Happy 4th and Problems with Bipolar? Try These 3 Steps
Published: Sat, 07/04/09
Hi ,
How are you today?
Happy Fourth of July if you are
in the United States.
Hope you have a great day.
If you have problems today, keep looking
for a solution, and you will find one.
I am really convinced of this.
There is a great book call the Startup
Entrepreneur - which has nothing
to do with bipolar disorder, but has
to do with starting an organization
like a business - but you can still
learn a lesson from it.
In the book, the author talks about
people like inventors who faced
tremendous adversity trying to get
whatever they were trying to get done.
The common theme was "when you
study the problem over and over again
and again and harder, you find a solution
eventually."
I really believe that.
Many people with bipolar disorder don't
focus on the solution, they just kind of
focus on the problem and just complain
about it.
Sometimes it's ok to complain, because
it's kind of like therapy, but you have to
eventually focus on the solution.
My friend goes to a 12-Step Program, and
they have a saying that goes, "When I
stopped living in the problem and began
living in the answer, the problem went away."
That's kind of what the theme of the book
I was telling you about was saying, too.
In other words, if you complain about the
problem and do nothing, it won't get you
anywhere.
But if you bounce the problem off other
people, maybe you're still complaining
about it (like to your therapist, for example),
but you're actively looking for a solution.
You have to look at all your problems
that way.
Like look at your problems with bipolar
disorder.
One of the biggest problems I hear
supporters complain about is that they
can't get their loved one to take their
medications.
Ok, so now you have defined the problem.
That's Step 1.
Now, you don't just keep complaining
about the problem once you've defined it,
because then you can't do anything to
solve the problem that way.
Someone said, "If you're not part of the
solution, you're part of the problem."
Well, you don't want that, do you?
So once you're defined the problem (whatever
it is), you start looking for a solution.
Step 2 (after defining the problem) is to gather
information that will help you to solve the
problem.
So let's look at our example about your loved
one not wanting to take their medication.
In this case, why aren't they taking their meds?
Is it because of the side effects?
Is it because they're forgetting to take them?
Is it because of how the medication makes them feel?
Step 3 is to think of solutions.
I talk about how you need to be positive
about solving your problems and different problem-
solving techniques in my courses/systems below:
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
It is usually best to brainstorm these and write
them down.
So let's stick to our example.
In the case of side effects (which is a common
problem), it may be easy to come up with a solution.
You can have your loved one call their doctor
and tell him about the side effects, and sometimes
it's as simple as taking the medication at night
instead of during the day or taking it with food.
Or it may mean changing the medication to one
with less side effects.
Is the problem that they're forgetting to take their
medication?
You could:
1. Offer to remind them
2. Have them take them at the same time
every day
3. They could take them with their favorite
TV show
4. If you're on medication too, you could take
them together
5. Etc.
If you need help coming up with solutions to your
problems, you can talk to other people; like: other
supporters, family, friends, your loved one's doctor,
psychiatrist, or therapist, the pharmacist, a clergy
person, a financial expert, etc.
Talk to whoever you think might help you come
up with a solution to whatever problem you
are facing.
The point is that you keep looking until you
find a solution.
Have you ever faced a problem where you
thought there was no solution, but then you
found one?
I'd love to hear about it.
What do you think about my 3-Step way of
solving problems?
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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