Bipolar Blog

Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder or have been dealing with it for a long time, it’s likely that nobody has taken the time to sit you down and explain what you can and should be doing to help yourself. We’ve put together this Top 10 list to bring you up to speed on bipolar self-help strategies that really work: (more…)

In Part I of this series, I highlighted the challenge of returning to work with bipolar disorder and provided some practical advice on how to smooth the transition back to work after experiencing a major mood episode. In this second part of the series, I provide some more in-depth information and recommendations on obtaining additional assistance with your back-to-work efforts:

• Bipolar can get worse or better: Don’t add even more stress to your situation by assuming that your condition is progressive and will get worse—this isn’t universally the case. With the right treatment and some good fortune, situations can and often do improve.
• Brains change: We sometimes have the idea that adult brains have stopped developing and changing—but that is not true. The brain changes throughout life—with or without Bipolar Disorder. But this of course means that medication needs and symptoms can all change over time as well.
• Stay in touch with your doctor: Returning to work can expose you to additional stressors and triggers, which can lead to more frequent or severe episodes, but medication can make a big difference. During the transition, your doctor may need to monitor the situation more closely and be prepared to make necessary adjustments to your meds. If the doc isn’t willing to consider changes, consider getting another opinion.
• Stay in touch with your therapist: If you have a therapist on your treatment team, he or she will be an important resource for you right now. Digging through the problems that are going on related to work and generating some solutions to those problems—running the gamut from things you can change to changing work situations and if so to what kind of alternative work—is an important part of the ongoing management of bipolar disorder.
• Consult a vocational therapist: Even if you already have a general therapist working for you, consult a vocational therapist who specializes in helping people deal with work-related issues and accommodations. Most states have some form of vocational training and rehabilitation services. You may need to be receiving services from your state Department of Mental Health or through Social Security Disability to qualify. Disability income, health care, and other supports should be available to people with mental illness in all states, but it is managed differently in different places.If you prefer private resources, you could consider working with a private vocational counselor. Vocational counselors may be accessible through a local or community college.

Tip: As an added bonus, obtaining vocational therapy can actually make it easier to obtain disability benefits later if you are unable to work. It proves that “you’ve tried everything,” and may even provide you with an additional advocate (your vocational therapist) who can testify that yes, you have tried everything.

• Get more help from NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness is an advocacy organization and they may have a local chapter in your area; you can search for local chapters at State/Local NAMI. Connecting with people there may help you to access services in your local area.

Remember to try to tackle this in small pieces—one task at a time—it won’t all get fixed at once—but as long as you are talking to people and reaching out you are still in the game.

This is the first part of a two- or perhaps three-part series on how to smooth the transition back to work after a severe mood episode.

Many people with bipolar disorder are able to successfully return to work once they’re on an effective treatment regimen, which typically includes one or more medications. In Bipolar Disorder For Dummies, however, we recommend that you avoid stressors and mood triggers – and returning to work, especially a demanding job, can be loaded with stressors and triggers. In this article, we offer some suggestions on how to ease the transition back to work. (more…)

In the previous post entitled “Is Your Current Bipolar Medication/Therapy Working?” we recommended filling out a form prior to your doctor’s visit to provide detailed information on the effectiveness and possible side effects of your current treatment plan. I think this form is a great tool, and I would love to have patients bring me something this detailed, but if the form seems a little overwhelming, you may prefer a simpler approach - keeping a daily mood calendar. (more…)

Whenever you have a change in medications or therapies, your moods will improve, worsen, or stay about the same. Documenting how you feel can be a valuable tool in helping you team up with your doctor and therapist to obtain the right combination of medications and therapy. Use the following form to record the most recent change in your treatment plan and in how you feel since the change. (Or download the form as a Word Document.) (more…)

More and more people seem to be keeping journals or diaries these days. In Bipolar Disorder For Dummies and in the post “Journaling Your Bipolar Journey,” we recommend keeping a journal to record medication changes, mood ratings, and so on. If you keep a journal, please share your insights about it with others by answering the following questions:

1. What do you typically log in your journal?
2. How often do you write in your journal?
3. How often do you look back at what you have written?
4. How has your journal helped you manage your bipolar disorder?

Please feel free to add any additional insights or comments about topics that these questions do not address.

One of the things I regret most about how Cecie and I have managed her treatment is that neither of us has created a journal of it. I’m not talking about journaling our experience with bipolar disorder, although that would be valuable, as well. I’m talking about keeping a treatment journal that would track moods and other details, such as the following: (more…)