Don't Let Anybody Define Who You Are

One woman remarked that at least he was not chasing other women or `living in the pub'. Such special interests are likely to be solitary pursuits, for example, collecting certain objects, exploring old churches or running. Life with someone who has Asperger syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) may involve feeling similar to a `golf widow' or a widower. The special interest may also be linked to the person's field of work, perhaps in engineering or computers. Simon Baron-Cohen found that, statistically, engineering occupations featured more predominantly in families in which Asperger syndrome was present (Baron-Cohen et al. Some of the special interests reported were a little unusual, even quite bizarre. One woman said that her husband bought copies of every hi-fi magazine he could lay his hands on, and had been doing so for most of his life. If you breathe in, now move one arm over the side as far as possible over your head. The upper body tilts a little to the side. As you exhale, slowly return to the starting position. Again, do several repetitions per side. Mindfulness and Meditation What is Meditation? Mediation is a kind of umbrella term for various techniques, all of which have similar effects: the mind calm, concentration, and balance increase. Countless types of meditation are not always easy to differentiate. Zen, metaphysical techniques, mantra chanting, or intensive praying: all of these methods count toward meditation. Although so different, the basic principle is always similar: meditation is a type of concentration training that focuses on an image, feelings, thoughts, or a mantra. Accept that this is a lifelong struggle requiring immediate attention and long-term remedies. The article you are holding in your hands promises one thing: to provide you the weapons and training to fight bipolar illness strategically, intelligently, and as a warrior. Equipped with a battle plan to combat bipolar disorder you will be well-armed to achieve victory.

This is your life - you don't get another! The final articles of the article can be used as a journal to jot down personal notes on ideas and emotions that may pop into your head while reading. Fill these articles with any questions or concerns that arise, and they will become invaluable to revisit over time as well as provide a tangible way of tracking how your battle plan has evolved and changed you and your life. Always remember there are help lines with people on call at all times. Some examples include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255), the Mental Health Hot Line (1-844-549-4266), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Helpline (1-800-662-4357). There is also the Crisis Text Line (Text `HOME' to 741741). Most importantly, if you are in trouble and your life is on the line, dial 911. STEP 1: Cultivate the people you identify as key by taking an interest in what they do and say. STEP 2: Engage them in conversation about what interests them. STEP 3: If you run across an article or memo concerning a subject of interest to them, copy it or clip it and send it along to them. STEP 4: Building on the key person's interests is a great way to build an information-sharing and helping relationship. Accelerate the development of the information-sharing relationship by asking for a conversation rather than demanding help or information. Use such phrases as:* I'd like a chance to speak with you. What's a convenient time for you? Secrets of Successful Meetings In business, it's difficult to make any statement that doesn't invite disagreement. Make this one, however, and you're likely to get closer to universal agreement than you ever thought possible: Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe. The Magic of Compounding So, let's look at a simple example.

Let's say you put away $50,000 and add an additional $10,000 per year. If you hold it for twenty years, your contributing funds would be $250,000. If you had a conservative return of 6 percent (over the last ninety years, the S&P 500 has returned 9. If you did the same for thirty years, you would have $1,125,191. Or, if, at the age of thirty, you invested $20,000 and never added any more money, in thirty years, when you're ready to retire, it would be worth $201,253 (using an 8 percent return--still lower than the average over ninety years). All you have to do is simply put the funds into a S&P index at age thirty. If you're under the age of thirty-five, you have one of the biggest advantages out there when it comes to planning for eventual financial freedom. It's my legacy and will be on my gravestone, so if you haven't tried it, this is your chance. Swap Nights My sister and her husband regularly swap nights with another couple who have little kids of similar age as theirs. After bedtime, the two women hang out at one house and the guys at the other. It's genius because the kids sleep in their own beds, no babysitters are needed, there's a parent available for any kid who wakes up, and connection happens. Weekend Family Breakfast Family breakfast is one of my favorite ways to connect. It's especially great for families with young kids. Everybody is up at seven or eight anyway (or before six if you're at my house), so start early with homemade breakfast or a doughnut run. You get to connect during the most low-pressure meal of the day, and you still have the rest of the day ahead of you. The problem was that he would not throw any of them away, and the collection had become so large that she was unable to get into their spare room, as it was literally full from floor to ceiling with magazines. Eventually there was no longer any room for anything else in their home, so they were looking for a bigger house. For most couples, the partner's special interest is not an issue and becomes a way of life.

As long as it does not push the family into debt, it should be tolerated and can be a very good talking point. If obsessions do become a problem financially, it is important that this is dealt with in its earliest stages and not allowed to escalate. If it is possible for the non-Asperger partner to take charge of the finances, then this is often the best solution. Those who have managed to do this have found it a tremendous relief as then neither partner has to worry about what is happening with the money. When a special interest is unacceptable Although it appears to be quite rare in cases of Asperger syndrome, sometimes the partner's special interest is something that the other partner feels is totally unacceptable. It may be something that is counter to what would normally be permissible within a close relationship, and then both partners need to do something about it. Most of the time you retire to meditate and take minutes or even hours (! In other words, when meditating, the focus is on training concentration - and the ability to let thoughts and feelings flow intending to train a calm mind. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness, on the other hand, is more a perceptual training . It is about being in the current moment, perceiving thoughts, feelings, smells, emotions. For example, you could completely concentrate on drinking a cup of tea, smelling the scent, and feeling the warm mug in your hands. It is about being present, not absent-minded, or overwhelmed by feelings. You see, mindfulness always and everywhere, you don't have to sit on a pillow somewhere in a quiet corner. The English term mindfulness has undoubtedly already come across in this context. With mindfulness, you stay in the current moment and perceive - how you are doing now, what you feel, see, smell, hear. Most of you have a cell phone, tablet, or computer. There are a number of available Apps for battling bipolar disorder that you may find to be helpful. For example, The Best Bipolar Disorder Apps for 2019 can be found at the website:

I wish I knew why I am so anguished. Believed to have had Bipolar Disorder Dyin' ain't much of a livin', boy. Clint Eastwood, The Outlaw Josey Wales Startling Bipolar Statistics YOUR LIFE COULD BE at stake, and you are your own worse threat. Studies show that up to 20% of people with bipolar disorder end their life by suicide, and 20-60% of them attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime (Dome, 2019). Most meetings are a waste of time. In fact, the chorus of assent is likely to be interrupted by only one thing: a call to the second, third, or fourth meeting of the day. The masochistic irony of it all is that, even while most of us decry and deride meetings, we call for them, set them up, attend them, and endure them, all the while complaining that, really, the best ideas come from informal discussions held in the corridor. Well, sometimes that's true. And sometimes--maybe even most times--formal meetings are boring and unproductive. But there is a big problem with corridor spontaneity. It's just so--well--spontaneous. You can't control it. You can't summon it up at will. Potentially, the greatest advantage a formal meeting offers is a forum and format for forcing spontaneity. How much you can put away per month is important, but that number pales in comparison to how much time you can invest in your plan. In other words, the sooner you start, the greater the advantage you'll have. Don't Believe It?