Julie A. Fast's Blog, page 59

Famous Pioneers with Bipolar Disorder. Thank you!

Buzz Aldrin, Jean Claude van Damme, Linda Hamilton, Carrie Fisher and Patty Duke. These mental health pioneers talked about their bipolar disorder before society even understood the term. We owe them many thanks!

Thank you pioneers!

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Published on May 03, 2013 00:17

Bipolar Depression Isn’t the Real You

Never forget that bipolar depression is an illness that clouds everything. Your goal is to find the real you and base your actions on that person, not what depression whispers in your ear.

Julie

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Published on May 01, 2013 00:45

Impromptu Friday Night Book Contest!

You Can Win a Book Tonight!

I just received this comment from Bonnie. She read the blog on Travel and Medications and wrote a long comment. When she posted the comment it disappeared!

Julie, Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long

comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all

that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say fantastic blog!

**

This inspired me to have a contest. I’m not at my best tonight- anxiety, etc- so offering some happiness to others is a good move!

My reply- and info on the contest:

HI Bonnie,

That is beyond frustrating. As a thank you for leaving a comment anyway, I would like to send you a book or spend some time with you on the phone to answer any questions you have. Just let me know which one you prefer.

I’ve put comments on blogs SO many times and then lost the text.

And, since I am offering this to you- I’m extending the book offer to the next FIVE people who read this comment and let me know what book you would like.

1. Get it Done When You’re Depressed- my favorite book of all time! This works for anxiety, ADD and general focus issues as well.

2. Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder- for partners only.

3. Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder- great for families and those with the illness.

I can be reached on my facebook page Julie A. Fast. I will create a post and you can leave your book choice in a comment. I will then contact you for your mailing information. You can also reach me with direct message on facebook.

If you don’t have a facebook page, just let me know and I will contact you through email. Julie

It’s 8PM PST in Portland, Oregon.

Let the contest begin! Julie

PS: I truly have lost so many comments in the past, I now copy after ever few sentences. Or I write it in word and then copy and paste! This is also a good way to check spelling.

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Published on April 26, 2013 20:07

What are the signs of bipolar disorder mania?

Yes, it’s soon to be summer and it’s mania season once again.

Summer mania is dangerous- it’s often missed- and lives can be changed forever if a person’s mania spirals out of control. I look at the dog in the picture and know that rush of speed and the wind in my hair! (Or fur!) That is mania for so many of us.

One strategy to prevent this mania is to know the signs of hypomania and start treatment at this level. Hypomania is subtle. It’s April. It’s a good time to have a plan ready for when the sun gets high in the sky.

Those of us with bipolar will NEVER want to tell someone we are hypomanic- we know they will do something to make us get help.

Who wants help when it feels so good? Come on man! Let us have some fun!

I had to teach myself to accept the signs of mania and then accept help when it was offered.

Here’s what I experienced during a recent euphoric manic episode:

Eveything looked good.
I loved talking.
I didn’t eat. (If only this would last forever!)
I wanted to drink- but this time I didn’t!
I was fine being alone.
Men looked really ‘hot.’
I felt totally confident about my looks.
All of the magazines in the grocery store just looked so interesting! So I bought four of them.

My mom saw some of this behaivor and asked if I was manic- I lied and said no, but she knew I was- and I knew I was!

But I didn’t want to tell her the truth. For those of you who care about someone with mania, it’s probably hard to understand how we could just bold face lie when confronted with our behavior. The truth is that it feels like the right thing to do. The mania lies to us and we lie to others in the same way!

It took me eight years to get good at catching my mania from the moment it starts. You can do it a lot sooner because you can learn from my mistakes! My strategies are in all of my bo0ks.

Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder is a good place for family, friends and partners to learn the very basics of mania.

If you go to the menu on the right and click on the mania tab- you can read all of my stories and tips. Don’t deny that you’re manic. Get help. It can spin out of control very quickly. And then it doesn’t feel as good.

Julie

PS: The best way to deal with mild mania is to make sure you go to sleep at the same time everynight- even when you don’t want to. You will probably need a sleep aid- but sleep is sleep. Take care of yourself!

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Published on April 26, 2013 00:01

Para la Prevencion de Suicidio

Tiene dificultades para lidiar con sus problemas?

