Archive for the ‘About Julie’ Category
Friday, July 17th, 2009
I just received a question from Michael asking- Do your books come in ebook format?
Hi Michael,
I started my career with ebooks. My Health Cards Treatment Plan for Bipolar Disorder and my books Tips for Talking with Health Care Professionals and Bipolar Happens are available in ebook form. My coauthor Dr. John Preston has an ebook called The Medical Treatment of Bipolar Disorder. These books are available on www.bipolarhappens.com. If you scroll to the middle of the page, you will see the ebooks.
My books Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and Get it Done When You’re Depressed were all traditionally published. They are available in ebook form for the Kindle. The Kindle is the new amazon.com hand held electronic book reader. These books are also available in book stores. You can also ask your local mental health organization if they have the books. If they don’t, please let me know how to contact them and I will make sure they have the books for their library.
I’m going to record my bipolarhappens.com ebooks into mp3 files in the next few months. I know that a lot of people prefer to listen to the information, especially when bipolar or the bipolar disorder medications are making it difficult to read. That happend to me when I took lithium!
I love the immediacy with ebooks. Especially when you’re in a crisis or need more information about bipolar disorder as quickly as possible.
There is a pic below of the amazon.com Kindle ebook reader. I have seen one- they are fantastic. I still prefer to hold books, but this is the future. I wonder if it will make it easier for people with bipolar disorder to focus as you can change the size of the font and the look of the screen.
Julie
Tags: bipolar happens, Health Cards, julie's books, kindle reader, www.bipolarhappens.com
Posted in About Julie, Reader Questions | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
Just because one things goes ‘wrong’ it doesn’t mean that all things are going wrong!
Bipolar is a tricky task master- it says- oh, something just caused you some trouble? That’s because it has always caused you trouble and it will always cause you trouble in the future. Things will always go wrong for you!
In truth, all and I mean all situations are separate experiences. What lead to the moment and what comes after the moment are separate as well. Don’t judge one moment in time against all of your life.
We can get through anything- especially the little things that bipolar disorder tells us are so important.
Most events are not that important. They come and go. Things go wrong and we move on. What matters is that we don’t connect these events to other events to create a stream of WRONGNESS!
It’s just one event at at time. Julie
This is a note to myself….. as well as readers. 
Tags: Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, Bipolar Help, bipolar hope www.juliefast.com, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar questoins, bipolar rapid cycling, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolar triggers, bipolarhappens.com, bp hope, 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, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in About Julie, Bipolar Treatment Tips | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
My media fast
I decided to go on a media fast a few months ago. All of the depressing news about our world economy was not helping the reality of my own economic situation! So I turned off all news. I stopped listening to NPR, reading Yahoo headlines, looking at newspapers and reading business magazines. It has now been over three months. I am such a differnt person. i don’t wake up at 4AM in a panic. I don’t feel like I’m missing much- I can listen to a download of a show if needed. I am worried about the world, but I can only help the world if I’m well.
It has helped immensely. And I still manage to know what is going on in the world as my friends are very informed.
I will do whatever it takes to stay stable so that I can work and make my own money. I don’t want the media to adversely affect my view of the world!
Julie
Tags: Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, Bipolar Help, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar questoins, bipolar rapid cycling, 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, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in About Julie | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 15th, 2009
I’m well tonight!
Normally I would write that sentence: I’m not sick tonight! but I’m going to be positive this evening.
It always amazes me how normal it is to be normal. I sort of just do things without thinking about them. When the bipolar disorder is going strong- which is about 85% of the time (I chart my moods so that % is pretty accurate!) I often have to struggle and grasp and gasp to keep going. But when I’m well like I am tonight, things are just so much more simple. I can be alone with ease. I make dinner. I read and write my blog. I can DO things. Do you think anyone can understand what I mean unless they have bipolar? I don’t think so! People take the normal stuff for granted. Getting up without thinking your life is pointless is how most people live. I’d like to be most people- believe me!
If you care about someone with bipolar disorder, you know how we struggle with the basics. It’s a part of the illness. I am always reminded of this when I have an evening like tonight. I just exist and get on with my life. Nothing is running through my head and I’m not filled with doom and gloom or excessive excitement.
It’s NICE. I remember when I created the Health Cards (my treatment system) – I realized it was extremely important for me to create a Health Card that listed what the normal me was like- how I thought and acted and what I said when I wasn’t in a mood swing, so that I could remember this when I got sick.
