How to Stick to Treatment

One of the biggest problems with trerating bipolar disorder is that about 50% of patients don't stick to the treatment. This includes patients who stop taking their medication, don't take their medication properly, stop going to therapy or stop doing things that make you feel better. Whats important is that you stick to treatment and one way of doing that is by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of treatment.

Go here for an example of how to look at the advantages and disadvantages of treatment:

www.depressiondodging.com/depressioncuressttp.html

Hope you're feeling well

Dealing with Irritability with CBT

Hey everyone, been getting a lot better at dealing with irritability lately. I think most of you would agree that it isn't fun (for you or people around you) to be irritable. I've recently learned a lot about cognitive behavioral therapy and I think that you could easily learn to do the therapy on yourself.

Here is a page I added to the website that teaches you how to change your irritable thoughts and behaviors to more useful thoughts and behaviors:

www.depressiondodging.com/treatingbipolardisorderwithcbt.html

Hope you're feeling calm

Its Good To Have Dreams If...

1. You don't get too down when things don't work out and

2. You don't drop everything to pursue them

I've always had this tendency to drop everything and reach for the stars. The difference now that i've lived with bipolar disorder for a couple of years and am more experienced dealing with my manic thoughts is that i'm more careful. I realize that some of my ideas are unrealistic and that i'm not likely to succeed, but i still really enjoy pursuing them. This time i'm not gonna drop everything, destroy what i've built and start over. I'm gonna pursue my dream on the side as a hobby while still working on my websites and blogs. I'm not gonna put all my eggs in one basket like I used to.

Right now I just really wanna see how hard i can throw a baseball. Baseball is always on tv these days and watching it just makes me wanna go out and play. So when its nice out i'm gonna be going outside and throwing at the park beside my house. I'm gonna be doing pitcher specific workouts and eating super healthy so I can get stronger and my body can recover faster. Its never a bad idea to get outside and its never a bad idea to workout so now i have a reason to.

Hope you're feeling well

http://www.depressiondodging.com/

Being More Present Can Make U More Calm, Confident and Happier

I've been working on being more present for the last week. I learned about presence from Travis Decker and Bryan Bayer of the Authentic Man Program. There is a similar program for woman called The Authentic Woman Experience. My social interactions have been a lot more interesting anf fulfilling lately. I've felt more calm and confident in public and in social situations. SO what is presence you ask?

Being present is basically being aware of what is going on around you and the feelings in your body. Its the opposite of being "in your head". For example, if you're speaking to someone your attention is on them, how they make you feel, how they're feeling, what they're saying, how they look, the environment around you, etc. Your attention is not on worrying about what they think of you, or worrying about what to say next, or worrying about screwing up, etc.

When you're present you're in the moment. You're not thinking about your past or worrying about the future. Youre bringing yourself fully to every interaction, every decision and every situation. You're honest with yourself and others about what you want and who you are.

Being more present will improve your mood, make you feel more relaxed and allow you to enjoy the little things in life more. The Authentic Man Program and The Authentic Woman Experience are designed to help you with dating and relationships, but they can improve all aspects of your life. You can find links to these programs here:

www.depressiondodging.com/curesfordepressionloveandsex.html

Hope you're feeling well

http://www.depressiondodging.com/

Diet Plays a Role in Bipolar Disorder

New research suggests that sugar, caffeine and poor diet can increase the mood swings in bipolar disorder. A good balances diet, taking vitamins (omega-3s, magnesium, vitamin B) and reducing caffeine and sugar intake helps to reduce the frequency and intensity of mood swings. Doctors usually just suggest medication and therapy without inquiring about diet, but you can help yourself by eating better.

Some good foods to eat are fish, chick, beans, nuts ,eggs, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

You can learn more about vitamins for depression here:

www.depressiondodging.com/vitaminsfordepression.html

You can read the original article here:

www.medicalnews.com/articles/224447.php

Hope you're feeling well

http://www.depressiondodging.com/

Learning to Identify Your Manic Thoughts

I think that you can learn to identify your manic thoughts through experience. I hear about a lot of young people with bipolar disorder who don't want to take their medication and are self-destructive, but many of the older people i've met with the illness have settled down to a decent job and a normal life. I think they've learned to identify their manic thoughts and have more reasonable expectations in life. For me, my manic thoughts often tell me to go off my medication and pursue really far-fetched dreams. I am now learning to recognize these thoughts as unrealistic and staying on my current path. My manic thoughts will tell me to drop everything i'm doing and pursue rock stardom, or artistic fame, or poker stardon and other things. For example, I was watching a UFC fight last night with some friends and I started thinking to myself how i should stop taking my medication and train to be a fighter. I was seriously wanted to do it, but then I caught myself. An inner voice said, "thats nuts, just stay on your meds and keep doing what you're doing, which is trying to help people." I don't even know how to fight at all. I often get "inspired" in these kinds of ways, but now I see these thoughts for what they are, mania; a symptom of a disease. Its good to have dreams, but its important that these dreams are reasonable. I still want to pursue art and music, but these are things i can do in my spare time. I'm spending most of time right now trying to help people with mood disorders and anxiety and i think that i'm finally satisfied with that. I'm tired of chasing my manic dreams and only ending up disappointed, frustrated and exhausted.

Hope you're feeling well

http://www.depressiondodging.com/