By Suzette Dean
Most often, even with the help of thousands of resume tips found on the internet and in books, writing a great resume can be a pain – especially for non-writers. While it’s true that a resume is the advertising of yourself, it does not have to be written as a literary piece. A resume is just a simple statement of facts as to what you are capable of doing that will contribute to the growth of the company you’re interested in joining. The first resume tip is to write the resume as straightforward as you can, highlighting your accomplishments and backing them up with numbers and concrete examples.
It is not right to think that a resume should be written in an artistic manner. The resume, being something that involves writing, is what intimidates those who have no inclination for prose. In the first place it’s not compulsory that everything that you write in your resume is in complete sentence format. For the most part, bullet points will do. All resume tips say that your resume should be brief, concise and factual. You must also know that even for writers, it’s often difficult to start any document, but once you have started it everything else will fall into place. Of course you start with writing your name, address and contact details at the upper left part of a plain white or ivory paper. If you have a unisex name such as Renee, Ali and Alex, don’t forget to include the prefix mister or miss.
Now here are some resume tips for the content. Being a document that highlights your best professional assets, it’s not a narration of your previous jobs, but of your accomplishments that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Limit the information that you will write down on your resume to that which is related to the job you are applying for. Relative to this, replace the phrase “tasks include” with “accomplishments were”.
How about a resume tip on deciding whether to write your job experiences in a chronological or functional order? If you are just sticking to one field and have been upwardly-moving, chronological order will do. If your focus is your skills that are applicable from one field to the other, the functional order of work experience is better. If you are a fresh graduate, highlight your accomplishments from school, both formal and non-formal trainings and seminars that will contribute to your performance in your first job. Again, don’t forget the resume tips on choosing only the relevant information, which also goes for your personal data.
You are not alone in your struggle to come up with a great resume that will make the employer want to interview and eventually, hire you. Above any other thing, it’s your honesty, skills and determination that will sell you to the interviewer. Anything phony and fancy will show, so always strive for the truth in advertising yourself- and that’s one of the best resume tips that you’ll ever get.
Job, Jobs, Employment
Kamis, 30 September 2010
Why most design firms won't do spec work
Author: Wildfire Marketing Group Content Development Team
It's common for business owners to make unrealistic requests of design firms. Probably the most common is when they contact several design firms and ask them all to design something for them, whether it's a logo, brochure or some other piece, with the intent that they will choose one of the designs if they like it. While it may seem like there is nothing wrong with this request, in reality, there is. Think about how this request would be taken in any other industry.
Potential home buyer: I want you to build me a house and I'm going to have three other builders do the same thing. After these homes are completed, if I like one I'll purchase it.
Home builder: Uhhh...No.
Potential car buyer: I'm thinking about buying a car from either you or another car dealer with in a seventy mile radius. I'd like you to drop off one of each model of car that you have (the other car dealers will be doing the same) and after I've had a chance to drive all of them for a while I'll decide if I want to buy one.
Car dealer: Uhhh...No.
Restaurant visitor: I don't know what I want to eat, but I'll know what I like when I taste it. I want you to make everything from your menu deliver it to my house. Keep in mind that the Chinese, Italian and Mexican restaurants will be delivering their food as well. After tasting everything, if I'm still hungry, I will choose a meal from one restaurant.
Restaurant owner: Uhhh...No.
The bottom line is that graphic design is a business. You wouldn't run your business by handing out your product or service for free in hopes that someone might feel like paying for it and you shouldn't expect a design firm or designer to do so. Some firms will do spec work, but they usually fall into one of two categories. They are either brand new firms with no experience trying to land their first clients, or they are huge firms that only work with clients that have multi-million dollar advertising budgets.
Like any other business, a graphic design firm has overhead. By working on spec, they are forced to raise their prices because unlike some businesses that sell a product, graphic designers can not take back their time and resell it. Many people take for granted the overhead that can be necessary to run a graphic design firm. Specialized software is required to do what we do, and depending on what is needed, can be an investment of several thousand dollars per employee — which must be updated on a regular basis. Additionally, a graphic design firm needs far more robust hardware than the average user. Our processing power, memory and storage capacity needs can me mind blowing and frequent upgrades are often necessary. Most firms employ highly skilled designers, whom must be paid accordingly. These designers have the talent and experience to develop marketing materials that deliver results quickly and efficiently. All of this allows us to provide our clients the best service at a reasonable price and in a timely manner.
Job, Jobs, Employment
It's common for business owners to make unrealistic requests of design firms. Probably the most common is when they contact several design firms and ask them all to design something for them, whether it's a logo, brochure or some other piece, with the intent that they will choose one of the designs if they like it. While it may seem like there is nothing wrong with this request, in reality, there is. Think about how this request would be taken in any other industry.
Potential home buyer: I want you to build me a house and I'm going to have three other builders do the same thing. After these homes are completed, if I like one I'll purchase it.
Home builder: Uhhh...No.
Potential car buyer: I'm thinking about buying a car from either you or another car dealer with in a seventy mile radius. I'd like you to drop off one of each model of car that you have (the other car dealers will be doing the same) and after I've had a chance to drive all of them for a while I'll decide if I want to buy one.
Car dealer: Uhhh...No.
Restaurant visitor: I don't know what I want to eat, but I'll know what I like when I taste it. I want you to make everything from your menu deliver it to my house. Keep in mind that the Chinese, Italian and Mexican restaurants will be delivering their food as well. After tasting everything, if I'm still hungry, I will choose a meal from one restaurant.
Restaurant owner: Uhhh...No.
The bottom line is that graphic design is a business. You wouldn't run your business by handing out your product or service for free in hopes that someone might feel like paying for it and you shouldn't expect a design firm or designer to do so. Some firms will do spec work, but they usually fall into one of two categories. They are either brand new firms with no experience trying to land their first clients, or they are huge firms that only work with clients that have multi-million dollar advertising budgets.