It changed my life!
Julie
Tags: alternative treatment bipolar disorder, aromatherapy bipolar disorder, Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, bipolar disorder newsletter, Bipolar Help, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar newsletter, bipolar questoins, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolar triggers, bipolarhappens.com, bp magazine, children bipolar disorder, DBSA, finances, general bipolar disorder, Get It Done When You're Depressed, julie fast, julie fast newsletter, Julie Fast Radio Show, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, manic episode, money bipolar, money worries bipolar, NAMI/DBSA, radio show, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, teenagers bipolar, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in About Julie | 3 Comments »
Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Bipolar is so very weird. When I’m depressed I can look at this rose and see nothing of beauty. I’ve also had experiences where the beauty of something is painful because I feel so left out.
With mania, the rose is too beautiful. I could look into it forever – which is not exactly true as when I’m manic I don’t do anything for very long. My attention would be grabbed by something even more beautiful.
When my ex partner Ivan was really psychotic and in the hospital- I took him a rose- it had a lot of symbolic meaning to him- it was blood red- it caused pain- etc.
Well, it’s pretty obvious that a rose isn’t just a rose is a rose….
Today I want to just look at the rose for what it is. A beautiful flower. I live in Portland, Oregon- also known as the rose city. The roses here are stunning. My goal is to have a normal, stable and appreciative day. ( I can do it!)
Julie
Tags: Bipolar, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar depression, Bipolar Help, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolar questoins, bipolar rapid cycling, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolar triggers, bipolarhappens.com, bp magazine, DBSA, general bipolar disorder, Get It Done When You're Depressed, juile fast, julie fast, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, manic episode, NAMI/DBSA, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in About Julie | 2 Comments »
Monday, June 8th, 2009
This blog is a chronical of my severe rapid cycling- it helps me to write it and I’m glad it helps others. Two nights ago I was worn out and despondent and then I sat up and said to myself, “Enough of this. No matter what, you can still function. Just get going Julie. Deal with what is going on with your economic status and do what you can!” I felt better the next day and I feel even better today. I have to face facts head on- my life changed with the economy as it did for many, many people. Yes, it has caused great stress – which always leads to mood swings. But I have to deal with it.
My mom helped a lot in the months I couldn’t get the mood swings to stop. I managed to do all of the social things I usually do and that helped. Isn’t it odd a depressed person can go see people and be ok and then go down and start crying as soon as they get in the car! That tells me something about this illness- we have more control than we think. If we can feel better with people- we can harness that in order to manage our own brains when we can’t be around people.
Introverts and extroverts deal with bipolar disorder very, very differently. Bipolar disorder medications can affect a person’s desire to be with people as well. A friend of mine is on anti depressants for social anxiety and the change is amazing. He says he’s more able to go out and be around people- and talk to them!
I’m always interested in people who care about someone with this illness- as I have been there. Loving someone with bipolar I can be very scary, especially if they have a lot of mania.
Let’s be real about this illness- it’s rotten! I wish there were a cure and we could work and actually use our talents as much as we want!
One day.
Julie
Tags: , Bipolar Disorder, depressed, julie fast, Rapid Cycling
Posted in About Julie | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 1st, 2009
Well, isn’t it nice to read that I had a great weekend! It was great to experience it, believe me. This past few months have been such a challenge (euphemism!), so feeling better is wonderful. And no, I’m not manic. (Thank goodness.)
I went to an interfaith retreat for people with disabilities who work with people who have disabilities! – brain disorders and physical disabilities. Yes, some people have trouble with the word disability, but I believe it’s an honest word that honors the struggles those of us who are not able to work, run, talk, etc go through. Does that make sense? It was a joyful experience of shared stories and a lot of learning.
I will post some pictures because it was a happy time. So yes, even if you have chronic, relentless and debhiliting depression, the episode can end and things can get better.
And now I have to write what I always write in the summer-
- Is your mood going up?
- Is there a significant difference between your mood in in the winter and your mood now?
- How are your bipolar meds? Have you thought about stopping them because you feel so good?
- Are you sleeping less than normally? Do you have throughts such as – it sure would be fun to stay up all night and get a lot done!
We all know what the above means- the beginning signs of mania. If you’re experiencing these things and they are not the norm for you, there is a lot of information on this blog about the signs of mania and how to manage this very dangerous mood swing.
Julie
Tags: julie, mania, mania signs
Posted in About Julie | 2 Comments »
