Bipolar disorder and the economy: A great reader comment

Here is a comment from J. on my blog about the economic climate in this country- it’s a good one!

thank u for this. I needed some cheering up. financially we are at out wits’ end. I function only due to my meds. without them i’d be dead now. bipolar is no joke, and having financial problems on top of it…well, it’s hard to stay sane. I CAN choose to enjoy as much of my life THIS MOMENT as I can, no matter what is going on around me. so I try. I fight depression. my meds keep me from mania which is good or we’d be in worse trouble. I thank god I still have left things to be thankful for RIGHT NOW. tomorrow will be dealt with tomorrow. that’s how I cope with money problems I can’t fix. one day at a time. if I live in the present I can cope [ Read More ]





Media Fast for Mental Health Happiness

There are some very popular books on the market that suggest taking a media break- one is 8 Weeks to Optimal Health by Dr. Andrew Weil and the other is The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.  I have taken media breaks many times over the past 14 years – for a long time I didn’t have a television.

I’m starting one today. The news is just too histrionic for me right now. It focuses on what we don’t have instead of all that is going well with this country. Yes, many of us are struggling financially. As I mentioned before, I’ve taken a huge hit to my monthly income. So I’m sitting down and doing something about it. Every day in every way! Even when the depression hits.

Many people are prospering because of this economy! Discount stores, amazon.com, writers who preach fiscal responsibility! People are driving their cars, going to restaurants and movies and [ Read More ]





Small business and individual finances for people with bipolar disorder

Bipolar Disorder and Business Finances

Wow, this is an interesting time in our country financially, isn’t it. And yet, as I have said before, it’s also a time for opportunity. I know that I have not been as fiscally responsible as I could have been in terms of my business. A lot of it has to do with my limited work hours due to bipolar disorder, but some of it is definitely from choices I have made.

My dear friend Lorraine Haatia is very fiscally responsible! She is a continuous improvement specialist for companies large and small.  She recently published a very interesting article on how companies can cut costs during these interesting economic times. Here is the link to the article. I think it has great ideas for individuals as well!

 http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2009/week4/Tuesday/012007.htm

 Julie





Bipolar Disorder and Money: The US economy…….

Bipolar Disorder and Stress: The US Economy

Yes, our economy stinks. It has affected my business greatly- and not in a good way- and it has possibly affected you similarly.

I was very freaked out at first. A friend of mine lost her job and many friends lost a lot of their retirement. Eventually I realized that worrying was not helping me. I now choose to see this situation as a challenge to myself intellectually and emotionally instead of something awful.  This is when I can get very creative and focused on my goals.  What can I do to turn this around in my life? What can I do to create business elsewhere?  What do I need to change?

People are spending less- that is actually a good thing for this country in the long term. It has made me look at my spending.  What can I do now to protect myself from this when [ Read More ]





Bipolar disorder and Finances: Look at your financial picture today!

Here is a truism:  Avoiding the letter, doesn’t make it better!

I’m referring to the bills that may be unopened in a drawer or in a pile on your table. It can be so scary to face reality financially. I highly recommend it though- it really is better to know what you’re up against than to imagine what you’re up against.

I have lost a lot and I mean a lot of money by not taking care of bills or other financial business before it’s too late. I am getting better at this.  I look at my account online. Sometimes I cringe- but I want to be aware of my financial situation so that I can stay stable. Also, I want to be able to think rationally when I wake up too early and start to worry! When my bipolar gets bad and I feel overwhelmed, I can miss deadlines- and this costs money so there [ Read More ]





Mental Health True or False

  Here are some mental health statements. Are they true or false? The answers are below.

#1. OCD is an anxiety disorder.

#2. People with bipolar disorder have psychosis.

#3. Bipolar disorder in children is the same as bipolar disorder in adults.

#4. Lithium is the only true mood stabilizer.  

Answers:

#1  True! There are seven types of anxiety disorders, general anxiety disorder, social phobias, specific phobias, agoraphobia, PTSD and OCD

#2. Absolutely true.  When my partner Ivan was in the hospital for three months- he was manic and very psychotic. This is normal with a full blown bipolar I manic episode. The psychosis is treated with antipsychotics such as Abilify, Seroquel, Risperdal and Zyprexa.  I write about Ivan in my book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder.

#3. False! The childhood bipolar disorder diagnosis is very controversial. In fact, in the last ten years the childhood bipolar disorder diagnosis [ Read More ]





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