Ms. Julie A. Fast

Specialties:

Mental Health
Psychology
View Credentials

Affiliation:

Bipolar Disorder and Depression, Teen Mental Health, Author

Location:

Portland, OR

Activity

Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Aug 24

As a teen, how do I tell my friends that I have bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is no longer a taboo subject. I’ve heard kids in high school talk about it openly. My friend Amanda is in 11th grade, so I asked her what she knew about the illness. Her answer surprised me. “We talk about it at school. It’s not in a bad way. That is probably because I hang out with
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Aug 18

Is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) serious?

Yes. In my case it is very serious. My ADD is attached to a bipolar disorder diagnosis which is not uncommon, but it does make it more difficult to treat. ADD affects so many areas of life: Work: It can cut your work hours drastically because you spend so much time just finding a comfortable place..
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Aug 10

What is hypomania?

It’s hard to understand mania unless you have seen it and heard it personally. There are two types of mania: full blown and hypomania. Even though hypomania is the milder form of mania, it’s still very concerning and can wreak havoc on a life. Many mistakes around sex and money are made when a
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Aug 01

How do I tell my children about my bipolar disorder?

Be honest and gauge what to say depending on the age of your child. Six years ago when my nephew was three, we were standing next to my big lavender plant on a sunny day. I said, “David, I know you won’t understand this now, but I want to tell you about my bipolar disorder. It’s an illness that make
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Jul 27

What are mantras for depression?

The cloudy, depressed mind responds well to short, emphatic and personally tailored phrases you can use in specific situations to put an end to depressive thoughts. I call these 'depression mantras'. I've used them for years even with my severe depression. You can work on specific mantras that...
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Jul 22

What is the treatment for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Hello, Here is a short and sweet answer. I have massive ADD problems that get in the way of my work ability. As a writer, not being able to focus or sit down without a struggle has been an unbelievable challenge. I wrote a book on the topic: Get it Done When You're Depressed. I use and sti
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Jul 14

How can I help my child after a suicide attempt?

The first thing to remember is that suicide is a very common symptom of bipolar disorder. I’ve been suicidal off and on for 20 years. I used to be so scared of the symptoms and then one day I thought, wait a minute. I have these thoughts and every person I know with bipolar has these thoughts. There
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Jul 11, 2016

As a parent, how can I get my child to talk about his bipolar disorder?

Moms and dads have very different relationships with their children. I’ve learned this through years of coaching. The mother is often the one who talks about the illness, asks the child to take medications, worries out loud about his future, gets anxious and upset if the child won’t talk and is ofte
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Ms. Julie A. Fast answered
On Jun 29, 2016

Can I test myself for bipolar disorder?

Sure- ask yourself these questions. Have I ever been depressed? If yes, then.. Have I ever been depressed and then suddenly felt incredibly better? Like a cloud had been lifted from my life and everything was amazing? Have I been incredibly creative and felt sexy and wanted to travel and just...
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Ms. Julie A. Fast
On Aug 11, 2015

http://bit.ly/1Tq8HfW

Julie A. Fast Writer on Twitter

“Journals let you cry and complain without bothering other people: journals don’t hurt other people’s feelings.”
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Ms. Julie A. Fast
On Aug 07, 2015

http://bit.ly/1gQ1Mkt

Julie A. Fast Writer on Twitter

“When someone refuses to acknowledge they are sick even though they are a mess, it’s a normal part of the illness.”
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Ms. Julie A. Fast
On Aug 05, 2015

I wrote my book Get it Done When You're Depressed: 50 Strategies for Keeping Your Life on Track while I was depressed. I taught myself that even if I feel that life is pointless and I'm a worthless ant struggling on the face of this giant earth, I can still get my work done and do it well. I work hard to separate myself from what bipolar depression says to me. It's seductive, but like a bad date, it's never my friend. I can hear what it says, but I don't have to believe it. I can still work. Today I'm using quite a few of the tips in the book to get my work done. I'm restless, feeling a bit hopeless in the face of something going on in my life and feel out of touch with myself and my work ability. Well. So what! That can just go on in the background and I can sit down and DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO! You can too! Julie

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Ms. Julie A. Fast
On Aug 05, 2015

http://bit.ly/1MMUESA

Julie A. Fast Writer on Twitter

“It’s hard to think outward when you’re depressed – it’s like singing when you have laryngitis. But you *must* do it.”
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Ms. Julie A. Fast
On Aug 03, 2015

I'm looking forward to answering more questions on Sharecare.com. My next post will be on how parents can talk to teenagers about legalized marijuana. Yes, it relates to mental health!

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Ms. Julie A. Fast
On Jul 31, 2015

http://bit.ly/1MC4gQ5

Julie A. Fast Writer on Twitter

“Focus on the solution, not the problem. Problems are immediate – solutions take time.”
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Ms. Julie A. Fast

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