Living Bipolar Read Online Free PDF Page B

bad. Part of taking action in this area requires communicating with others where I’m at that day. This requires me being aware of my actions when I’m depressed, as so far, as to not step on the toes of the others around me or rub other people the wrong way. But it takes work, more work, action and more action.
    I have a mood disorder which affects my perception and I see things in black and white. I also minimize and maximize events in my life. Thus, clarity in my life is crucial when my thinking and perception is off. Bipolar people are blessed in so many ways. We really are. It’s important for me to focus on what I have in my life -- not what I do not have. The easy road in life is to point out every little detail which is lacking. The abundance in life comes from being thankful for all the gifts I already possess. No matter how bad things may get at times, I know if I just hang in there life will get better. And as soon as things get better I enjoy the good things life has to offer. Life is beautiful when I see life as beautiful.
    I have a strong faith in God, and deep down I believe He has been involved in my entire recovery process. Despite my strong faith there have been periods in my life where I have doubted and cursed God for my condition. I have questioned myself as to why God would create a person to have the illness. When I am in the hell of the illness it’s hard to accept God is there with me and it’s hard to accept that God will heal me. But my experience is God is there working in my recovery whether I choose to believe it or not.
    Today I have faith in the process, and I recognize God is in the process. God is G ood O rderly D irection. I trust and believe, that no matter what, things in my life will improve if I follow the direction of recovery as outlined in this book.
    My life today is good. I can live with the illness, and more importantly, I’m learning how to work with my illness. I have limitations and I accept that. Even though I have limitations I still have choices in my life. The fact is that even when I’m depressed, even when things are terrible -- I know I will get through it. That’s been my experience. Life still happens no matter what I do. The best thing I can do is learn to work with my illness and work with what hand life deals.
    It’s easy to fall into self-pity, and fall into the trap that I am all alone. But this is not factual. Everyone has good days. Everyone has bad days. Everyone feels happy and everyone feels sad. The bottom line is everyone feels and everyone has experiences just like me. Therefore, I am determined to overcome any mood, or set back I experience with the Bipolar illness.
    Today, I accept I have the choice to be active in my recovery, or to stand still, and not get better. Recovery for me is something I do every day, no matter what situation or mood I am in. In the past, I did not have any tools in dealing with the Bipolar illness, and consequently, my life was complete chaos. However, today I work on living one day at a time.
    Now you are given the same choice:
    To take an active role in your recovery and get better, or to continue the same old routine living in chaos.
    Which path will you take?
    This book is meant to be suggestive only. We are by no means the sole authority on how to recover with the Bipolar illness, yet we realize this book is an important first step.

Chapter 2
A Psychiatrist’s Opinion
    Interview with Psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Mavica
    Interview with Dr. Mavica
    What else can Bipolar people do to help themselves, aside from taking medication?
    There are a few things you can do. But we should probably start with psycho-education. Psycho-education would be knowing as much as you can about the disorder, and what that disorder is for you and for each individual. Now there are many manifestations of Bipolar disorder -- we’ve got the textbook diagnosis of Bipolar disorder, but there are many different colors of that depending on the