Like any other business, a graphic design firm has overhead. By working on spec, they are forced to raise their prices because unlike some businesses that sell a product, graphic designers can not take back their time and resell it. Many people take for granted the overhead that can be necessary to run a graphic design firm. Specialized software is required to do what we do, and depending on what is needed, can be an investment of several thousand dollars per employee — which must be updated on a regular basis. Additionally, a graphic design firm needs far more robust hardware than the average user. Our processing power, memory and storage capacity needs can me mind blowing and frequent upgrades are often necessary. Most firms employ highly skilled designers, whom must be paid accordingly. These designers have the talent and experience to develop marketing materials that deliver results quickly and efficiently. All of this allows us to provide our clients the best service at a reasonable price and in a timely manner.
Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_27358_3.html?kcplink=1
Job, Jobs, Employment
Improve Your Donation Thank-You Letters, Cards and Notes: Make Your Donor The Hero.
Author: Alan Sharpe
One temptation in writing fundraising thank-you letters is to make your organization the star of the letter. You feel pressure to tell your donors how terrific you are, how cost-effective you are or how broke you are. You are tempted to brag about your achievements, your success, your volunteers, your new board member and more.
You need to resist this temptation. The secret to crafting effective donation thank-you letters is "making the donor the star of every transaction," as Conrad Squires puts it in his book, Teach Yourself to Write Irresistible Fund-raising Letters.
The quickest and cheapest way to build donor loyalty and reduce donor attrition is to tell your donors how much they are accomplishing in the world through your organization. By making your donor the hero of every thank-you letter (and every appeal letter for that matter), you reinforce in their mind that they made the right decision in supporting your mission. And that they are right in continuing their support.
How to make the donor the hero
1. Use the word "you" more than you use the word "we." Make the letter all about the donor.
2. Show a direct link between the donor's donation and your mission. For example: "Thanks to your generous gift of $100, we fed 52 homeless men last night while the temperature hovered around -18° outside. Those men are thankful to you. And so am I."
3. Go beyond the donation to the donor, and describe how grateful you are for the donor as a person, as a supporter, as a friend of your organization.
4. Make your donors feel special by describing how they are one in a thousand, or one in ten thousand, by supporting your cause while others do not.
A sample thank-you letter
Below is a thank-you letter that Doctors Without Borders mailed to donors during the year that the organization won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dear Alan Sharpe:
Two wonderful things happened this month.
We received your donation to our meningitis campaign. And we received the Nobel Peace Prize for humanitarian assistance.
We received this award because of supporters like you. It's ours together.
The Nobel Peace Prize is shared by the millions of people who support the work and principles of Doctors Without Borders. It's shared by the people who make the right to humanitarian assistance a reality. People like you.
So thank you for your donation. With your support, we can now respond quickly and effectively to meningitis epidemics. Even the best doctors cannot prevent meningitis without vaccinations. So thank you for your timely gift.
Doctors Without Borders operates only with the continued support of partners like you. That's why I'd like you to consider joining our monthly giving program, "Partners Without Borders."
As a member of Partners Without Borders, you help our volunteer physicians provide vital medical help anywhere, anytime. You also help us keep our administrative costs to a minimum. Every dollar we save is a dollar that we can use to fund our medical projects.
Giving every month is more convenient for you. You make small donations on a regular basis instead of a larger donation all at once.
Our being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize is international confirmation of the fundamental right of ordinary people to humanitarian assistance and protection. Please join Partners Without Borders today. Simply complete the form below. And thank you again for your support.
Job, Jobs, Employment
One temptation in writing fundraising thank-you letters is to make your organization the star of the letter. You feel pressure to tell your donors how terrific you are, how cost-effective you are or how broke you are. You are tempted to brag about your achievements, your success, your volunteers, your new board member and more.
You need to resist this temptation. The secret to crafting effective donation thank-you letters is "making the donor the star of every transaction," as Conrad Squires puts it in his book, Teach Yourself to Write Irresistible Fund-raising Letters.
The quickest and cheapest way to build donor loyalty and reduce donor attrition is to tell your donors how much they are accomplishing in the world through your organization. By making your donor the hero of every thank-you letter (and every appeal letter for that matter), you reinforce in their mind that they made the right decision in supporting your mission. And that they are right in continuing their support.
How to make the donor the hero
1. Use the word "you" more than you use the word "we." Make the letter all about the donor.
2. Show a direct link between the donor's donation and your mission. For example: "Thanks to your generous gift of $100, we fed 52 homeless men last night while the temperature hovered around -18° outside. Those men are thankful to you. And so am I."
3. Go beyond the donation to the donor, and describe how grateful you are for the donor as a person, as a supporter, as a friend of your organization.
4. Make your donors feel special by describing how they are one in a thousand, or one in ten thousand, by supporting your cause while others do not.
A sample thank-you letter
Below is a thank-you letter that Doctors Without Borders mailed to donors during the year that the organization won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dear Alan Sharpe:
Two wonderful things happened this month.
We received your donation to our meningitis campaign. And we received the Nobel Peace Prize for humanitarian assistance.
We received this award because of supporters like you. It's ours together.
The Nobel Peace Prize is shared by the millions of people who support the work and principles of Doctors Without Borders. It's shared by the people who make the right to humanitarian assistance a reality. People like you.
So thank you for your donation. With your support, we can now respond quickly and effectively to meningitis epidemics. Even the best doctors cannot prevent meningitis without vaccinations. So thank you for your timely gift.
Doctors Without Borders operates only with the continued support of partners like you. That's why I'd like you to consider joining our monthly giving program, "Partners Without Borders."
As a member of Partners Without Borders, you help our volunteer physicians provide vital medical help anywhere, anytime. You also help us keep our administrative costs to a minimum. Every dollar we save is a dollar that we can use to fund our medical projects.
Giving every month is more convenient for you. You make small donations on a regular basis instead of a larger donation all at once.
Our being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize is international confirmation of the fundamental right of ordinary people to humanitarian assistance and protection. Please join Partners Without Borders today. Simply complete the form below. And thank you again for your support.
Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_20880_3.html?kcplink=1
Job, Jobs, Employment
Branding Concepts
Author: Vikas Malhotra
Branding is a process that is used by the businesses to utilize marketing strategies to enhance their product or service image so that it is more readily recollected by the customer. Branding helps the product or service to make a favorable impact on the target customer while the branding concepts help in outlining the guidelines that should be followed during the branding process.
Branding of any product and service should follow some constants that help in establishing a brand in the long run. The internet branding strategies should have the following constants in your branding formula:
? Branding should be simple
The most popular brands in the world have very simple, easy to remember logos. The reason behind this concept is, we tend to remember and associate ourselves with simple things and choose to ignore or forget complex ideas.
? Branding should be different
Your brand should have individuality, should be different. The brand should stand out from other similar product or service; otherwise the whole idea of branding is lost. Only an individualistic brand makes a mark on the psyche of the target customer and he remembers it when he makes a buying decision. This is why most of the MNCs take strict action on trademark violations.
? Branding should be safe
Play safe and do your research if you are catering to international audience. If you are using symbols in your logo make sure they do not offend the target market in any way or you can chances of shutting your shop before making any sales. Therefore keep the regional and cultural sensibilities in mind during the branding process.
The three most important branding concepts that are the basis of all branding processes are brand promise, brand attributes and brand personality.
A brand promise is a promise or commitment the company makes to its customers. The promise should be clearly stated and tells about the most important benefit of the product or customer.
Brand attributes are the features that describe the customer's experience like quality, innovation or customer service. The attributes help the company to deliver the brand promise. Brand personality is the characteristic the customer experiences when they experience the brand. Thus the essence of the brand is a symbiosis of all three.
Job, Jobs, Employment
Branding is a process that is used by the businesses to utilize marketing strategies to enhance their product or service image so that it is more readily recollected by the customer. Branding helps the product or service to make a favorable impact on the target customer while the branding concepts help in outlining the guidelines that should be followed during the branding process.
Branding of any product and service should follow some constants that help in establishing a brand in the long run. The internet branding strategies should have the following constants in your branding formula:
? Branding should be simple
The most popular brands in the world have very simple, easy to remember logos. The reason behind this concept is, we tend to remember and associate ourselves with simple things and choose to ignore or forget complex ideas.
? Branding should be different
Your brand should have individuality, should be different. The brand should stand out from other similar product or service; otherwise the whole idea of branding is lost. Only an individualistic brand makes a mark on the psyche of the target customer and he remembers it when he makes a buying decision. This is why most of the MNCs take strict action on trademark violations.
? Branding should be safe
Play safe and do your research if you are catering to international audience. If you are using symbols in your logo make sure they do not offend the target market in any way or you can chances of shutting your shop before making any sales. Therefore keep the regional and cultural sensibilities in mind during the branding process.
The three most important branding concepts that are the basis of all branding processes are brand promise, brand attributes and brand personality.
A brand promise is a promise or commitment the company makes to its customers. The promise should be clearly stated and tells about the most important benefit of the product or customer.
Brand attributes are the features that describe the customer's experience like quality, innovation or customer service. The attributes help the company to deliver the brand promise. Brand personality is the characteristic the customer experiences when they experience the brand. Thus the essence of the brand is a symbiosis of all three.
Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_100850_3.html?kcplink=1
Job, Jobs, Employment
Starting a Bake Shop Business
Author: Susan Hutson
If baking is your forte, then starting a bake shop business can prove to be a good business proposition.
Making a living doing what you want requires both passion and commitment in equal amounts. Anyone who bakes will know the kind of effort and attention that goes into coming up with all those delectable cakes and pastries, pies and scones and all those other bake “what not’s†that can get your mouth watering. However if you are passionate about baking, are creative and experimental and like the idea of being your own boss then opening a bake shop business is where you should think of channelizing your efforts and energy.
Home or Retail Outlet?
The best part about this business is that it can prove to be just as profitable even if you decide to run it from home! Your kitchen probably has all the necessary equipment already. Things such as an oven and baking pans are commonly used in almost all homes. This means you don’t have to worry about a huge investment. But before you do anything first make up your mind, from where you plan to run your bake shop business. Are you going to make it a “home business†venture or plan on taking up a retail outlet?
Running a business from your home is a simpler and cheaper option obviously. And with the internet, you don’t really need to have a physical location to do any kind of business. A lot of small and medium business owners create a website for their business and use it to successfully invite clients and customers and to advertise their products. A retail unit is an option if you have the monetary funds and resources required. Again as mentioned earlier, where you plan to do business from is for you to decide.
How do the others do it?
Although there is a good market for all kinds of cakes and bakes, it is advisable to check out competition as well as what sells, what is in demand and most importantly how people advertise and sell their products. In order to do this, make a list of all the bake shop businesses in and around your area. Check these places and gather information from the owners if possible
Planning for you business
Once you have all the information you want your next step is to put all that information into perspective. The most important step is to come up with a well chalked out plan for your bake shop business. Once you are done with that your next step will be to create a business plan that outlines just how you are going to go ahead with setting up your business.
Include things like, investment required (on a very small and basic level), hiring of labor or help (optional) equipment and items needed, advertising costs, operational costs of running your business on a daily basis (electricity, phone, water, storage facilities etc. Obviously your startup costs and other figures will be higher if you plan to rent a retail unit as opposed to operating from your home.
Marketing
No business can succeed without some form of marketing. Unlike big businesses you may not have the option of a big advertising budget. But the good news is that you can market your business even without it. Here are some easy and cheap ways of doing so –
• Place advertisements in the yellow pages
• Print flyers
• Word of mouth advertising
• Setup a website for you business
• Give away free samples
• Offer a gift basket or hamper at a local function/retail store
• Place advertisements on notice boards of schools and your church
• Print business cards and hand them out generously.
Job, Jobs, Employment
If baking is your forte, then starting a bake shop business can prove to be a good business proposition.
Making a living doing what you want requires both passion and commitment in equal amounts. Anyone who bakes will know the kind of effort and attention that goes into coming up with all those delectable cakes and pastries, pies and scones and all those other bake “what not’s†that can get your mouth watering. However if you are passionate about baking, are creative and experimental and like the idea of being your own boss then opening a bake shop business is where you should think of channelizing your efforts and energy.
