Uncategorized « Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

Don’t Scratch that Manic Itch!

I long for mania. When the depression is raging, I have these thoughts:

I will take an SSRI anti depressant just a few times. It will get me out of this depression and at least I won’t feel dead all of the time! (Many doctors do this with depressed clients. It’s not safe. If your doc knows you have bipolar and is prescribing an SSRI anti depressant, please talk openly with this doctor about mania. SSRI anti depressants are NOT a treatment for bipolar depression.) There are plenty of substances that will pop me into mania. I will be careful. I will only use them until the depression is gone. Oh, I am finally feeling a bit of energy! I need to take advantage of it and get all [ Read More ]

Why is the statement “Bipolar Disorder has Two Mood Swings” important? Tips for Health Care Professionals from Julie A. Fast

Interested in #Bipolar treatment?

Here is some….. Help for Health Care Professionals who want to help those of us with bipolar. (And tips for anyone who wants to find stability after a bipolar diagnosis.)

Why is the statement “Bipolar Disorder has Two Mood Swings” important?

It is important for the following reasons:

1. Almost all treatment focuses on ending depression as this is the mood swing that people openly say they want to end. This creates an imbalance as incorrect depression treatment can lead to mania. All treatment for bipolar depression must keep mania in mind. There are two mood swings to bipolar disorder and they are connected. They are not separate.

2. Dysphoric mania, (when depression is combined with the energy of [ Read More ]

What is a Bipolar Mixed or Dysphoric Manic Episode?

Today was a typical #bipolar roller coaster. It started with a catatonic #depression this morning, lifted for a few hours and allowed me to work on an article without too much stress, moved into a simple depression and then started with a bit of #psychosis this afternoon. By 7 PM, I felt a mood boost that wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was creative. This is the mania coming into the mix. This is why what I’m experiencing is called a MIXED episode or dysphoric mania. It is energized depression that is very physically and mentally uncomfortable. I also live with psychosis and experienced olfactory delusions and hallucinations for a large part of the afternoon. This means that when I smell something unpleasant I am positive it comes from [ Read More ]

Help for Catatonic Depression: You can get things done!

Today is a cationic #depression day. I woke up with an inability to make decisions. Where should I work? Coffee shop? Hotel lobby? At home? What work do I need to do? These questions run through my head and I DON’T HAVE ANSWERS! Instead, my #bipolar brain just tells me that my decisions are always wrong and that nothing will work. I know how to Get It Done When I’m Depressed! Darn it!

I said to my mom,

“I can’t make a decision. Please decide where I should sit and work.”

She chose the hotel lobby at the Monaco in downtown Portland and here I am.

Working! From not moving to working. It won’t be an easy day, but it’s won’t be a lost day. If you [ Read More ]

Why We MUST Prepare for Bipolar Triggers

This is a post for family members and partners. People with bipolar can let me know what they think about it as well. A few weeks ago, I started to wind down a job I love – soccer marketing for local English pub. I kept the job for seven months and finally realized that if I wanted to get my next books written and edit my Health Cards and help people in mental health, I could NOT continue to do soccer marketing on the side. The work was very enjoyable. I LOVED my boss/partner. I did a fantastic job. The choice to leave the work was mutual and a good choice for my future. Please notice what I said. There was nothing negative about this [ Read More ]

What Does Bipolar Mania Sound Like?

Mania creates physical changes in the eyes and body, as seen in my manic photo shoot above. Looking for and writing down what we say is just as important if we want to manage these often out of control mood swings. What bipolar mania sounds like: “I’m cured! I finally feel like the real me! I’ve been living in a box all of my life and now the constraints are off and the chains of that depression are gone and I’m back! I’m alive and bursting with the real energy I knew was inside of me all along! Life is going to be so much better now! I knew that depression was not the real me. This is the real me! I just feel so fantastic! I can’t believe [ Read More ]