Red Nacional Para la Prevencion de Suicidio

1-888-628-9454

www.SuicidePreventionLifeLine.org

Con la ayuda, llega la esperanza

Julie

Bipolar disorder doesn’t care what language you speak- but it helps to talk with someone who can really understand you when you speak! Julie

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Published on April 24, 2013 19:29

Thanks for your 200+ questions!

I recently asked the mailing list for questions they would like my mom to answer on my blog and Facebook page.

I received 200+ questions in less than 24 hours.

I’m not kidding. Wow.

There are many parents of children with bipolar disorder who need help and advice. I will go through all of the questions and answer them all!

julie

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Published on April 23, 2013 00:24

Bipolar Disorder: Tip for Family Members

1. Read, read, read: Knowledge about bipolar disorder is your number one tool.

Read the DSM-V- the diagnostic statistical manual and learn about bipolar disorder from a medical point of view. The entry on bipolar disorder is only about ten pages- but you can learn so much! All libraries have this book in their reference department. While you’re there, read about psychotic disorders as well. And if you’re really interested, read about personality disorders and anxiety disorders. People with bipolar disorder share symptoms with all of these disorders which is why it’s such a tough illness to treat. And of course, my books are a great read as well!

Julie

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Published on April 22, 2013 00:17

You don’t have to watch the news.

There is a lot of terrible stuff going on in the world.

I stopped watching the news years ago- and when I do have to see it, I’m amazed at how the main stories are the stories from all of those years ago!

It’s hard to ignore the news. We have been raised on it and for many people, world knowledge is an important sign of intelligence.

I am fine with not knowing what is going on in certain situations. I don’t mind appearing uninformed. Not at all. If I have a question, I ask a friend.

My stability is what matters. As a reader suggested during the Japanese tsunami, we don’t have to read about something, but we can donate to companies who can make a difference.

If the war in the Middle East is too stressful, you can turn off the news. Watching the news will not help the people. You can then give money or volunteer to help the cause. Watching is not always the answer.

If you are stressed by the world right now, it’s ok to take a break.

Julie

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Published on April 20, 2013 00:02

Bipolar Disorder and OCD Symptoms

Six characteristics of OCD

1. Overestimation of Risk- worry that things are much more dangerous than they are.

2. Excessive feelings of responsibility- worry you are responsible for something bad happening.

3. Controllability- feel out of control.

4. Over importance of thoughts-listen to anxious thoughts instead of seeing that they are a product of anxiety.

5. Intolerance of ambiguity- must know what is going on in order to stay calm.

6. Perfectionism- Everything has its place and must stay there.

People with bipolar disorder may share some of these characteristics. I certainly deal with 3, 4 and 5 regularly!

Do you have OCD symptoms during mood swings? Are they triggered by outside events?

Julie

PS: OCD is an anxiety disorder that stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The Obsessive part is the worry- did I turn off the stove, is she going to call, did I hit a man while driving, are things in order like they should be? These obsessions are so uncomfortable, a person creates a compulsion in order to calm the thoughts such as checking the stove, going back to the place you thought you hit a man, checking the phone every few seconds and putting things in order such as the crayons in the picture. OCD is treatable- mostly with behavioral therapy.

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Published on April 18, 2013 00:53

Newsletter: Bipolar Disorder and OCD symptoms

Six characteristics of OCD

1. Overestimation of Risk- worry that things are much more dangerous than they are.

2. Excessive feelings of responsibility- worry you are responsible for something bad happening.

3. Controllability- feel out of control.

4. Over importance of thoughts-listen to anxious thoughts instead of seeing that they are a product of anxiety.

5. Intolerance of ambiguity- must know what is going on in order to stay calm.

6. Perfectionism- Everything has its place and must stay there.

People with bipolar disorder may share some of these characteristics. I certainly deal with 3, 4 and 5 regularly!

Do you have OCD symptoms during mood swings? Are they triggered by outside events?

Julie

PS: OCD is an anxiety disorder that stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The Obsessive part is the worry- did I turn off the stove, is she going to call, did I hit a man while driving, are things in order like they should be? These obsessions are so uncomfortable, a person creates a compulsion in order to calm the thoughts such as checking the stove, going back to the place you thought you hit a man, checking the phone every few seconds and putting things in order such as the crayons in the picture. OCD is treatable- mostly with behavioral therapy.

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Published on April 18, 2013 00:53