Home or Retail Outlet?
The best part about this business is that it can prove to be just as profitable even if you decide to run it from home! Your kitchen probably has all the necessary equipment already. Things such as an oven and baking pans are commonly used in almost all homes. This means you don’t have to worry about a huge investment. But before you do anything first make up your mind, from where you plan to run your bake shop business. Are you going to make it a “home business†venture or plan on taking up a retail outlet?
Running a business from your home is a simpler and cheaper option obviously. And with the internet, you don’t really need to have a physical location to do any kind of business. A lot of small and medium business owners create a website for their business and use it to successfully invite clients and customers and to advertise their products. A retail unit is an option if you have the monetary funds and resources required. Again as mentioned earlier, where you plan to do business from is for you to decide.
How do the others do it?
Although there is a good market for all kinds of cakes and bakes, it is advisable to check out competition as well as what sells, what is in demand and most importantly how people advertise and sell their products. In order to do this, make a list of all the bake shop businesses in and around your area. Check these places and gather information from the owners if possible
Planning for you business
Once you have all the information you want your next step is to put all that information into perspective. The most important step is to come up with a well chalked out plan for your bake shop business. Once you are done with that your next step will be to create a business plan that outlines just how you are going to go ahead with setting up your business.
Include things like, investment required (on a very small and basic level), hiring of labor or help (optional) equipment and items needed, advertising costs, operational costs of running your business on a daily basis (electricity, phone, water, storage facilities etc. Obviously your startup costs and other figures will be higher if you plan to rent a retail unit as opposed to operating from your home.
Marketing
No business can succeed without some form of marketing. Unlike big businesses you may not have the option of a big advertising budget. But the good news is that you can market your business even without it. Here are some easy and cheap ways of doing so –
• Place advertisements in the yellow pages
• Print flyers
• Word of mouth advertising
• Setup a website for you business
• Give away free samples
• Offer a gift basket or hamper at a local function/retail store
• Place advertisements on notice boards of schools and your church
• Print business cards and hand them out generously.
Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_748657_3.html?kcplink=1
Job, Jobs, Employment
Rabu, 29 September 2010
Strategi Pemasaran (Marketing Strategy)
Author: Daniel Levis
Marketing Strategy 101
When it comes to marketing strategy blunders, pretty much everybody remembers the nosedive failure of New Coke, right? But what most people don't know is the fascinating story behind the story, & the valuable lesson it reveals.
In the early eighties, Coke was about to lose a marketing
trump card to Pepsi. Coke's market share had been in free
fall since the end of the war, declining from 60% at that
time, to just 24% in 1983. Pepsi was about to be able to
claim that not only did it taste better than Coke (as
proven in blind taste tests), but that it was actually more popular. This would have added even more fuel to Pepsi's already significant marketing momentum.
While Coke was also losing market share to other new market entries, and increasing consumer preference for diet, citrus, & caffeine-free beverages etc., Pepsi's marketing strategy was continuing to win new customers.
Obviously, people preferred the taste of Pepsi! Better
taste was the main thrust of their advertising. Why else
would anybody drink such an otherwise worthless mixture of ingredients?
This fact was further born out with the runaway success of
Diet Coke. Coke actually developed it from the ground up to taste more like Pepsi, rather than simply replacing the sugar content of the original recipe with artificial sweeteners.
All of the facts & evidence pointed to Coke having a taste problem with the original recipe. Coke had in fact been working in secret for years on a new one.
Drawing on the success of Diet Coke, Coke's marketing
strategy called for the modification of that recipe to a
sugar based drink. They felt they could finally turn the
tide by introducing "NEW Coke", based on that formula.
In pre launch blind taste tests, people thought the new
Coke tasted sweeter & smoother than the original. Extensive research revealed that people preferred the New Coke to both the original Coca Cola recipe & Pepsi.
Statistically speaking, the taste of New Coke was
significantly preferable.
New Coke was the solution, but what to do with the
original? If they kept both on the market, it was a sure
bet that Pepsi would be able to claim that it was more
popular than both, at least for a time! And a marketing strategy that called for the promotion of a new & an old Coke would only confuse the public & dilute the brand.
The original recipe was dropped.
So what happened when new Coke was introduced?
It bombed completely, & utterly! Here's the brilliant tag
line that they used to introduce it. "The Best Just Got
Better, Coke Is It!" Gee, that looks like a winner.
People hated the new Coke, many without even having to
taste it. And they were incensed that the original had been "stolen" from them.
One hundred years, & countless millions of dollars in advertising had made Coke Cola a part of people's very identity. Drinking Coca Cola wasn't about taste at all.
It was about mental association.
Emotional Opium!
The act of raising that funny looking spiral bottle to your lips. The cane sugary fragrance that followed. The sharp carbonated bite that set your throat a blaze with each vigorous swig. For many people, it was anchored deeply to fond, albeit sometimes even imaginary memories.
Coke had no choice but to bring back the original recipe,
amid a huge fanfare of publicity, as though it were the
second coming.
What a hullabaloo about nothing. Sugar water.
For god's sake!
If nothing else, this story should prove to you once & for
all that it's not what you do that counts, it's what you
say & how powerfully you say it. And, that your customer's
buy, or don't buy, for all kinds of seemingly irrational reasons. What's critically important is not your product, but how your marketing strategy relates ownership of that product to your buyer's beliefs, feelings, & desires!
It also demonstrates that "me to" can be a very dangerous marketing strategy.
While huge companies like Coke can afford to blow through billion dollar advertising budgets like there's no tomorrow, as a Guerrilla marketer, I urge you to avoid expensive frontal assaults & one-upmanship like the plague.
Be creative instead, & seek to outflank the enemy!
Job, Jobs, Employment
Marketing Strategy 101
When it comes to marketing strategy blunders, pretty much everybody remembers the nosedive failure of New Coke, right? But what most people don't know is the fascinating story behind the story, & the valuable lesson it reveals.
