Archive for December, 2008
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
wow. I always write about preparing for travel way ahead of time in order not to get sick on a trip. Well, I did what I could and have still had a tough time. Not bad though! I’m visiting a very good friend in Texas. Her family is so stable and happy. It makes me see that I need more stability in my life in Portland. Things are so different back home. My family is often unhappy and it’s stressful. I do what I can, but I’m still around it because I love them! Also, I realize I am alone too much. Being around people helps me- so what can I do to be around more people? It’s a constant struggle as I can’t work in an office setting! I am going to create a plan for this in the next few weeks.
And finally, how can I get my sleep regulated when I am going to a party tonight for New Year’s where I know I will be up at least until 2? This is a big problem for me. I have to think of something now. I love parties, but I really, really need to be in bed earlier as I have to drive to San Antonio tomorrow.
I want to be someone who can travel the world and not worry about mood swings and meds and sleep!
Julie
Tags: Bipolar Disorder, julie fast, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in travel | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Hi, I’m currently in Texas where it is sunny. I wrote the blog below before I left. Oh! It can be so hard to live in the Pacific Northwest where it often gets dark at 4PM!
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Hello! Here is a link to a PDF file of my article on managing seasonal affective disorder. As I write this- it’s 4PM here in Portland, Oregon and it’s basically getting dark outside. I miss the sun! Feel free to share this file with anyone you feel would be interested. And let’s have a depression free winter! Here is the link- you can click on it and save the article to your computer.
http://bipolarhappens.com/bhblog/blogpics/sad_article.pdf
Julie
Tags: , Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, Bipolar Help, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar questoins, bipolar SAD, bipolar seasonal affective disorder, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolar triggers, bipolarhappens.com, bp magazine, DBSA, Get It Done When You're Depressed, julie fast, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, NAMI/DBSA, SAD disorder, seasonal affective disorder, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, winter blubipolar disorder, winter blues, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in Depression, S.A.D | No Comments »
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Well! I never thought I would be so well that I could just get ready and get on a plane to Texas without stress! But it’s happening. I leave tomorrow morning for San Antonio where I will see a dear friend and her three kids for New Year’s Eve! As you know, I wrote a lot about having plans for holidays this year- and I did it!
Then I go to Jacksonville, Florida to see another dear friend. I will work on a proposal for my new book while she is working. We will then have fun on the weekends. I have to rent a car and get around by myself. I have done all of my own packing and I am actually getting through today without stress- I have to be at the airport at 4AM tomorrow!
Why am I telling you all of this mundane stuff? Because just a few years ago none of this was possible. i had to travel with my mother or a friend due to the mood swings. I’ve spent many years getting stable enough to travel by myself. I used to do it all of the time, but that was usually when I got manic! Now that I’m better, all of the stress I used to go through when I traveled just seems stupid! It’s just packing getting on a plane, right! Wrong.
For those of us with bipolar disorder, travel can be a huge trigger. I decided that I wanted to travel like a ‘normal’ person- so I figured out what caused the stress and took care of it. I can now travel! I have a lot of blogs on this topic with tips on how I got well enough to get on a plane without too much stress. It has not been easy at all, but the work was worth it.
Now, maybe I can finally try out for a musical???
Julie
I will post blogs in the next few days and maybe even get my act together and add some pictures!
Tags: airports bipolar, Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, Bipolar Help, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar questoins, bipolar stress travel, bipolar travel tips, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolar triggers, bipolarhappens.com, bp magazine, DBSA, general bipolar disorder, Get It Done When You're Depressed, julie fast, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, manic episode, NAMI/DBSA, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, travel and bipolar disorder, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in travel | 3 Comments »
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Hi, It’s really early in the morning and I’m off to my trip to Texas. So far, so good! No anxiety at all!
I will not be on the blog for a few days. There are many reader comments where people ask questions= please feel free to answer them with any advice you may have. As always, be careful not to offer medical advice, but you can offer suggestions and places to go for more information!
Julie
Tags: , Bipolar, episode, Julie Fast Radio Show, mania, manic, reader comments, shopping and mania, spending and mania
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Sunday, December 28th, 2008
When my partner Ivan got really sick in 1994, he told me he believed he was a genius. This upset him a lot because there was a part of him who knew this was an odd thing to feel, but the other part believed it. When he got so ill he could no longer have a coherent conversation, he definitely thought he knew more than most people.
