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LINKS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYIN THE DEPRESSION TOOL KIT contents/disclaimer Sometimes a friend will put you in a position where you're responsible to say something. They may take offense and make you feel bad or guilty. But here's another way to look at it. If they were behaving as a friend they would not have put you in that position to start with. Having put you there they would have understood why you had to do what you had to. Be responsible and caring and don't let anyone guilt you for doing what is right. Being bipolar doesn't mean that you are automatically to blame. Just like anyone, sometimes you're right and sometimes you're not. The trouble with bipolar disorder is the extremes of thought and emotion that can mess with your logic. You've probably done many things that in the moment made absolute sense to you. A day, a week or a month later you were embarrassed and mortified. Don't mistake that phenomenon as a definition of your thinking when you are not symptomatic. Learn to differentiate during well periods when you can. When you can't, forgive yourself in the aftermath and make amends as reasonably possible. previous next contents top We can become so preoccupied with what we don't have that we fail to appreciate what we do have.
Want and reality are not the same thing. Reality is seldom a dream that magically comes true. Rather it's the product of a long concerted effort with guided steps. With God all things are possible yet He still expects our responsible contribution. A hard truth is that some things are just not meant for us regardless of what we want, Dream big but dream realistically, work hard, and believe God previous next contents top Bipolars live in a world of extremes. Mania is not the same as becoming well. It's merely being sick in the opposite direction. In fact, many bipolars get in more trouble due to mania than depression. Wellness lives somewhere between the extremes. previous next contents top Self medication is seldom a good idea. Generally the substances used are either alcohol or some type of street drug. The initial effect may be to relieve symptoms but just like everything we put in our bodies there are side effects. The side effects can run much longer and tend to compound rather than improve the situation. Beyond this are also the risks of dosage control, clean and regulated preparation, addiction, crime and so on. None of these will improve life. Even with responsibly regulated and manufactured medicines it's important to considers the benefits verses the side effects but self medication can be really risky business. previous next contents top Your hiding in the shadows because you think, no one understands this. No one gets it. Some will be kind and some will accept. But a lot just won't get it. Christians aren't supposed to suffer from things like depression or bipolar disorder... are they? Here's the good news. There's a thousand more just like you. Where are they... Hiding in the shadows previous next contents top
These medicines have yielded the most results for me in the battle: faith in Jesus Christ, the ability to surrender a battle when necessary without quitting the war, the will to survive, pure tenacity. This in no wise means stop taking your other meds but you may want to add these to the line up. previous next contents top When you've been bipolar for most of your life, even if only diagnosed in midlife, it can sometimes be hard to know what's “normal” and what's symptomatic. This is further complicated by the fact that some of what goes on in your mind is a normal emotional reaction to the trauma induced by bipolar incidents and not a direct symptom of the disease itself. You move deeper into self because you know you sometimes make people uncomfortable and you just don't know how to be around them. Combined with other life events the diagnosis now may include social phobia. You always feel present but not a part so now you have dissociative traits. The heights you accomplish in mania so often culminate in crash and burn that leaves you always feeling a loss of people, things, accomplishment and even just the “normal” daily functioning you see others achieve. So now they say you have dysthymia (low level chronic depression), There are no magic answers. There is only waking up and facing the day challenging the status quo, the attacks of the mind and the diagnosis. Above all else know this: In Christ all things are possible. previous next contents top No one is without significance. Stuff happens and can drastically change your life situation to something unimaginable or at least something you would never have chosen. The trick is the ability to redefine. Your circumstance had changed. That's different from becoming insignificant. How you create life around your new circumstance is what renews your purpose. previous next contents top Inactivity is a symptom of depression. Once it takes hold it will also perpetuate depression. Do something even though you don't feel like it. Scheduled activities especially with another person will help make you more accountable and thus more apt to follow through. previous next contents top Irrational rage can be a challenge especially for bipolars. Even if spawned from a reasonable trigger it may rant beyond reason and present to the point of incoherence. Once the beast is out it can inflict horrible damage even without physical violence. The difficulty is in determining at what point the beast is emerging with your permission and when he has taken control. A locked gate is more difficult to breach than a gate left ajar. Hold yourself accountable to the utmost degree that you can. The inch you allow without exercising reasonable management may result in disaster. previous next contents top
Preference and opinion are not the same as right and wrong. They are simply equations by which each individual tries to make their world add up. Trying to fix everyone else's arithmetic is a losing battle and only adds up to more distress for you. Making sure your own 2 + 2 = 4 is more profitable. Better still, make sure your algebra = (u * G) where G = God. previous next contents top
Just tag the word “natural” to it and we assume its safe and wonderful to use. Many natural supplements and remedies are not safe and some can undermine the efficacy of our medications. Everything we consume has potential side effects. Even food. Beans are very good for you but can cause bellyache and... well, you know. Many plants can cause illness and even death. Be just as careful with “natural” as well as synthetic compounds. previous next contents top
The world has to revolve around something, right? Why not me? Reality check. We all have personal issues that seem devastatingly important to us. We just don't get it when others are not equally impacted. What ever your personal issue the world goes on and should go on. It moves on a plane that might fly right over your issue and never even see it. It's not lack of caring. It's a necessity of existence. If everyone bore the same impact as everyone else over everyone's personal issue everything would just plain shut down and cease to function. Don't you want the real world to still be there when you're ready to engage it? previous next contents top
Do what you have to do when you have to do it. It becomes easy to procrastinate or become indecisive when you're depressed. Next thing you know, that little thing that needed doing has become a big thing. As well as that it has multiplied into many things that now need attention. What was once a grain of sand is now a sandstorm in the desert and seems insurmountable. Everywhere you look is something undone to create stress or discouragement. Better to put it to rest when it's still a small thing. previous next contents top
Do you know someone with depression? Don't try to fix them. You don't have that power. Give them a hug and pray for them. They don't really expect you to have the answers, They just want you to care. previous next contents top
Short of glory the are no perfect choices, circumstances or outcomes. You can burn yourself out second guessing. There are good choices, bad choices and better choices. Weigh the options with reasonable care, choose one that seems best and follow through. Settling on an option relieves much stress and improves wellness.
When you have nothing to say, say nothing. Let your yea be yea and your nae be nae. You are not responsible to have an opinion, explanation or solution for everything. Hold your peace until you have something real to contribute. When you go out on a limb it just may break and you have taken a fall for nothing. previous next contents top Bipolars can come to fear and distrust their emotions. For them sadness becomes inconsolable, and anger exponential. As such they may begin to dam up their feelings. When the dam breaks it's easy to flood incoherently and uncontrollably. This can lead to prolonged episodes of depression and isolation which then becomes a vicious circle. Wellness is a prize that must be won every day. previous next contents top
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