In the early eighties, Coke was about to lose a marketing
trump card to Pepsi. Coke's market share had been in free
fall since the end of the war, declining from 60% at that
time, to just 24% in 1983. Pepsi was about to be able to
claim that not only did it taste better than Coke (as
proven in blind taste tests), but that it was actually more popular. This would have added even more fuel to Pepsi's already significant marketing momentum.
While Coke was also losing market share to other new market entries, and increasing consumer preference for diet, citrus, & caffeine-free beverages etc., Pepsi's marketing strategy was continuing to win new customers.
Obviously, people preferred the taste of Pepsi! Better
taste was the main thrust of their advertising. Why else
would anybody drink such an otherwise worthless mixture of ingredients?
This fact was further born out with the runaway success of
Diet Coke. Coke actually developed it from the ground up to taste more like Pepsi, rather than simply replacing the sugar content of the original recipe with artificial sweeteners.
All of the facts & evidence pointed to Coke having a taste problem with the original recipe. Coke had in fact been working in secret for years on a new one.
Drawing on the success of Diet Coke, Coke's marketing
strategy called for the modification of that recipe to a
sugar based drink. They felt they could finally turn the
tide by introducing "NEW Coke", based on that formula.
In pre launch blind taste tests, people thought the new
Coke tasted sweeter & smoother than the original. Extensive research revealed that people preferred the New Coke to both the original Coca Cola recipe & Pepsi.
Statistically speaking, the taste of New Coke was
significantly preferable.
New Coke was the solution, but what to do with the
original? If they kept both on the market, it was a sure
bet that Pepsi would be able to claim that it was more
popular than both, at least for a time! And a marketing strategy that called for the promotion of a new & an old Coke would only confuse the public & dilute the brand.
The original recipe was dropped.
So what happened when new Coke was introduced?
It bombed completely, & utterly! Here's the brilliant tag
line that they used to introduce it. "The Best Just Got
Better, Coke Is It!" Gee, that looks like a winner.
People hated the new Coke, many without even having to
taste it. And they were incensed that the original had been "stolen" from them.
One hundred years, & countless millions of dollars in advertising had made Coke Cola a part of people's very identity. Drinking Coca Cola wasn't about taste at all.
It was about mental association.
Emotional Opium!
The act of raising that funny looking spiral bottle to your lips. The cane sugary fragrance that followed. The sharp carbonated bite that set your throat a blaze with each vigorous swig. For many people, it was anchored deeply to fond, albeit sometimes even imaginary memories.
Coke had no choice but to bring back the original recipe,
amid a huge fanfare of publicity, as though it were the
second coming.
What a hullabaloo about nothing. Sugar water.
For god's sake!
If nothing else, this story should prove to you once & for
all that it's not what you do that counts, it's what you
say & how powerfully you say it. And, that your customer's
buy, or don't buy, for all kinds of seemingly irrational reasons. What's critically important is not your product, but how your marketing strategy relates ownership of that product to your buyer's beliefs, feelings, & desires!
It also demonstrates that "me to" can be a very dangerous marketing strategy.
While huge companies like Coke can afford to blow through billion dollar advertising budgets like there's no tomorrow, as a Guerrilla marketer, I urge you to avoid expensive frontal assaults & one-upmanship like the plague.
Be creative instead, & seek to outflank the enemy!
Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_5701_3.html?kcplink=1
Job, Jobs, Employment
Learn about Bipolar
Author: Aby Yusuf
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder atau yg lebih biasa kita sebut dengan manik depresif adalah suatu gangguan kejiwaan dimana penderita bisa mengalami dua macam suasana hati (mood) yang sangat ekstrim, ekstrim disini yang berarti seorang penderita yang suatu saat sedang bahagia tertawa lepas dlm saat itu juga bisa mendadak menjadi diam murung dan tidak berbicara apa-apa. Penyakit manik-depresif terjadi pada kurang dari 2 persen penduduk. Penyakit ini menyerang pria dan wanita dalam perbandingan yang sama dan biasanya mulai timbul pada masa remaja, usia 20 atau 30 tahun. Keadaan ini akan terus berulang jika tidak dilakukan penanganan serius dari psikiater. Penyakit ini diyakini sebagai penyakit keturunan, meskipun kelainan genetik yang pasti masih belum diketahui.
Kalau menurut wikipedia, Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive disorder, which is also referred to as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or more depressive episodes. The elevated moods are clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes, or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time.
Saya ingin sedikit bercerita pengalaman tentang manik depresif. Kebetulan mantan saya yang terakhir adalah seorang wanita yang menderita penyakit manik depresif (Bipolar). Wanita yang sampai sekarang masih saya cintai walaupun saya sudah dilupakan olehnya karena dia lebih memilih pria yang jauh lebih kaya raya dan mapan ini bernama Wini Nirmala. "Dia" orangnya sesungguhnya sangat periang. Menurut pengakuannya, dia menderita penyakit ini sejak mendapatkan trauma yang sungguh luar biasa dari mantannya dan salah seorang sahabatnya. Akan tetapi, menurut saya setelah membaca dan mencari tahu tentang Bipolar, bahwa penderita Bipolar ini bisa keturunan, mungkin saja "dia" tidak menyadarinya.
Jadi begini ya,saat itu saya dan "Dia" pergi ke salah satu mall yang ada didaerah Ciwalk Bandung. Kami berdua bergembira seharian, ketawa riang saling mengisi waktu dengan comment2 terhadap cara fashion orang-orang yg lewat. Setelah waktu menunjukkan jam 10mlm, kami pun memutuskan untuk pulang ke rumah. Ketika baru menuju depan pintu keluar mall tsb, dia melihat seseorang pria dengan paras tubuh yang sangat tinggi sekali. Hmm, saya perkirakan tingginya sekitar 175cm. Lalu dia berhenti berjalan dan menarik lengan baju saya, yang kemudian membisikkan kata-kata: Nyum, dia mirip mantanku. Lalu dia menunduk dan terdiam dengan tangan dikepalanya. Berhubung dia disamping saya terlihat lemas dan ingin terjatuh duduk, maka saya langsung merangkul dan memapahnya jalan menjauhi orang tersebut.
