Living Successfully With Bipolar Disorder
Published: Thu, 07/23/09
Hi ,
How are you doing?
Today I have a challenge for you!
I'm just curious.
Answer this question:
What does "living successfully
with bipolar disorder" mean?
Ok, I'll even give you a hint, but
then you'll have to scroll down
for my answer!
It's a combination of two things,
for starters. Can you guess?
(scroll down for another hint)
They begin with M and T.
(scroll down)
Ok, the first one is medication.
(scroll down for the second one)
The second one is treatment.
Those are only the top two things
to living successfully with bipolar
disorder, though.
There are more elements to stability
than that, and I talk about them in
my courses:
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
But let's go over some of what it
takes for living successfully with
bipolar disorder.
To me, it's when taking medication,
going to all appointments (doctor,
therapist, psychiatrist), following a
treatment plan, etc., all becomes a
lifestyle instead of a chore.
It's when you have a positive
attitude instead of a negative one -
where you have totally accepted
bipolar disorder instead of
resenting it (since there's nothing
you can do about it anyway).
It's when you have mastered the
disorder instead of it mastering
you.
I also think living successfully with
bipolar disorder involves setting
realistic goals (short-term and long-
term) and then achieving them.
And since we're talking about
success, obviously, I think I need
to throw in here that we're talking
about how each person has to define
their own success.
For someone in a bipolar depressive
episode, success might mean just
getting out of bed that day.
But I'm talking about a different
kind of success.
A bigger success with bipolar
disorder.
And the things you need to do to
get there.
The long-term goal would be stability.
The short-term goals might be:
1. Take medication every day
2. Go to all appointments (doctor,
psychiatrist, therapist)
3. Stick to a good sleep schedule
4. Eat a healthy diet
5. Exercise
6. Be productive
Then, say, being productive might
be working at a job, starting a
home-based business, taking a
course at your local college, having
a hobby, volunteering, etc.
And, say, as far as exercising
goes, you may need to have an
even shorter-term goal of starting
off slowly and building up.
Then ask yourself, what is your
definition of success with bipolar
disorder?
Is it NO episodes? Because that
isn't realistic - as long as you
have bipolar disorder, you will
have episodes.
The goal here is to have FEWER
episodes.
Which, if you do the right thing,
will happen.
Is it management of the disorder
so that you can live a "normal" life?
YES! That would be a good, realistic
definition of success with bipolar
disorder, because it means that you
are stable.
And that should be your long-term
goal.
What does "living successfully
with bipolar disorder" mean to YOU?
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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