Ten Mistakes People Who Have Bipolar Disorder MakeWritten by David Oliver
Since I started working on bipolar education, I've had thousands of people subscribe to my mailing list, I've received at least 1000 questions and comments about disorder, I've spoken to hundreds of people over phone, and I've attended dozens of meetings about bipolar. As a result of all that communication, I've been able to come up with a list of ten biggest mistakes that people with bipolar disorder make.Keep in mind that following list is not in any particular order. 1. They don't realize importance of money. Money makes world go around, especially if you have bipolar disorder. The less money you have, more limited your options are when it comes to doctors, treatments, hospitals, etc. Unfortunately, most people with bipolar disorder don't realize that they need to watch their money carefully and plan for future. They have to take steps to protect their finances during an episode and to not get cheated by erroneous medical bills. 2. They don't take their medicine properly. Some people with bipolar disorder don't take their medications regularly, so they are usually in and out of episodes. Other people actually go off their medicine to make sure it was working or to determine if they are really bipolar. Both of these are huge mistakes. You should always take your medicine as doctor directs. If there are problems with medicine or you're having side effects, then talk to your doctor. 3. They don't use free resources available. There are tons of FREE resources available that will help you manage your illness and become more stable, but very few people with bipolar disorder actually use them. You can contact mental health organizations in your area to find out what's available, then make use of them. 4. They don't accept help. Individuals with bipolar disorder are often very stubborn when it comes to accepting help, even from their friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, disorder simply can't be managed without outside assistance. Every bipolar person needs at least one individual they can trust to protect their interests and look out for them during an episode.
| | Are You Gambling With Your Life By Self Medicating?Written by David Oliver
Many people self-medicate because they feel they can't afford medications that are commonly used to treat bipolar disorder; however, in nearly all cases there is aid available to those with mental illness who need reduced price or free medications.Others who are bipolar may self-medicate after years of medical care because of frustration stemming from need to periodically readjust medications - they may feel that since doctors can't seem to get it right, they can probably "experiment" with it just as well themselves. This is extremely dangerous, though, because even small changes in drugs like Lithium and other drugs can lead to serious episodes or worse. With Lithium, small changes in dosage can lead to hallucinations, severe illness and even death. For this reason Lithium use should always be carefully monitored by a doctor with regular blood tests. If you self medicate incorrectly, you risk your life and you risk your health. Others "self medicate" by using alcohol or drugs as a way to temporarily relieve their symptoms when they are in grips of an episode of either mania or depression. Both of these are common responses that can have dangerous or fatal results. When using drugs or alcohol while suffering a manic or depressive episode, you may temporarily feel better or at least feel like you are "numbing" yourself, but this is only an illusion. In reality you are blurring your sense of reality even further and inhibiting your ability to react properly to world around even more. Your judgment is severely damaged. Combine this with lack of common sense found in mania or sorrow and lack of self-preservation found in depression and you have a recipe for disaster. In fact, many people who have bipolar disorder aren't diagnosed for years because they are too busy self-medicating with alcohol or drugs and don't seek medical advice. In meantime, since they aren't being properly regulated, their manic phases aren't being controlled. They are medicating themselves with booze and pills and still going into episodes of wild spending, promiscuous sexual activity and bizarre, risky behavior. They may lose spouses, friends, jobs and their life savings.
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