Akhirnya saya berhasil membawanya naik angkutan umum. Didalam angkutan umum dia duduk dipojok paling belakang angkot tepat sebelah kiri saya. Dia hanya duduk terdiam menunduk dengan air mata berlinang, saya pun kebingungan dan mencoba menenangkannya mengelus-elus punggungnya. Lalu, saya mencoba bertanya: km kenapa,nyum(panggilan sayang saya kepadanya)?? dia hanya terdiam, lalu beberapa menit sebelum angkot penuh sesak, dia pun menjawab dengan berteriak: sudah aku bilang diam!!! jangan ganggu aku (sambil mendorong-dorong saya agar menjauhinya). Ya berhubung sebelah saya ada orang, jadi saya pun menyenggol orang itu yang ternyata adalah seorang pria dan didpn saya seorang ibu-ibu dengan anak-anaknya yang masih remaja. Mereka memandang saya dengan penuh tanda tanya. Langsung saya berkata dengan berbisik: maaf ya bu dan mas dan semua yang ada diangkot, ini bukan bertengkar, memang sedang sakit pacar saya. Pria yang sebelah saya berkata: tidak apa-apa, kang. Ketika angkotnya jalan, dia pun masih tertunduk dengan lesu tatapan kosong kebawah. Saya beri waktu sejenak, akhirnya dia pun berbicara dan melihat-lihat sekitar: ini dimana? ak ngapain disini, dan kamu siapa sentuh-sentuh ak?
Saya tersentak kaget, inikah Bipolar dia yang sedang kambuh, kok seperti orang linglung yang hilang ingatan?? Kemudian saya menjawabnya: nyum,ini ak kinyum, dan kamu sedang diangkot jalan pulang menuju rumahmu. Kita kan habis dari ciwalk, masa km lupa, nyum?? Sudah tenangkah perasaanmu?? Dia setelah mendengarkan kata-kataku, kemudian terdiam dan menunduk lagi. Akhirnya setelah beberapa menit ditengah kemacetan lalu lintas, dia pun tersadar dengan berbicara: nyum, maafkan ak yang membuat km malu td, ak gak sadar sudah berbuat apa tadi, ak juga gak tau kenapa itu terjadi. Ak haus nyum, km ada aqua?? saya jawab: ada nyum, kan masih ada sisa tadi.
Saya sampai sekarang masih agak bingung, apakah itu bipolar atau gangguan psikologi lainnya?? Bagaimana penanganannya?? Sesungguhnya masih ada beberapa kejadian lainnya yang mirip dengan ciri-ciri bipolar yang ada dibeberapa website para ahli psikologi dan psikiater. Walaupun dia sudah menjadi mantan saya, akan tetapi perasaan cinta saya dan rasa kagum terhadap kejeniusannya dalam berkarya kreasi seni, sampai sekarang saya ingin membuat dia sembuh total. Akan tetapi menurut abangnya, kejadian saya putus malah membuat keadaan semakin parah. Andaikan saja keluarga dan teman-temannya mengetahui kenyataannya bahwa bukan saya yang memutuskan cinta kami dan bukan saya yang menyakitinya. Karena saya tidak tau bakal bagaimana dia tanpa saya dan apakah masih ada pria yang lebih sabar dalam menghadapi kelakuannya yang luar biasa berbeda dengan orang lain.
Berikut ini adalah beberapa penjabaran tentang Bipolar:
Penyebab
Gangguan ini dapat dipicu oleh banyak hal yang terjadi dalam hidup sehingga menyebabkan mood berubah-ubah. Stres juga dapat memicu munculnya gangguan bipolar.
Sedangkan untuk penyebab pasti dari gangguan kejiwaan yang diderita sekitar 2.5 persen populasi di Amerika ini masih belum diketahui. Hanya saja, beberapa dugaan mengaitkan gangguan ini dengan faktor generika. Sehingga ketika dilakukan wawancara untuk pemeriksaan, biasanya psikiater juga akan menanyakan riwayat keluarga si penderita.
Menurut beberapa kajian ilmiah yang dimuat dalam Ikatan Dokter Amerika, seseorang memiliki risiko 8 hingga 18 kali lebih besar terkena gangguan bipolar jika memiliki anggota keluarga yang mengidap gangguan bipolar.
Gejala
Penderita tak mampu mengendalikan mood yang dirasakan. Penderita juga terlalu larut dengan suasana emosinya sendiri dalam jangka waktu yang cukup lama, bisa berminggu-minggu bahkan berbulan-bulan. Penderitanya bisa terlihat terlalu bersemangat, atau sebaliknya terlalu depresi dalam kurun waktu yang tidak lumrah.
Fase dimana si penderita mengalami semangat dan energi berlebih disebut dengan fase manik. Gejalanya mencakup berpikir dengan cepat, cerewet, dan penurunan kebutuhan akan tidur. Bahkan, seringkali penderita terjaga selama beberapa hari tanpa menunjukkan tanda kehabisan energi dan merasa diri tetap bersemangat. Tahap mania ini seringkali mempengaruhi cara berpikir, penilaian, dan perilaku sosial si penderita.
Fase ini berlangsung bisa beberapa hari hingga beberapa bulan sebelum akhirnya digantikan oleh fase selanjutnya, yaitu fase depresi. Untuk fase depresi, gejala penderita gangguan bipolar ini akan lebih sulit dikenali. Karena, jika belum mengalami fase manik, orang awam lebih banyak menganggapnya sebagai depresi saja. Padahal, gangguan manik depresif lebih berbahaya dibandingkan depresi saja.
Tanda lain dari gangguan bipolar adalah perilaku yang sangat impulsif dan tidak memikirkan risiko. Misalnya, si penderita bisa menjadi seorang shopaholic yang parah. Penderita bisa belanja tanpa memperhitungkan kondisi keuangannya.