Grandiosity is characterize by a person truly, truly believing that they are better than everyone and they make sure people know it! I remember being manic once and looking in the mirror and thinking- I am more beautiful than every person I know! That is manic grandiosity at its best! Manic grandiosity is very different from narcissism. The grandiosity that comes with mania is episodic- in other words it is ONLY there during a bipolar disorder mood swing. Narcissism is a personality disorder that is consistent and truly part of a person’s personality. Julie
Tags: , anti depressants, biplar medications, bipolar disorder medicatinos, bipolar mania, bipolar manic, Bipolar Medications, drugs, mania, manic episode, medications, medications for depressoin, medications to treat bioplar disorder, pressured speech, pressured speech mania, signs of mania, syptoms of mania
Posted in Mania | No Comments »
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Zyprexa, also known as Olanzapine is an anti psychotic drug (also known as a neuroleptic) used to treat psychosis and psychotic mania.
It’s called an atypical antipsychotic as it is a new class of drugs with less side effects that the old anti-psychotics such as Thorazine and Haldol. Zyprexa is known for weight gain- an average of 20 pounds per person, but I definitely know people who don’t gain weight at all.
Zyprexa is used to treat bipolar disorder mania and psychosis – (and schizophrenia.)
I have seen it work miracles on people who are very ill. It’s hard to find a balance between the benefits of the drug and the side effects- but for many, the benefits are what matters. I have a friend who was on the drug for two years to keep her mania and psychosis in check. It definitely kept her out of the hospital- but she felt over drugged and gained weight. I am so incredibly proud of her for staying on it. She is now stable and no longer needs a high dose of the Zyprexa.
I just saw her today and she said, “I’m staying on it Julie. I can’t get sick like that again.” She looked so great today. I’m glad to see doing so well!
Julie
Tags: Abilify, anti anxiety, anti convulsants, anti depressants, anti psychotics, antianxiety, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, Ativan, bipolarhappens.com, Depakote, Effexor, julie fast, juliefast.com, Klonopin, medication side effectrs, meds, mood stabilizers, Olanzapine, Prozac, Risperdal, Seroquel, tegretol, Valium, Wellbutrin, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com, Zoloft, Zyprexa
Posted in Medications, Zyprexa | 1 Comment »
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
I visited my partner Ivan every day- and sometimes two times a day when he was in the hospital in 1994. He was in the psych ward for three months, so that was a lot of visits. He refused medications unless I was there- which meant my life was basically on hold when he was so ill.
Going to the psych ward every day was quite an experience. It was certainly an interesting perspective. Not many people get to see how the hospital works and learn so much about the people on the ward.
I missed Ivan terribly during those months, but I never regretted that he was in the hospital. It was the only safe place for him and it saved his life.
If you are just out of the hospital, there is a good chance you’re scared, maybe upset you were in restraints, mad at your family for putting you there or really worried about life outside of the hospital structure. People react to a hospital with such a variety of emotions!
I always ask people who have been in the hospital to turn to the people around them and ask what the hospital experience was like for them- for example, if you tried to kill yourself and had to stay on a ward until you were stable, how did your friends feel about the fact you were in the hospital – or your family? I bet they have a very different view. Knowing that they were thankful you were there may help you see your hospital stay differently.
julie
Tags: Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, Bipolar Help, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar questoins, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolar triggers, bipolarhappens.com, bp magazine, DBSA, general bipolar disorder, Get It Done When You're Depressed, hospital bipiolar, husband in hospital, julie fast, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, manic episode, manic hospital, NAMI/DBSA, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in hospitals | No Comments »
reader comments….
Sunday, December 28th, 2008Hi, It’s really early in the morning and I’m off to my trip to Texas. So far, so good! No anxiety at all!
I will not be on the blog for a few days. There are many reader comments where people ask questions= please feel free to answer them with any advice you may have. As always, be careful not to offer medical advice, but you can offer suggestions and places to go for more information!
Julie
Tags: , Bipolar, episode, Julie Fast Radio Show, mania, manic, reader comments, shopping and mania, spending and mania
Posted in reader comments | No Comments »