Archive for the ‘Newsletters’ Category
Saturday, October 11th, 2008
Did you know that there is Serotonin in our stomachs? It has the second highest concentration of the neurotransmitter after our brains.
This is why SSRI drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft and many others can cause stomach problems. As my coauthor Dr. John Preston says, “There’s no way to harpoon a drug straight to the neurotransmitters in your brain. They have to go through the whole body which is why they cause so many side effects.”
I remember being so sick I couldn’t work when I was on so many meds in the late 90’s. I was always in the bathroom. That may be more than you want to know about me! but it’s important to know that you’re not alone if drugs are making your stomach rumble.
Side effects can include nausea, irritable bowel syndrome, bloated stomach, acid reflux, etc. etc.
Lovely!
Here are some tips on keeping your stomach happy:
1. First of all, talk with your doctor if things are really bad. It’s better to get help and possibly change doses or drugs than to just quit because of the side effects.
2. Drink organic apple cider vinegar in water. This can REALLY help, especially if you have acid reflux. Make sure it’s organic and slighly cloudy. You don’t want the cheap stuff! You really can get used to the taste. Put two tablespoons in a large glass of water and drink it throughout the day. I can now practically drink it straight!
3. Drink keifer or eat plan yogurt. This calms the stomach so much!
4. Try yoga. The gentle stomach poses can help move around stomach juices and get things flowing- in the right way.
5. Change the times you take your meds. Maybe you can spread them out or take them at night. Talk with your doctor.
There are many things you can do to help mild to medium stomach side effects. Sometimes, just waiting it out can help. If your side effects are severe, don’t just go off your meds as you can have a whole lot more trouble than your stomach! Get help and get the right meds! Your doctor, naturopath or nurse practitioner can really help with this.
Julie
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Saturday, September 20th, 2008
Hi, Here is the latest newsletter from bipolarhappens.com. If you’re not on the mailing list, you can sign up at the link on the bottom of this post. I wrote this newsletter in response to the question I often get: What does it mean when I’m depressed but I’m so revved up, can’t sleep and just feel awful? The answer is it’s often a mixed episode!
Bipolar Disorder and Mixed Episodes
I’ve been going in and out of depression for a few months now. It’s annoying. I try to get perspective- I have chronic, rapid cycling bipolar disorder. So, if I go in and out of depression, that’s nothing new.
My goal is to lessen the depression as much as possible. I’ve been able to do that. Rapid cycling is defined as having three or more mood swings a year. Ha! How about two or three an hour!
About the blog: I just received the following reader comment from Jennifer:
I can’t find much information on your site for Bipolar 1 mixed. I rapid cycle daily too but I also can be depressed and manic at the same time. Did I miss it?
**
A mixed episode happens when a person is depressed and has agitated mania. This combination is called dysphoric mania and it’s not fun. That’s for sure.
There are two types of mania- dysphoric and euphoric. People with bipolar I often have the dysphoric type- more so than people with bipolar II. It’s characterized by unhappiness, extreme negative thinking, active suicidal thoughts and intense restlessness. It’s the most uncomfortable of all of the mood swings and has the highest suicide rate. I have a mixed episode Health Card in my treatment plan. I don’t experience this much, but when I do, it’s hard to function. Anti psychotics are often used to treat this and they can work miracles.
It’s possible to trigger dysphoric/mixed mania. Excessive stress- overstimulating events, huge life changing events such as the death of a loved one or moving to a new country. Then, there are mixed states that aren’t triggered at all and are simply mood swings brought on by the illness.
It helps to have a Health Card specifically for a mixed episode- especially in terms of how people can help you.
Thanks for your question!
Julie
to sign up for the newsletter… please visit: www.bipolarhappens.com
Tags: , agitation depression, b ipolar religion, biplar, Bipolar, bipolar depression, Bipolar Disorder, bipolar illness, bipolar spirituality, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolarhappens.com, depression aggitation, depression treatment, depressoin, depressoin treatment, dysphoric mania, Get It Done When You're Depressed, julie fast bipolar treatment, Julie Fast Radio Show, julie fast writer, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, mixed bipolar, mixed episode bipolar disorder, mixed episodes, nervous mania, newsletter, spirituality and bipolar disorder., Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, treatemnt, who is julie fast? bipolarhappens.com, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in Bipolar Treatment Tips, Newsletters | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 4th, 2008
A Bipolar Disorder Treatment Secret
Sometimes it feels like we have become a society that rarely thinks of consequences:
- Put your entire vacation on a credit card! YOU DESERVE IT!