Penderita tak mampu mengendalikan mood yang dirasakan. Penderita juga terlalu larut dengan suasana emosinya sendiri dalam jangka waktu yang cukup lama, bisa berminggu-minggu bahkan berbulan-bulan. Penderitanya bisa terlihat terlalu bersemangat, atau sebaliknya terlalu depresi dalam kurun waktu yang tidak lumrah.
Fase dimana si penderita mengalami semangat dan energi berlebih disebut dengan fase manik. Gejalanya mencakup berpikir dengan cepat, cerewet, dan penurunan kebutuhan akan tidur. Bahkan, seringkali penderita terjaga selama beberapa hari tanpa menunjukkan tanda kehabisan energi dan merasa diri tetap bersemangat. Tahap mania ini seringkali mempengaruhi cara berpikir, penilaian, dan perilaku sosial si penderita.
Fase ini berlangsung bisa beberapa hari hingga beberapa bulan sebelum akhirnya digantikan oleh fase selanjutnya, yaitu fase depresi. Untuk fase depresi, gejala penderita gangguan bipolar ini akan lebih sulit dikenali. Karena, jika belum mengalami fase manik, orang awam lebih banyak menganggapnya sebagai depresi saja. Padahal, gangguan manik depresif lebih berbahaya dibandingkan depresi saja.
Tanda lain dari gangguan bipolar adalah perilaku yang sangat impulsif dan tidak memikirkan risiko. Misalnya, si penderita bisa menjadi seorang shopaholic yang parah. Ia bisa belanja tanpa memperhitungkan kondisi keuangannya.
Fase Manik : jika seseorang mengalami fase manik, maka ia akan merasa penuh energi, siap melakukan apapun, tidak terkalahkan, dan siap menghadapi apapun yang menghalangi niatnya.
Gejalanya :
- Penderita seringkali mempunyai rencana yang tidak masuk akal dan tidak logis.
- Berkurangnya nafsu makan dan jam tidur secara drastis.
- Penderita bisa begadang semalaman tapi tidak terlihat tanda kelelahan.
- Bicara yang sangat cepat dan sering berubah topik pembicaraan.
- Kepercayaan diri yang sangat tinggi.
- Sering mengambil keputusan tanpa berpikir risikonya. Akibatnya, seringkali keputusan yang diambil merugikan.
- Cara berpakaian berubah menjadi lebih flamboyan dan fashionista.
Fase Depresi : merupakan kebalikan dari fase manik. Meski demikian, banyak orang yang mengalami fase ini lebih banyak dibandingkan fase manik.
Gejalanya :
- Sedih dan sering menangis.
- Tidak peduli dengan keadaan diri sendiri. Tidak ingin mandi, ganti baju, atau bahkan inginnya hanya mengurung diri saja.
- Penderita bisa mengalami susah tidur (insomnia) atau bahkan terlalu banyak tidur (hipersomnolens).
- Banyak dari penderita tidak berselera pada makanan dan kehilangan berat badannya.
- Penderita sering mengalami kesulitan berpikir dan masalah pada ingatannya karena merasa depresi.
- Penderita mengucilkan diri dari lingkungan sosialnya.
- Hobi yang biasa dilakukan untuk menghilangkan stres sudah tidak lagi menarik bagi si penderita.
- Selalu merasa pesimis, tidak berguna, dan hilang harapan.
- Penderita bisa terkena penyakit kronis dan keluhan fisik lainnya tanpa sebab yang jelas.
- Yang paling parah, penderita bisa merencanakan untuk bunuh diri karena merasa sudah tidak memiliki tujuan untuk hidup.
Dalam kasus gangguan bipolar, perubahan suasana hati bisa terjadi secara bertahap maupun tiba-tiba. Pada tipe klasik, perubahan mood tidak sering terjadi. Hanya sekitar 1 atau 2 periode mood, baik manik maupun depresi, dalam satu tahun.
Sedangkan pada tipe rapid cycling bipolar disorder, perubahan mood yang terjadi bisa berlangsung drastis. Perubahan ini bisa terjadi lebih dari empat kali dalam satu tahun.
Penanganan
Semakin lama gangguan ini terlacak dan ditangani, semakin besar pula kerugian yang diderita akibat perilaku tidak wajar si penderita. Bahkan dapat mencegah kemungkinan bunuh diri yang mungkin akan dilakukan si penderita.
Penanganan utama yang dapat dilakukan antara lain dengan memberikan terapi obat (medikamentosa). Obat yang diberikan berupa anti depresi dan mood stabilizer. Tergantung dari kondisi si pasien saat itu. Jika ia dalam tahap depresi maka akan diberi obat anti depresi. Obat ini sifatnya simptomatik atau hanya meredakan gejala. Meski demikian, resep ini terbukti efektif menekan risiko paling fatal dari gangguan bipolar.
Adapun terapi lain yang dapat dilakukan adalah psikoterapi. Pada terapi ini. psikiater akan mengajak pasien untuk berdiskusi seperti curhat dan menemukan solusi atas masalah yang mungkin menjadi pencetus gangguan bipolar.
Penanganan tidak selesai begitu saja. Pasien juga perlu mendapat pengawasan dan kontrol dari kerabat dan ahli medis meski telah mendapat pengobatan. Gangguan bipolar ini sebenarnya merupakan gangguan kejiwaan yang akan semakin parah jika tdak dilakukan terapi yang tepat.
Job, Jobs, Employment
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder atau yg lebih biasa kita sebut dengan manik depresif adalah suatu gangguan kejiwaan dimana penderita bisa mengalami dua macam suasana hati (mood) yang sangat ekstrim, ekstrim disini yang berarti seorang penderita yang suatu saat sedang bahagia tertawa lepas dlm saat itu juga bisa mendadak menjadi diam murung dan tidak berbicara apa-apa. Penyakit manik-depresif terjadi pada kurang dari 2 persen penduduk. Penyakit ini menyerang pria dan wanita dalam perbandingan yang sama dan biasanya mulai timbul pada masa remaja, usia 20 atau 30 tahun. Keadaan ini akan terus berulang jika tidak dilakukan penanganan serius dari psikiater. Penyakit ini diyakini sebagai penyakit keturunan, meskipun kelainan genetik yang pasti masih belum diketahui.
