| When you suffer from a disease like Bipolar it's | | | | sign. UNLESS I'm taking a nap and then it doesn't |
| extremely important that you become intimately in tune | | | | count!5. Waking up more than once in the middle of the |
| with yourself. Not in sense that your favorite movie is | | | | night or waking up and not being able to get back to |
| "Steel Magnolias" or "Raging Bull" or that you love | | | | sleep so I get on the computer instead. Once is okay, |
| pizza and taking long walks on the beach. I mean in the | | | | twice is a phone call to my doctor!6. Not wanting to |
| sense that you know how your moods manifest in | | | | read bedtime stories to my son. This is a special time |
| your day-to-day life.Being bipolar and trying to remain a | | | | and if I'm not in the mood, then my mood is out of |
| contributing member of society is a difficult task. Many | | | | whack!Intermediate Warning Signs1. When I hear |
| wonderful, talented, bright people watch helplessly as | | | | people talking and assume it's about me and how fat, |
| their functionality escapes through their fingers like | | | | ugly, mean, stupid, etc. I am; then I'm on the way to the |
| grains of sand. And these are people who are on | | | | phone!2. Not wanting to shower at least every other |
| meds! Some even go to therapy, too! Sometimes, the | | | | day. Hey, I don't sweat and I just sit at the computer, |
| more we fight to hang on the quicker the ground gives | | | | so I don't think it hurts to skip a day here and there!3. |
| way beneath us.One tactic I attribute to remaining | | | | Staring out the window for 10-15 minutes at a time, yet |
| somewhat functional for the past 7 years is acute | | | | not seeing anything or even realizing that I'm doing it.4. |
| awareness of my early warning signs. It works just like | | | | Taking over the conversation no matter who I'm talking |
| the emergency broadcast system except without the | | | | to at that moment or even who they're talking to at |
| annoying beep! It gets tested regularly to make sure it's | | | | the moment.5. Wanting to go to the mall. Not actually |
| still relevant and it's there in case of an emergency. It | | | | going, just thinking about going is enough. Sounds silly |
| even has an emergency number to call...the one that | | | | doesn't it? For me it means I want to spend money |
| rings my psychiatrist.Now, when I say early warning | | | | and I don't have much disposable income. Plus, I'm not |
| signs, I mean EARLY! Not things like "I've been crying | | | | real fond of shopping. Even when I need something I |
| for days and don't know why" or "I went out and | | | | still don't like to go!Most of these things have to happen |
| spent $5000.00 on a new television but didn't pay the | | | | a few times over a period of a couple days to count |
| electric bill." Those are examples of symptoms of an | | | | as a true sign. Usually a couple will occur together and |
| ensuing episode. It may end up being minor, but it's | | | | then there is no doubt. As soon as I'm leery I call my |
| better to catch the signs long before this stage.The | | | | psychiatrist and he will adjust my dosage of medicines. |
| signs I'm talking about are infinitely subtler. They require | | | | Sometimes he will quiz me about my diet and fluid |
| a magnifying glass to properly identify. No one can tell | | | | intake as well and correct it if necessary. (He's smart |
| you for sure what yours are, but some close friends | | | | enough not to eliminate my chocolate though!) If I'm |
| or relatives may be able to point out some behavior | | | | getting into multiple intermediate signs then I will even |
| patterns that qualify. I also recognize more than just | | | | go in for a visit. My sanctity is worth it!I have a |
| the early signs. Intermediate signs can play an | | | | responsibility to myself to remain as healthy as |
| important roll if the early signs don't show themselves | | | | possible. It's hard to do if you don't know when you're |
| or get ignored.Here are some samples of my | | | | becoming unstable. And I can't wait until I'm into a |
| signs:Early Warnings1. I start to see shadows or | | | | full-blown episode because a darling angel depends on |
| movement out of the corner of my eye, but when I | | | | me. So I do it for him, too. But mostly I do it because I |
| turn and look there is nothing. I usually think I saw a bug | | | | like myself more when I can think rationally.So, let's do |
| or spider and I HATE bugs and spiders.2. I am unable | | | | our best to stay healthy and be kind to ourselves as |
| to pick out clothes without standing in the closet and | | | | we struggle through the torment of this debilitating |
| staring for 10 minutes at a time. Then, out of frustration, | | | | disease together!Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old |
| I leave, only to return again 10 minutes later to start the | | | | college student studying for an Associates of Applied |
| cycle again. Some days it's okay to do this, but if goes | | | | Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who |
| on for more than 3 days it's a warning sign for me.3. | | | | writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. |
| One occurrence of staying up all night. I am a big | | | | Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She |
| sleeper and this is a huge no-no for me!4. While | | | | lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. |
| screening my calls (which I normally do anyway) if I | | | | Terry is an author on which is a site for Writers and |
| don't pick up when my friends call, that's definitely a | | | | her personal portfolio can be viewed here. |