- If it feels good, do it! WHO CARES ABOUT TOMORROW!
- Don’t worry, be happy! ALL THAT MATTERS IS NOW!
Before I started managing this illness successfully, I was a do what feels good now, think about it later person. And I was always sick. Then I created the Health Cards and there it was in black and white. If I do this now, this happens later.
So here’s the secret that helps all people with bipolar disorder manage the illness more successfully:
Think Now, Do Later.
It’s such a simple concept and yet so hard to follow because we are exploratory creatures. For many people, doing something first and then seeing what happens later is an exhilarating and often rewarding experience, but for those of us with bipolar disorder, this behavior often makes us sick.
Thinking now and then doing later changed my life. It took about five years for me to really make the changes needed. To be honest even today I don’t want to think first. I want to have fun! Travel! Meet hot guys! Get famous and sing all night! well….
That’s not exactly a good plan for someone who gets ill just from an argument with her brother.
Now, instead of immediately saying yes to something I try to say: ‘Let me think about it and maybe I can do it later.’
The Think Now, Do Later model basically works for anything that may make you sick. And for those of you who care about someone with the illness, this can be a great conversation topic. If they won’t or can’t listen, then you can follow the principle yourself as an example.
If you have a decision to make in the next few weeks, especially one that involves work or relationships, ask yourself this question:
If I do this now, what will happen later?
You can then make a realistic ‘bipolar disorder healthy’ decision based on your answer.
Julie
Tags: b ipolar religion, biplar, Bipolar, bipolar depression, Bipolar Disorder, bipolar illness, bipolar spirituality, Bipolar Treatment Tips, bipolarhappens.com, depression treatment, depressoin, depressoin treatment, Get It Done When You're Depressed, julie fast bipolar treatment, Julie Fast Radio Show, julie fast writer, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, newsletter, spirituality and bipolar disorder., Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, treatemnt, who is julie fast? bipolarhappens.com, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
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Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
My latest newsletter from bipolarhappens.com went out this morning. There are so many spam issues that I like to post them here as well. You can sign up for the newsletter at bipolarhappens.com from the top menu.
I decided to write about relationships as they are a double edged sword- they can either make us ill- or our illness can make us difficult to love. And of course, they can make us feel wonderful, but that is not today’s topic!
Relationships and Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder makes people feel and react
very differently than those who are lucky enough
not to have a mood disorder.
We feel things 10x stronger than most people.
We hurt more, cry more, get way more excited
and hear a lot more voices that aren’t there!
And believe me, this is NOT a good thing.
I try to remind myself that the reason I made
so many relationship mistakes in the past is
that I just felt too much. It had nothing and
still has nothing to do with the person I’m with.
It’s a bipolar thing. I’m very different now.
I’ve learned that the excessive feelings -the
abnormally excessive feelings that come with
this illness can be monitored and often prevented.
Even when our moods feel out of control- we can
be under it all saying no and getting help.
If this makes sense! I hate being sick- but I’ve
learned to recognize the signs that what I’m feeling is
WAY too intense for the situation – which means I
have to treat bipolar disorder first- and get more stable
before I make any relationship decisions.
I have a Relationship Health Card. It always astounds
me to read it. When I’m stable, I read the card and
think to myself- “Well, Julie! It’s obvious you’re ill
when you do these things!”
The challenge is recognizing what’s real and what
isn’t when I’m in the middle of a mood swing.
I’ve taught myself how to do this and I’m much happier now.
Julie
www.bipolarhappens.com
PS: I talk about my Health Cards Treatment Plan for Bipolar Disorder in all of my newsletters. I sell the system on bipolarhappens.com
Have a happy day- I’m going to make sure I try to have a happy day! Ok- I am going to have a happy day!
