Dealing Bipolar? Heed This Warning for the Holidays
Published: Mon, 12/07/09
Hi ,
How's it going?
I hope you're having a good day.
Have you been out in the stores
lately?
I can't believe how, even in this
economy, people are flooding the
stores to buy Christmas presents!
But it's getting crazy out there!
Lines are really getting to be long,
which really frustrates me when I
have to wait so long just to buy
one thing!
I'm sure you've experienced the
same frustration.
Anyway, onto today's topic:
A warning for the holidays.
Speaking of shopping...
Here's how it relates to bipolar
disorder:
If your loved one has had an
episode in the past where they
overspent or spent frivolously,
then you should already have
made a plan to protect your
finances.
So the warning is to keep your
eye on your loved one's spending
at this holiday time.
It would be too easy for them to
get involved in all the excitement
in the Christmas sales, the store
promotions, etc.
And this could very easily push
them into a bipolar manic episode,
which is something you do NOT
want to be dealing with right now.
What I suggest in my courses/systems
is to watch your loved one carefully
for any signs/symptoms of an oncoming
episode, so that you can "head it off at
the pass," so to speak.
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
The only way for you to protect
your finances at this time is to be
proactive, and limit the amount of
money which your loved one has
access to.
You still want them to be able to go
Christmas shopping and spend some
money on their own, but you can at
least limit it.
Here's what I DON'T suggest:
Giving them the credit card and
just telling them the limit they can
spend.
It would be too easy, once they
had access to it, to max out your
card, and you're running a risk here.
You're better off just giving them
cash, which is a finite amount of
money.
When they run out, they run out.
Another suggestion is to make a
list.
Have your loved one make a list
of everything they need to get.
Figure the amount of money they
will need according to that list.
Having a list should help them to
be self-directed and restrained,
if they only get what's on the
list.
You could also use this list to
determine how much money they
will need (or, if they are buying
for you, ask them how much
money they will need - within
reason, of course).
This way you won't end up like
this one couple I know.
He has bipolar disorder, and in
the past has had a problem with
excessive spending.
He wasn't really manic at the time
that his wife gave him the debit
card.
He said he had just a few things to
pick up, but they were to be a
surprise for her.
She told him not to go over a
certain amount of money (according
to what they had in the bank).
Unfortunately, he got caught up
in all the excitement at the store,
and he spent beyond that limit,
putting them into overdraft.
Needless to say, his wife was
rather upset when she found out
how much he had spent.
When she confronted him, her
husband could give no reasonable
explanation for why he spent over
his limit.
That's why the idea of giving your
loved one cash to work with, and
limiting the amount, is a good idea.
Then you won't go through what
this couple went through.
How do you prevent your loved one
spending too much money on the
holidays?
PLEASE POST RESPONSES TO THIS EMAIL BELOW
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/bipolarsupporterblog/?p=2415&cpage=1#comment-16215
FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT ME
Visit: http://www.bipolarcentral.com/testimonials
Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
===>> Great Resources For You <===
Get Your Own Subscription To This Newsletter
Want your own copy of these daily bipolar
emails sent to you for F.ree? If so, visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/register3
Get More Help On Bipolar Disorder
Don't forget to take a look through the
different programs I've put together... each
one is designed to help you with a different
area of bipolar disorder whether you have it or
you are supporting someone with it.
You can see them all and get the details by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com
View Past Daily Bipolar Emails For F.REE
Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/
Get Audio Information On Bipolar Disorder For F.REE
Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can't learn anywhere else.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com