bad situations
and being prepared...

BUT you should also create a best case scenario.

Take my mom, for example.

I could have only thought she would keep running
up debt, stay out of control, bankrupt the family,
create huge problems for everyone, etc.

But then I thought of the best case scenario:

She would get out of debt, get stable, get and keep
a job, have friends, master her bipolar disorder, etc.

Now, which is the better way to think?

In my courses/systems, I talk about negative and
positive attitudes, and how important it is to have a
positive attitude.

If I had given up on my mom, I don't know if she ever
would have reached stability and be doing as good as
she is today.


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I have a friend whose husband has bipolar disorder, and
she does it this way:

She takes her two hands and cups them, palms up.

It's kind of like a game.

She calls it, "On the one hand, and on the other hand."

So, let's take the examples I used before.

She would hold her one cupped hand up and say:

"On the one hand, my husband could lose his job."

Then she would lift up her other cupped hand and say,
"On the other hand, he could get another job, collect
unemployment, start his own business, go on disability,
or I could get a job."

See? Right there she came up with 5 good "best case"
scenarios out of that one "worst case" scenario!

Let's look at another one:

"On the one hand, my husband could scream, yell, and
holler at me."

"On the other hand, I could scream, yell, and holler right
back at him, or try to calm him down and say that he's an adult
and shouldn't act like that, or tell him that his behavior is
unacceptable, or tell him that I understand that he's angry and
can we talk about it calmly?"

Again, for the one "worst case" scenario, she's come up with
4 "best case" scenarios.

Now, here's one of the worst "worst case" scenarios that
supporters worry about:

"On the one hand, my husband could stop taking his
medications, go into an episode, bankrupt our finances,
and end up in jail."

And here's one of the best "best case" scenarios of all:

"On the other hand, we can make sure that he has a good
doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist, that he sticks to his
treatment plan, I can help him make sure that he takes his
medications, and we can both watch for triggers, signs and
symptoms so that he won't go into an episode, I can handle
all the finances, including the checking account and holding
all the credit cards, and together we can manage his bipolar
disorder so that he stays stable and manages his bipolar
disorder well."

Now, THAT'S a plan for stability!

SIX "best case" scenarios right there.

So now when your mind slips to the negative, allow yourself
to create a most negative worst case scenario AND a best
case scenario, whether you use the "On the one hand and
on the other hand" technique or one of your own, and
compare the two.

Some people even write them down and compare them.

See which is more likely.

Then ask, how can I turn my negative worst case scenario
to a "best case" one?

What do you think?


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Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave

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