I’ve found that it helps to have things planned when you have depression problems. You may not WANT to plan things, but making the effort can make a huge difference.  If you’re lonely, check out meetin.org or Craigslist groups.

 I talk about these sites all of the time because I’ve met SO many friends off the internet. There is also a great group called USA Fit (usafit.com) that helps people walk or run marathons. Don’t worry! You can just do the group without doing the marathon, but I did a ten mile walk once! This is a great way to stay healthy and meet lots of new people. The registration will be in 2009, but you can get connected to your city group now.

Depression is isolating- but just doing one thing that makes you get outside the house can cut your depression symptoms in half in one day. No kidding. My motto is: I want to go to bed feeling better than when I got up.

That motto really helps on the tough days.  This is why I wrote the book Get it Done When You’re Depressed. I wanted to help others get out and end that depression!

 Julie

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All right Julie, you just keep going…

This is what I say to myself when I wake up in a down mood. My mind starts to go into the- “what’s the point?” direction- and I make myself stop it.

First of all, not everything has to have a point and not everything I do has to have great meaning.

Secondly, I have an illness that makes me doubt everything when I’m depressed.

The best thing to do is to just keep going. I can find meaning AFTER I’ve done something.

This helps me GET THINGS DONE!

Julie

I’m slightly down today- well, probably more than slightly. I had a weeklong hypomanic episode last week and I knew this would happen. I still always hope it won’t. It has been 13 years and every time I have mania I go down almost immediately- and yet I still think things will change! What has changed is that I know how to manage these mood swings 1000x better than I use to.

It’s just sad and so unfair. I wonder how you’re feeling as you read this? Or maybe someone you care about is not doing well. I’ve been on both sides.

I can say with all certainty that this is just a mood swing. There is nothing wrong with my life. I need to figure out what triggered it, though I think it was just the sunny weather. It happens every year.

So, I’m at my house feeling down and crying a bit. Believe it or not, this is when I think of my own books! My mind has trouble taking care of itself when I get depressed, so I just remember what I wrote.

- It’s an illness. The depression will end.
- Get up! Get out! Get it Done!
- Call a friend and plan a meeting tonight.
- Get out in the sun.
- Praise myself for what I have accomplished today.
- Go to karaoke tonight and get some work done- I like to work in noise!

There is a lot I can do and I plan on doing all of it! My goal is to go to bed feeling better than I do right now.

Julie

PS: It’s still not fair.

Bipolar Depression Symptoms

Make a list of your top five depression symptoms:

Write out this list and put it in your wallet. When the depression starts take it out and read it. Then say to yourself, “If I’m going through something on this list, it has to be depression. This means I have to treat the depression first.”

Depression behavior rarely changes. When you learn your symptoms, you can differentiate them from the real you.
If you care about someone with depression, make a list of their top five depression symptoms. Memorize them. This helps you know what you’re up against when their behavior is confusing. You can say to yourself, “I remember this! He always talks like this when he’s depressed! We have to focus on treating the depression instead of talking endlessly about what is wrong.”

This prevents the Bipolar Conversation. I write about the Bipolar Conversation in all of my books!

Julie

A few of my bipolar disorder depression symptoms:

I Think: I will never find a partner.
I Hear a voice: What is the point of working?
I Believe: Things will never get better.
I Cry easily. 
I Eat everything I don’t need to be eating!

My depression never changes. My management skills have just gotten so much better that I can overcome the depression more easily than I used to. 

Julie

I just leaned back in my rocking chair and had the thought. “”I’m not depressed.” I’ve been having a tough time lately.   I was rapid cycling quite a bit yesterday, but today is good! Hard work pays off. I never thought I would get better, but I have. If you’re depressed or just got out of the hospital, there are millions of us out there who are going through the same things. And we are getting better!

Julie

PS:Don’t lean back too far in a rocking chair!

Unexpected Signs of Bipolar Depression!

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    • Tripping over things/clumsiness
    • Unable to read directions as easily as you normally would
    • Sudden lack of loving feelings
    • No desire for romantic relations- IE: don’t touch me!
    • Trouble finding a comfortable place to work

And so many more!

Julie

I’m not doing too well today. I haven’t been doing well for a few days actually! A few days ago I had catatonic depression. My mother came over and helped me clean my room. That helped a lot!

