Woke up Depressed- Still Went to Work

I’ve been stable for a week. This is a miracle for me as I usually have a mood swing every day.

My mind kept saying, “You will never get depressed again Julie! It’s gone forever!”

Almost 30 years of depression and my mind still doesn’t get it!  I am open to being well forever. It’s always my goal- but so far, the depression always comes back.

I was ready for it in my mind, but when it starts I’m always so mad, mad, MAD!

The past week has been so wonderful. It wasn’t mania and my mind wasn’t mean to me. I worked as much as I could. I truly like my work, especially the family and partner coaching. It has meaning for me.

But this morning  the big D was  back full force. I woke up at 4:00 AM and it started.

“What is the point of getting up Julie? Every day is the [ Read More ]





Posted on May 20th, 2011 | Tags: , , , | Category: Depression

Focus, Focus, Focus!

I’m adding a new chapter to my book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder. The chapter is on medications and the draft needs to be to my coauthor Dr. John Preston on Monday. I have a DRAFT….. and here I am at a coffee shop working with my friend Avi and guess what I just did for 30 minutes?

Email

Messed around with some Internet blogs (American Idol!)

Opened the files I need to work on and wrote a few sentences.

And then I caught myself- this is no way to work and this is not how I can work if I want to be successful. I know better.  So, the internet goes off. I simply turn off the wireless. All extraneous material I have around me goes in my bag. My files are open, my pens are ready and I am going to keep saying my favorite work mantra  from Get it Done When You’re [ Read More ]





Posted on January 22nd, 2011 | Tags: , , | Category: Uncategorized

Depression in the Workplace: Call for submissions from Esperanza Magazine

I write a column for BP Magazine (Bipolar Magazine). I love this work and love the magazine. If you don’t have a subscription, it’s so worth it for those with bipolar, family members, partners and health care professionals. And of course you can read my column!

BP Magazine has a sister magazine that focuses on Depression. It also is a superb magazine that talks with many high profile people about depression and how it affects their lives as well as those who face depression daily while not in the spotlight. Esperanza is asking for your ideas on how you deal with depression in the workplace. All of us with bipolar illness have plenty of depression, so I know that your ideas will be valuable. Here is the link for the submission:

Esperanza Magazine Survey

I know your [ Read More ]





Bipolar Brain shut down…

When I get overwhelmed I can actually feel my brain shut down.  It just seems to stop. I can intellectually know what I have to do. I can even write it on a list, but when it feels like too much, my engine stops running.  You’ve probably experienced this!

I am taking care of this in the following ways:

- I have a coach who sits with me to make sure I do my work in a timely manner. Yes, this may sound odd to many, but without this, I can spin in circles all day.

- When I’m depressed, I set up appointments to meet friends in the afternoon and then go there early and do my work. If I am going to Starbucks at three and I get there at one with my computer,  I will work.

- I meet a friend and we work together on our computers. 

I write about all [ Read More ]





bipolar disorder and work/school: reader comment

Hi, I’m having a tough day depression wise- then I read this comment from Gerry in Australia. It was so positive I wanted to put it here:

Comment:

 

G’Day all I am new to the blog, but would like to say something positive on this issue which I hope will encourage everyone else with bipolar. I’m lucky because I don’t suffer from some of the worst symptoms of bipolar & also was rather old when I had my first psychotic episode. So before that I managed to get a BA with Honours & a Phd. Now I am a full time academic in Politics. It was only after working full time for 7 years that I discovered that I had bipolar. It does impact on my work sometimes, but my Dept. has been very good about making some [ Read More ]





Bipolar Disorder and College

I recently had an email asking if a person with bipolar disorder can finish college.

Well, sure they can! But….

There is always a but…

College is the same thing as work. It’s a stimulating environment with a lot of people and a lot of pressure. Bipolar disorder doesn’t like this. It took me eight years to finish college. I didn’t have a treatment plan then. In fact, I didn’t know I had bipolar disorder.

As with any stressful situation, the solution is planning. You will need a treatment plan before college starts.

I write about this in my Get it Done When You’re Depressed book- there is one specific strategy on getting through college. The whole book talks about making it through tough situations.

I have to be honest and say I can’t go to school full time. It’s too stressful for me- but I can go part time! Many friends of mine with [ Read More ]





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