Julie A. Fast's Blog, page 9

How are Your Bipolar Disorder Symptoms During the Coronavirus?

Please hear me now. This is a public service announcement! Mania cannot be easily managed once it has started.

Mania has to be managed before it starts.

The first signs of mania are when we have to control mania.

If we wait until someone is too sick and starts to ignore coronavirus social distancing suggestions, we have waited too long.

Check for mania in yourself and others NOW.

Let’s prevent mania from taking over during the coronavirus.

End of my announcement.

Julie

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Published on April 07, 2020 17:18

Bipolar? Super Strategies for Super Anxiety

Originally published on the Bp Magazine website.
Feeling Anxiety vs. Feeling Safe

I often get so anxious I feel I can’t go on. I want to do a project like answering email or making a call to a friend, but the minute I even approach the apparatus such as a phone or a computer, I feel a terrible physical reaction in my body that causes me to stop before I even get started.

This is the very definition of anxiety—a FEELING that you can’t do what you want to do. So, you simply stop in place and go back to what feels safe and more peaceful.

Inevitably, what feels safe and peaceful is something like a substance such as sugar, weed, or alcohol; a bad relationship; video games; or the internet. I know, you would never think that a bad relationship would be a choice over anxiety, but that’s how bad anxiety feels!

Anxiety in Turbulent Times

Current world situations now require us to be in our own company a lot more than we might like. This can bring up enormous anxiety that then leads to even more anxiety-avoiding behaviors.

Behavior created by the anxious brain is complex—quite separate from what we know is good for us. If you’re like me and you’re tired of living a life controlled by an unseen anxiety brain wave, let’s work together to get on with life while we have time to focus on our health.

Learning to Manage a New Symptom of Bipolar

I spent 30 years learning to live with my relentless depression. So far, it’s working, and although I still experience a lot of depression, it rarely brings me to my knees. I am now teaching myself to do the same with this rotten anxiety.

As I’ve gotten older and my brain has gone through more traumatic events (such as a serious biking accident in 2012 that resulted in a head injury), I found that my anxiety increased right when I was finally having relief from my lifelong depression.

It is my goal to use the strategies I created to manage mania and depression to help manage my current anxiety. Here are my ideas:

#1 Anxiety Is Real

I taught myself to work when I was depressed. I often cried while working, the depression was so awful, but I still managed to write books and get on with life. It has not been the same with anxiety. I find anxiety FAR more physical in terms of the symptoms.

Depression makes me feel two different ways—either I feel like I’m completely numb inside and catatonic, or I’m agitated and irritated. But anxiety? It’s simply worse.

It’s imperative to accept that anxiety is serious and terrible, and it CAN prevent us from working. We are not weak, lazy, or incapable of getting things done. Our brain is out to get us, and we have to find a path around the brain that doesn’t want us to work. Now, it’s time for me to teach myself to work through and around this anxiety.

#2 Work through the Pain

I once had a physical therapist tell me that when you have a chronic injury, working through pain—as long as you’re not injuring yourself more—is the only way to get better. This is a rough situation because the pain is scary, and it feels like you’re doing more harm than good; but if you don’t try to work through the pain, you will never get better. It’s the same with anxiety.

It’s often the moving toward something that feels too painful too bear. Thus, we stop before even opening a project or completing a task. It’s like an anxiety hornets’ nest opens up in front of you, and you have to step into it in order to get work done. It’s that painful. With anxiety, the hornets’ nest is metaphysical. It feels mighty real, but we know it’s not.

Feeling the pain of anxiety has to be the first step. To walk into the fire and at least try the project to see what happens. It’s always painful, but it’s the way to get work done.

Feel the pain and walk into it, and get a project done. It’s how I’ve written articles for the past few years. I now need to use this process in order to write a new book. The anxiety has kept me from big projects for a few years, and I’ve worked hard to get this new project ready. So, if you read this one day, and I have a new book out, then you will know the process is working. Just like you, I have to change and try new things to make it through this life with the brain I have.

