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:

Getting jacked up on coffee, tea, or soda can be a thrill. The chemical reactions pump you up and make you feel a little less groggy in the morning and after lunch, and the drinks taste yummy, too. For an added boost, you can light up a cigarette. Unfortunately, these stimulants can bump up your heart rate and blood pressure and accelerate both your brain and body. They can magnify mania, irritate a depressed brain, and join forces to undermine the efforts of your mood stabilizers. Because of this, if you have bipolar disorder, it’s a good idea to limit your exposure to these over-the-counter mood enhancers.

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog with a couple minor edits

Q: I am a job coach. I help get jobs for disabled people and help train them. I have had several clients who have bipolar disorder. They do not seem to be able to keep jobs no matter what field we put them in. Many of them are great workers but getting them to come on time (if at all) is a big deal. Is there a way to work with people who have bipolar that would make them more successful? It is frustrating to know that they can do the job and they love the job and the people they work with, but they cannot keep the job because of not showing up on time or not calling in when they’re going to miss work. Please let me know if you have any ideas that can help us help them.

In Bipolar Disorder for Dummies, we discourage anyone from attempting to self-diagnose or diagnose others suspected of having bipolar disorder and encourage you to obtain a diagnosis from a qualified doctor – preferably a psychiatrist who has some experience in diagnosing bipolar disorder and ruling out other conditions that could have similar symptoms.

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog with Some Minor Edits

Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder or have been dealing with it for a long time, it’s likely that nobody has taken the time to sit you down and explain what you can and should be doing to help yourself. We’ve put together this Top 10 list to bring you up to speed on bipolar self-help strategies that really work:

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog

In a previous post entitled “Is Your Current Bipolar Medication/Therapy Working?” we recommended filling out a form prior to your doctor’s visit to provide detailed information on the effectiveness and possible side effects of your current treatment plan. I think this form is a great tool, and I would love to have patients bring me something this detailed, but if the form seems a little overwhelming, you may prefer a simpler approach – keeping a daily mood calendar.

Dr. Fink and I co-host two blogs – Bipolar Beat (this blog), and our original Bipolar Blog. Although most content is shared between the blogs, we include some unique content on each. Bipolar Beat, for example, is the home of the biweekly series Bipolar Disorder Medication Spotlight.

One of the most popular areas on our Bipolar Blog is Share Your Bipolar Story, where we encourage visitors to post their stories and insights and read and comment on stories that others have posted. Currently, we have over 30 stories and look forward to hosting many more.

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog

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:

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog

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 stressors and mood triggers – and returning to work, especially a demanding job, can be loaded with stressors and triggers. In this post, we offer some suggestions on how to ease the transition back to work.

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog

Whenever you have a change in medications or therapies, your moods will improve, worsen, or stay about the same. Documenting how you feel can be a valuable tool in helping you team up with your doctor and therapist to obtain the right combination of medications and therapy. Use the following form to record the most recent change in your treatment plan and in how you feel since the change. (Or download the form as a Word Document.)