Yesterday I was up and down. I decided to go to a movie last night so that I didn’t have to hear my depressed thoughts. That helped a lot!

Today I am fighting IT again. But it won’t win! It never does.

Bipolar depression is a scary thing, but I remind myself all day long- It’s an illness.

Today is a tough day in terms of work. I have an article due for BP Magazine and it’s a struggle. I just remind myself of what my books say. I don’t have to feel like doing something in order to GET IT DONE!

It’s 7PM. I am going to finish my article and get to bed early. As always, my plan is to go to bed feeling better than when I woke up. I will accomplish that tonight!

Bipolar disorder is an illness. You probably see yourself in what I write- because we share an illness.

I want this to go away forever- but it just hangs around sometimes! It’s an illness.

You will be able to read my magazine article in the fall. Because I’m going to finish it right now….

Julie

I got this comment when I woke up this morning. It’s a timely one as I’m having work issues myself! Here is the comment and my reply.  

I have been diagnosed with bi-polar after 4 attempts at suicide. Im sat here now, wishing i was not here. Thinking things like my girlfriend could have someone who has loads of money, nice house ect… all the things i dont have. im very tired of life right now, and cannot see it getting any better, or my wealth changing.. definatly not in the near future!
The thing is, i know deep inside i am better than this. i know i can get a better paid job ect But and i dont know if it is having bi polar, i odnt have the courage to do go for another job. even though i know i can do it. its almost like voices in my head saying, nah, your useless, you cant do it so why bother.

Is this the bi-polar, or just something else.?

Hi,

It’s totally normal to be suicidal when you’re depressed. It’s also normal to feel worthless when you’re depressed! That is literally the definition of depression..

I was sick all day yesterday from work pressure. Those of us with bipolar disorder often have trouble working. I’ve had trouble with work all of my life. It really attacks your belief in yourself when you can’t work! The only way to get around this is to treat the bipolar first- this means trying for as long as it takes to find the right meds and then… here is the hard part- learn to manage the illness on your own. I do it daily. You have to have a treatment plan that works.  My book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder has a plan as do my other books.  I wrote them because I needed them.

You are NOT lazy. You have a serious, but ultimately treatable illness. Here are some ideas:

1. Decide to stay where you are right now- work wise- and spend the next three months focusing exclusively on bipolar management

2. Talk with your girlfriend and explain what bipolar is like- read my book together. Work together. Just as she would do - both of you would do if you had a physical illness.

3. When the voices start- no matter how strong they are- say, This is not me! This is bipolar disorder. And when I treat the bipolar disorder, i can make these voices go away.

Things DO get better. I am proof. I never thought I would work again- and now I work a lot. It isn’t easy and I still get sick, but I can work.

Don’t give up!

julie

Bipolar Disorder Depression Sucks- that is for sure.

I was very sick today. It always shocks me how debilitating depression can be.

For much of the day I literally had trouble getting out of my chair. It felt like the batteries in my body were dead.

I desperately wanted and needed to work. I have so much to do- too much email and a lot of deadlines. I want to be a normal worker.  I forced myself to get in my car and go to the library, but when I got there I was so uncomfortable I left. Finally, I put in a DVD and rested my brain. It was in what I call the civil war- you should do this, no do this, no do this, you’re a poor worker because you don’t do anything, you need to work, I can’t work today. On and on.

It’s awful. Isn’t it. If you have bipolar disorder, you’ve been there for sure.

I hate it. So, I remembered what I say in all of my books- if I want to get things done when I’m depressed, there are strategies I know will work. I just have to use them.

So I called my mom and I said, “I’m sick. I’m not functioning at all. Can you come over and help me clean my room?”

She came over and I immediately felt better. I kept having to sit down, but I at least got up and helped clean. I got something accomplished and it helped reduce my depression.

It’s almost time for bed, but I’ve reached my goal. I always want to go to bed feeling better than when I woke up. I’m crying a bit while I write this- but it’s ok. Being able to write is a real plus on a very difficult day.

Julie

Hi! I was recently interviewed in a publication called Dolce- Dolce about my book Get it Done When You’re Depressed. It was fun!

Here is the link:

http://www.dolcedolce.com/ns_jan292008.htm

 Julie