#3 Get Help

This is especially true for men. Anxiety is not very fun, is it! To feel fear when approaching a project makes one feel weak and ineffectual. I have cried many times from the pain and fear that comes up when the anxiety rises up to my neck. And I have asked for help from health-care professionals and from friends and family. Turn to those around you for support. It’s not a sign of weakness but of strength.

It’s a daily process. Medications can help, but as with most chronic brain chaos, it’s often up to us to figure out what works and what doesn’t. I get help from my own books and the advice of others.

It’s My Decision

We didn’t win the brain lottery. We didn’t get the easy path. I want to live a long life that is easier as I get older. The only way to accomplish this is to grow and change as new symptoms show up. I never thought I would have to deal with this much anxiety, but here it is.

I had moderate anxiety since age 19, and now have had to live with serious anxiety since age 48. That is my life. I know that anxiety is a feeling in my body and not a reality in the physical world.

What I do with my life is up to me. I want peace. I want to write more books, and I want to end this anxiety. I am a work in progress. Join me!

Julie

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Published on April 07, 2020 16:46

Why I Respect the Bipolar!

Are you heading for a #bipolar break down? If you can tell your car’s breaking down, you don’t purposefully take it on the freeway and wait until it really doesn’t go any more.

It’s the same with your bipolar brain.

If you’re breaking down… Get help now. There is no need to wait until it’s so bad you can no longer take care of yourself.

ASK NOW.

Examine triggers and remove what you can. Open up Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and read the triggers chapter. This will remind you that it’s simply an illness.

A full breakdown will result in losing a LOT. Stopping in the middle of a break down and asking for help will SALVAGE a lot.

You have a choice. I have a choice. My health comes first.

Our health comes first. Bipolar is an illness.

Respect the bipolar or it will kick your

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Published on March 11, 2020 11:40

My Partner has Bipolar and is Angry!

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Published on February 04, 2020 11:55

What is the Difference between Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Depression?

There is a very big difference between #depression and #bipolar depression. They are not the same illness. Depression, also called unipolar depression can be treated with anti depressants, amino acids, serotonin supplements, light boxes and more.

Bipolar depression is chemically different as it is always intertwined with mania. There is no bipolar depression that doesn’t contain the risk of mania. For this reason, any drug, supplement or behavior that can lead to mania is either too stimulating or has to be used with great caution.

If you have bipolar disorder and have agitated depression or have trouble sleeping, please note that the following substances or behaviors need to be examined if stability is the goal:

1. Use of SSRI or SNRI anti depressants.
2. Use of ADD medications.
3. THC in cannabis.
4. Light boxes.
5. 5HTP or any serotonin boosting herb or supplement.
6. Amino acid therapy.
7. EMDR
8. Neurofeedback.

There is nothing wrong with anything on this list! The problem is that everything on this list can cause mania.
Health care professionals should know this, but many do not. You are the detective. You are the person with the illness. If you need to educate your doctor, do so.

Click here to read my article from Health Central:

What is the Difference Between Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Depression?

Julie

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Published on February 02, 2020 08:53

Cannabis and Bipolar Disorder Class: A Balanced Perspective

Please join me for a Portland, Oregon class for parents and partners on the topic of cannabis marijuana and bipolar disorder.

I offer a balanced perspective and teach what a parent or partner needs to know in order to have an honest and heartfelt conversation about marijuana use and bipolar disorder.

The class is offered through my Portland, Oregon Meetup Group: Bipolar Info Group for Parents and Partners.

This class is for parents and partners only, but a future class will be available for for entire families and couples.

Class size is limited due to room size. The class will sell out, so please do sign up early to get a seat! All of my classes are held in SE Portland.

Please visit the Meetup Group page to register for the class.

My classes are lively and honest. I am not against cannabis. I would absolutely use it myself if it were safe for the bipolar brain. This is a class that provides information, research, personal stories and a communication system that allows for balanced conversations.

Julie

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Published on February 01, 2020 17:39