Tags: bipolar affective disorder support, bipolar illness, bipolar mania, bipolarhappens.com, brother bipolar, DBSA, depression bipolar support alliance, family bipolar, family mania, family problems bipolar, help with bipolar family member, husband bipolar, julie fast, julie fast newsletter, juliefast.com, loving someone with bipolar disorder, man manic episode, manic behavior, manic depression, manic depression family problesm, manic episoder, mom bipolar, NAMI/DBSA, national alliance on mental illness, romantic reltationships bipolar, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, wife bipolar, wife depression, wife mania, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in Newsletters, Relationships | No Comments »
Thursday, August 14th, 2008
Three Tips for Family Members
Three Tips for Family Members
1. Read, read, read: Knowledge about bipolar disorder is your number one tool. Read the DSM-IV diagnostic manual and learn about bipolar disorder. It’s only about ten pages- but you can learn so much! All libraries have this book in their reference department. While you’re there, read about psychotic disorders as well. And if you’re really interested, read about personality disorders and anxiety disorders. People with bipolar disorder share symptoms with all of these disorders which is why it’s such a tough illness to treat. And of course, my books are a great read as well!
2. Set limits: It’s hard to set limits when the person you care about might leave. But…. that’s what has to be done when someone has mood swing problems.
A. You cannot smoke pot or drink in my house.
B. Yelling is not an option. If you feel angry, please take care of it before you come into my house.
C. I can only see you if you’re on medications.
Tough stuff to say. It often takes families years to do this. I find that saying the following helps:
“You have bipolar disorder and I can tell you’re in a mood swing. I’m here to help, but only if you communicate with me. It’s not acceptable for you to yell at me or ignore my feelings. This is an illness and you have to take care of the mood swings if you want me in your life. I will help in any way I can.”
I’ve had to do this with a family member a few times. I used to fight when they wanted a fight, but not anymore. It’s an illness and they need help. Only they can choose to get it.
3. Learn about the Bipolar Conversation and use it 24 hours a day. I created this technique and it’s in all of my books. You can just read the Bipolar Conversation chapter in Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and change forever the way you interact with a person who has bipolar disorder. I guarantee it.
It’s hard to care about someone with this illness. We’re difficult people when we don’t manage the illness successfully. Learn all you can about our symptoms, set limits and learn how to talk to us when we’re in a mood swing. All of these ideas can start immediately. I created the Health Cards for families just as much as for people with the illness. It really does take a village to help us stay stable! You can use the Health Cards even if the person you care about won’t take your help. They work.
Julie
To ensure delivery of our newsletters please be sure comments@bipolarhappens.com is in your address book , buddy lists and is added to your email white list.
News Release
Julie will be presenting at the 2008
DBSA conference.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
More information about the program here:
If you have not signed up for the newseltter- you can do so at www.bipolarhappens.com. There is a sign up link on the top menu. This is a great place to find out more about my Health Cards Treatment Plan.
I write as much practical information as possible in these newsletters. This is a tough illness to manage and we need all of the help we can get!
My book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder is an excellent resource for partners of people with bipolar disorder. ( We have some challenges!) Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder also has excellent family tips.
Julie
Tags: , bipol;ar illness family, bipolar family, bipolar family members, bipolar help family, family bipolar disorder, family education, family member help bipolar illness, family members bipolar, family says no bipolar, help for daughter, help for husband, help for mom, help for partner, julie fast, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic depression, mom doesn't understand bipolar, mother father bipolar help, my daughter won't get help, my son won't get help, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, www.bipolarhappens.com, www.juliefast.com
Posted in Friends & Family, Newsletters | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
Hi! Here is the latest newsletter from bipolarhappens.com.
My Bipolar Brain is Lying to Me!
All right bipolar brain! I’ve had enough! Shut up!
This is what I had to say to myself today when my brain would not leave me alone. I sat outside at a cafe to get work done today. The weather was great, my hands which often give me trouble were not bothering me and I was actually getting work done. But every time a couple walked by I had the thought- you will never be happy like them Julie. Or if I saw a baby- I had the thought- you’ll never have the experience of having a baby. I felt like my life was wasting away and that others were having so much more fun than I was.
