Problem: Article: Attend regular appointments with your therapist so you can work on your treatment goals. Your therapist will help you recognize your symptoms and cope with them. Additionally, they'll help you manage your mood swings and adjust your thought processes. Talk to your therapist to create a treatment plan that works for you.  If you have insurance, it may cover your treatment, so check your benefits. You can find a therapist online or through your insurance. Bipolar disorder affects people differently, so it's important to understand how your episodes work and what you typically experience. Write down how you feel every day, as well as what's going on in your life. Then, use this information to look for patterns and triggers so you can manage your symptoms moving forward.  For example, you might have a pattern of swinging between depression and mania, you might have mixed episodes, or you might experience depression during the colder months and mania during the warmer months. Common triggers for bipolar episodes include stress, issues at work or school, changing seasons, reduced sleep, financial issues, and conflict with friends or family. so it won't trigger an episode. Stress is a normal part of life, but it can be harmful if you have a lot of it. Additionally, stress is a common trigger for both mania and depression, so managing it can help you cope with your condition. Identify coping strategies to help you manage your stress. Then, incorporate these strategies into your daily life so your stress doesn't overwhelm you. For instance, color in an adult coloring book, talk to a friend, do something creative, walk in nature, play with your pet, use aromatherapy, or do puzzles. You need a community to help you deal with your bipolar disorder, so ask your friends and loved ones to be there for you. Talk to them when you're feeling stable, if possible. Let them know that your mood can vary and what you need when you're having an episode. Ask them to help you when you need it.  If you want specific types of help, tell them exactly what you want. You might say, “If I start talking about harming myself, please call my doctor immediately and don't leave me alone until I'm under my doctor's care or feeling better.” You might also say, “If you think my behavior is getting erratic, please call my doctor or my mom. They'll help me get the care I need.” Coping with bipolar disorder is difficult, and it's hard for people who don't have it to truly understand what you're going through. Fortunately, you can find people who've had similar experiences at a support group. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area or look online. Sharing your story may help you find support. Plus, you can learn better coping strategies from people who've had similar experiences. Your bipolar disorder can make it hard for you to succeed at work or school, and that's not your fault. You might be nervous to share your diagnosis with others, and you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. However, it may help to talk to them about your needs if you know that simple accommodations can help.  For instance, you might do better in school if your teacher gives you an extra day on assignments while you're depressed, or you might be able to focus better during mania if you can walk the halls for a few minutes. At work, you might do better with flexible work hours or access to a window. Don't stop taking your medication without your doctor's permission, even if you feel better. Bipolar disorder is a biological condition, and your medication is helping regulate your brain chemistry. Stopping can have serious side effects and may cause your symptoms to return. Keep taking your medication as directed by your doctor. If you have questions or concerns about your medication, talk to your doctor about them. In some cases, an episode can get so severe that your behavior is out of control. When this happens, a crisis plan can help your doctor and loved ones ensure that you get the type of care you want and need. Prepare your plan with your doctor while you're feeling stable. Include the following in your plan:  A list of your doctors and their contact information A list of your medications and how much you're taking Information about when you want others to take responsibility for you Your treatment preferences Who is allowed to make treatment decisions for you and their contact information
Summary: Work with a therapist who's experienced with managing bipolar disorder. Keep a mood diary so you can recognize your own patterns. Manage stress Build a support system of people you trust. Join a support group for people with bipolar disorder. Talk to your boss or teacher about accommodations you need, if necessary. Take your medication as prescribed. Create a crisis plan for severe episodes.

Problem: Article: This pen will be the first place where your cattle are going to move into and through the handling facility. This is a good time for sorting cattle if this needs to be done. Use the same principles and practices mentioned above for splitting out one or more cattle from the main herd, without actively herding them.  It's important to never push from the back, but rather move from the front, through the gate from where you want the animals to go.  When working in a smaller area there is less room for error and less time to react. But the basics still apply with controlling movement. In this instance, you can stand beside the gate, or move in towards the back if this is a long pen, and move a step forward or backward to stop or encourage movement through the gate. The wider the gate, though, the more in the opening of that gate you will need to stand.   Standing by the gate and moving back and forth (or side to side, depending on the shape of the pen and where the animals are in that pen) will slow down the number of animals that enter the holding alley leading to the next pen. You are usually not wanting all animals to go through, but only a certain amount out of a larger herd at a time. There is almost no need to have someone going in behind the group to push them up. That is, unless there's a big area behind them where they shouldn't be. If there's enough crowding going on that the pressure you apply when at the gate makes them go through that gate, then you are only needed at that gate and not needing someone else behind to move them up. You only need a group of half a dozen head in a 14' by 20' box (or a group of four or five for a 12' crowding tub) to work with. In a Bud box system, you only need to be standing right by the opening they're to go through. Just as with the second step above, stepping forward or backward will control movement through to the alley. Some instances you just need to stand there to encourage them to go by and around you to feel like they're going to go back the way they came. In order to get to that point, when you step away from the box or tub, make a wide loop around then walk straight up the chute towards the tub. They will quickly go to the head-gate or squeeze chute. If you have a calf or cow that gets turned around in the alley, then just walk down the alley from the box or tub to get them back into the tub or box. Repeat your stance by the opening to the alley. If the calf balks before the squeeze, then once again, make a wide loop towards the squeeze or head-gate then walk up beside the alley to encourage movement forward. Repeat the same steps as above for the next group of cattle.
Summary:
Move cattle from the pasture or corral using the steps from the sections above into a holding pen. Move a smaller group from the main holding pen (or one of them if there is more than one such pen) into a smaller pen or holding alley. Move the first small group into the crowding tub or bud box. Put them down the working alley from the tub or box. Encourage movement into the squeeze by walking in the opposite direction that they are to go. Process each animal in the squeeze or head-gate, or just hold them for a few seconds then release them.