Things have been tough- but I’m much better today. I can tell I will be able to work withouth so much PAIN! I am sure you know what I mean. When you get sick- whether it be depression, agitated mania, anxiety, OCD, ADHD stuff- it just makes it hard to sit down and work. I use my tools of course- but it sure is better when I can work wihtout having to use my tools all day.
At least I have them. I recently received a comment asking about my treatment plan. I use my Health Cards treatment plan everyday and have done so since 1999. It has saved my life. I also use the ideas in my books- they are based off the Health Cards. Here are my main treatment plan tips:
1. Have a plan in place BEFORE you get sick. That is what keeps me going- I know that when the mood swings start- I have something ready to help automatically.
2. Surround yourself with people who know you have bipolar disorder and can help just by being there. They don’t have to talk about it with you, help you feel better, give you advice or feel sad for you- they just have to be there when you want to hang out.
3. Create strong bonds with people who can handle your tough days. These are special people!
4. Remind yourself constnatly when you’re sick that IT’s AN ILLNESS>> I CAN SURVIVE THIS.
5. Go easy on yourself when you do something that makes you sick.
6. Take your meds- and if you haven’t found the right meds, keep trying forever.
I could go on and on. These are just some of the basics- my books talk about all of my ideas in detail. I do read my own books- they are treatment plans already in place that I can use when I get sick. That is the ultimate goal of managing the illness.
We can and do get better.
julie
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Hi Julie – admire you tremendously for the way you have demystified the illness and clarified so much for me by giving info that psychiatrists and GP’s just dont want to share – are they afraid we’ll “invent” symptoms if we know as much as them – are they simply afraid of sharing their power? There is a culture of superiority in medicine where the doctor poses as the ultimate authority nd the patient is a mere supplicant and treated like a child who needs to be protected from herself by withholding knowlege. Paternalism is rampant even with female doctors who should know better but are educated into this attitude at uni and through what they perceive to be a type of professionalism they need to practice in order to compete with male counterparts.
So your sites are Soooooooo valuable bec they cut through to the essentials in a human and humane way and your views are from experience not medical school and text books. Bravo!!!
I seem to recall reading somewhere that there is a link between bipolar and multiple schlerosis. Do you know anything about this? I havemany MS symptoms and Bipolar 2.
I wish I had known you were thinking of using Zoloft – it has very bad effects on many people and caused a teen boy who is my friend’s son to beat her up badly. Somehow i still feel he had a choice to walk away rather than assault his mother who is a fraction of his size and weight but who knows… do medications rob us of free will?
Cheerio Liz Rose ( Australia)