This is the bipolar trap and luckily I know enough to eventually recognize what it is and then tell my brain to.. shut up. It’s a harsh way to do it, but when this happens I have to snap myself out of it. Here are the facts outside of bipolar disorder:
- I am currently single because it’s the absolute right choice for me. It’s a conscious decision. I’ve been in relationships for the majority of my adult life and I doubt a year without one will kill me. Of course I prefer a loving relationship as most people do, but now is not the time. Crazy brain.
- I have never wanted a child nor do I want one now! It’s ridiculous what my brain says! My nephew is the light of my life and that is enough for me!
- There is no way everyone is happier than I am. Please!
- In an hour I’m going to meet friends to see a movie and then have a bbq. Why does my brain completely disregard this information?
Bipolar disorder lies to me. It lies all of the time. If I listen to it, as I did for many, many years, I will be miserable.
Saying I’ve had enough! and SHUT UP! to my brain and writing this got me out of the episode.
Julie
You can sign up for the newsletter on the menu bar at www.bipolarhappens.com
Tags: , biplar, Bipolar, bipolar depression, Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Treatment Tips, depression treatment, depressoin, depressoin treatment, julie fast, julie fast bipolar, julie fast bipolar specialist, julie fast bipolarhappens.com, julie fast dbsa, julie fast mental health speaker, julie fast nami, julie fast newsletter, julie fast speaker, julie fast treatment ideas, juliefast, manic depression, treatemnt
Posted in Bipolar Treatment Tips, Newsletters | 3 Comments »
Sunday, July 6th, 2008
My mother is a genius when it comes to helping me with bipolar disorder, but it didn’t start out that way. It took her many years to know how to help me. I created my treatment program (The Health Cards) over eight years ago. There was definitely a learning curve for my family. When someone has bipolar disorder, family members want to help, but they rarely know how. All of the comforting techniques that work on others don’t work when a person is in a mood swing. Family members have to educate themselves.
It’s natural to say, “But you have so much!” when someone you love is depressed. It never works. It’s natural to say, “Why can’t you just focus? It’s a really simple thing to clean your house.” It’s natural to say, “It’s just dinner? Why is it so hard for you to cook dinner?” These questions are pointless as the person with bipolar doesn’t know the answers until they learn to manage the illness.
I always say, “You don’t have to understand why a person can’t do things when they’re having mood swings, but you can believe that what they’re going through is real and help them find a way to get better.”
Empathy is great, but it’s not really possible unless you have bipolar disorder- support is what matters to us.
Here is what makes my mother special:
1. She is not scared like she used to be. The Health Cards have given her a tool that works, so she knows what to do when I get sick. For example, when we first started using them, she had to say, “Get out your cards, Julie. You’re psychotic. What do you need to do?” If I was too sick to get them out, she said, “I’m getting your psychotic card out now Julie. I will see what it says to do.” As you can see, this gives us tools when I’m too sick to help myself.
2. She is often the first to read my manuscripts, so she knows my tips really well!
3. She isn’t embarrassed that I have bipolar and tells all of her friends she is proud of me.
4. She educates others. I just had a call in radio show, (you can listen to it from juliefast.com). She gave a great piece of advice. She said, “When you have to tell someone that your child has bipolar disorder, remember that the person you’re talking to probably has no idea what it is. It helps if you explain it while you give out the information. I say, ‘My daughter has bipolar disorder. You may have heard about it as it’s in the news a lot. She has mood swings and it can be really tough, but she works hard to manage it.” This lets others know it’s an illness and not something to be ashamed of.
My mom is a genius because she educates herself in order to help me. I am indebted to her and proud of her.
Julie
Tags: bipolar affective disorder support, bipolar mania, brother bipolar, DBSA, depression bipolar support alliance, family, family bipolar, family mania, family problems bipolar, help with bipolar family member, julie fast, loving someone with bipolar disorder, manic behavior, manic depression, manic depression family problesm, manic episoder, mom bipolar, NAMI/DBSA, national alliance on mental illness, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder
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