We have three cats. Since our dog passed away several years ago, I’ve been the one holdout in the family in our decision to get another dog. I like the freedom of being able to take off for a couple days without having to figure out “what to do about the dog.” Besides, bringing a clueless dog into a house with three crafty, conceited cats seems to me to be borderline animal cruelty.

Nobody can tell you whether you will be able to return to work. The answer hinges on several variables, including the severity of the illness, the effectiveness of the treatment you receive, how much support you have at work and home, the stress level (and your capacity for handling it), and how eager you are to return to work.

Robert Asks…

Do you think a combination of different herbs can cure any form of bipolar disorder and if so what are those herbs?

Dr. Fink Answers…

In Chapter 9 of Bipolar Disorder For Dummies, we discuss a host of alternative treatments for bipolar disorder, including ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), light therapy, vitamins & minerals, and herbs, used alone and in conjunction with traditional forms of medicines and therapies. For example, some people claim that St. John’s Wort is useful for treating the depressive pole in bipolar disorder. (Of course, unfortunately, like most other antidepressants, St. John’s Wort also increases the risk of triggering mania, especially in someone who has bipolar disorder.)

As many people have discovered, regulating sleep is often one of the best ways to regulate mood. Unfortunately, maintaining a regular sleep schedule is not always as easy as it sounds, especially if your neighbors, your family or roommates, your schedule, your lifestyle, or your sleeping arrangements do not cooperate.

You may be able to short-circuit a developing mood episode through early intervention, but to do so, you must first be able to identify the early warning signs. In this post, I point out some common early warning signs of an oncoming bipolar mood episode (depression, mania, or mixed) and ask you to share your early warning signs.

In Part I of this series, I highlighted the challenge of returning to work with bipolar disorder and provided some practical advice on how to smooth the transition back to work after experiencing a major mood episode. In this second part of the series, I provide some more in-depth information and recommendations on obtaining additional assistance with your back-to-work efforts:

Many people with bipolar disorder are able to successfully return to work once they’re on an effective treatment regimen, which typically includes one or more medications. In Bipolar Disorder for Dummies, however, we recommend that you avoid mood stressors and triggers – and returning to work, especially a demanding job, can be loaded with stressors and triggers. In this two-part series on returning to work with bipolar disorder, we offer some suggestions on how to ease the transition back to work.

Among other things, your body is a chemical factory – breaking down everything you eat into a collection of chemicals and compounds and then reassembling them to build muscle, fuel growth and movement, heal damaged cells, fight infection, and much more. So it makes sense that whatever you consume is likely to influence how you feel – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Have the chef salad for lunch, you feel one way. Chow down on a Big Mac and fries, and you feel entirely different.

March is Dummies Month – a time when John Wiley & Sons Publishing ramps up promotional efforts for books in its Dummies series, and Dummies authors like us have the opportunity to do our small part to support our publisher’s efforts. Please join us in celebrating Dummies Month and saving a few bucks on your purchase of Bipolar Disorder For Dummies.

Times are tough, and if you’re uninsured with bipolar disorder, finding and paying for treatment and medication can seem like an insurmountable challenge. In Bipolar Disorder for Dummies, we offer some suggestions on how to access more affordable mental healthcare assistance, including seeking treatment at community or county mental health clinics or University medical centers. Other community resources such as churches, religious organizations, or support groups such as NAMI and DBSA can help you locate affordable care. Following are some suggestions on where to turn for help when you can’t afford your prescription medications: