sorry, I was running a bit late there... lets take this one question at a time
My original inquiry was concerning my psychiatrist's passing comment that bipolar moods cannot be manipulated. If that were so then lifestyle changes would make no difference to my over all health and emotional stability. Yet all my readings on the internet and in various books stress the need to keep to health habits and strict routeins. And I think that, to a certain extent, I can manipulate my moods. I know that caffine and alcohol are effective mood changers. I know that sleep depervation and exercise are also very effective. so why would the psychiatrist say that bipolar moods cannot be pushed and nugded into a "certain" direction? is that not what medication does with a better efficiency rate?
Now, I am is a really stressful period. It is reoccurant. I am usually better prepared but a series of situations that were not in my controle have pushed my into the nether-world of anxiety-chaos. First, we are 3 to do the work of 5 who would need over-time to get all the year-end accounting done. There are entries and maintenances to do to client accounts, and a bunch of reports to process, and stuff to balance before the books close on Saturday. Also, it is that time of the month where our client owe money for taxes so that has to come in and be taken to the office Friday morning. The finance dept is falling into ruin because on of them is quitting at the end of June and cares nothing but plugging in numbers to balance things out. The other is a good aquantance and is a maternity replacement. She has a few of the "notes" of our usual accounting-songs but not the full "melody". So I am trying to help her here and there by explaining our "policy" and pointing her in the right directions - but this is crushing me into a really tight time-corner.
Also, at home there is a whorl-wind of activity going on. I am waiting for my appointment with the psy-specialists at the mood and anxiety clinic. My psychologist is not able to do any therapy since I am a bit all over ... so I see her weekly as a check-in and self-analysis period. I need a weekly support moment so that I do not get caught in those cognative errors and a few emotional ones. Also, I have my annual doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon, so I will get the med follow-up and the usual pooking, prodding, and scolding (I am still 265lbs and 5'4" -under-tall-). My children had appointments and that was another stress. It seems my son had add and is taking concerta. Hard to believe that this simple and EXPENSIVE med can help so much !! My daughter went to the pediatric-psyciatrist and she is the BOSS, she searches and distroys most adult authority using lots of intelligence. Of course this particular gentleman had his own opinions and views of the world and loved to share them ... am I sure I am bipo ... and who and how was I diagnosed since bipo is the mental health flavour of the month... and add is also another favorite flavour so am i sure about my son... Hey! did he want to save the world in 4 minutes? my son looked like he was smoking the good stuff in class and his pencils and other supplies were taking life in his mind...
Finally, my husband hurt himself and it took three weeks to see a doctor. Then another week to fill the prescription for anti-inflamatiors. So three weeks of pain and limited mobility out of pig-headed-ness has worn down his resistance. He also was very worried about the kids... and was anticipating my accounting year-end. He is an accounting tech and does all the books for a construction firm so he really knows what I go