Kalau menurut wikipedia, Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive disorder, which is also referred to as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or more depressive episodes. The elevated moods are clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes, or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time.
Saya ingin sedikit bercerita pengalaman tentang manik depresif. Kebetulan mantan saya yang terakhir adalah seorang wanita yang menderita penyakit manik depresif (Bipolar). Wanita yang sampai sekarang masih saya cintai walaupun saya sudah dilupakan olehnya karena dia lebih memilih pria yang jauh lebih kaya raya dan mapan ini bernama Wini Nirmala. "Dia" orangnya sesungguhnya sangat periang. Menurut pengakuannya, dia menderita penyakit ini sejak mendapatkan trauma yang sungguh luar biasa dari mantannya dan salah seorang sahabatnya. Akan tetapi, menurut saya setelah membaca dan mencari tahu tentang Bipolar, bahwa penderita Bipolar ini bisa keturunan, mungkin saja "dia" tidak menyadarinya.
Jadi begini ya,saat itu saya dan "Dia" pergi ke salah satu mall yang ada didaerah Ciwalk Bandung. Kami berdua bergembira seharian, ketawa riang saling mengisi waktu dengan comment2 terhadap cara fashion orang-orang yg lewat. Setelah waktu menunjukkan jam 10mlm, kami pun memutuskan untuk pulang ke rumah. Ketika baru menuju depan pintu keluar mall tsb, dia melihat seseorang pria dengan paras tubuh yang sangat tinggi sekali. Hmm, saya perkirakan tingginya sekitar 175cm. Lalu dia berhenti berjalan dan menarik lengan baju saya, yang kemudian membisikkan kata-kata: Nyum, dia mirip mantanku. Lalu dia menunduk dan terdiam dengan tangan dikepalanya. Berhubung dia disamping saya terlihat lemas dan ingin terjatuh duduk, maka saya langsung merangkul dan memapahnya jalan menjauhi orang tersebut.
Akhirnya saya berhasil membawanya naik angkutan umum. Didalam angkutan umum dia duduk dipojok paling belakang angkot tepat sebelah kiri saya. Dia hanya duduk terdiam menunduk dengan air mata berlinang, saya pun kebingungan dan mencoba menenangkannya mengelus-elus punggungnya. Lalu, saya mencoba bertanya: km kenapa,nyum(panggilan sayang saya kepadanya)?? dia hanya terdiam, lalu beberapa menit sebelum angkot penuh sesak, dia pun menjawab dengan berteriak: sudah aku bilang diam!!! jangan ganggu aku (sambil mendorong-dorong saya agar menjauhinya). Ya berhubung sebelah saya ada orang, jadi saya pun menyenggol orang itu yang ternyata adalah seorang pria dan didpn saya seorang ibu-ibu dengan anak-anaknya yang masih remaja. Mereka memandang saya dengan penuh tanda tanya. Langsung saya berkata dengan berbisik: maaf ya bu dan mas dan semua yang ada diangkot, ini bukan bertengkar, memang sedang sakit pacar saya. Pria yang sebelah saya berkata: tidak apa-apa, kang. Ketika angkotnya jalan, dia pun masih tertunduk dengan lesu tatapan kosong kebawah. Saya beri waktu sejenak, akhirnya dia pun berbicara dan melihat-lihat sekitar: ini dimana? ak ngapain disini, dan kamu siapa sentuh-sentuh ak?
Saya tersentak kaget, inikah Bipolar dia yang sedang kambuh, kok seperti orang linglung yang hilang ingatan?? Kemudian saya menjawabnya: nyum,ini ak kinyum, dan kamu sedang diangkot jalan pulang menuju rumahmu. Kita kan habis dari ciwalk, masa km lupa, nyum?? Sudah tenangkah perasaanmu?? Dia setelah mendengarkan kata-kataku, kemudian terdiam dan menunduk lagi. Akhirnya setelah beberapa menit ditengah kemacetan lalu lintas, dia pun tersadar dengan berbicara: nyum, maafkan ak yang membuat km malu td, ak gak sadar sudah berbuat apa tadi, ak juga gak tau kenapa itu terjadi. Ak haus nyum, km ada aqua?? saya jawab: ada nyum, kan masih ada sisa tadi.
Saya sampai sekarang masih agak bingung, apakah itu bipolar atau gangguan psikologi lainnya?? Bagaimana penanganannya?? Sesungguhnya masih ada beberapa kejadian lainnya yang mirip dengan ciri-ciri bipolar yang ada dibeberapa website para ahli psikologi dan psikiater. Walaupun dia sudah menjadi mantan saya, akan tetapi perasaan cinta saya dan rasa kagum terhadap kejeniusannya dalam berkarya kreasi seni, sampai sekarang saya ingin membuat dia sembuh total. Akan tetapi menurut abangnya, kejadian saya putus malah membuat keadaan semakin parah. Andaikan saja keluarga dan teman-temannya mengetahui kenyataannya bahwa bukan saya yang memutuskan cinta kami dan bukan saya yang menyakitinya. Karena saya tidak tau bakal bagaimana dia tanpa saya dan apakah masih ada pria yang lebih sabar dalam menghadapi kelakuannya yang luar biasa berbeda dengan orang lain.
Berikut ini adalah beberapa penjabaran tentang Bipolar:
Penyebab
Gangguan ini dapat dipicu oleh banyak hal yang terjadi dalam hidup sehingga menyebabkan mood berubah-ubah. Stres juga dapat memicu munculnya gangguan bipolar.
Sedangkan untuk penyebab pasti dari gangguan kejiwaan yang diderita sekitar 2.5 persen populasi di Amerika ini masih belum diketahui. Hanya saja, beberapa dugaan mengaitkan gangguan ini dengan faktor generika. Sehingga ketika dilakukan wawancara untuk pemeriksaan, biasanya psikiater juga akan menanyakan riwayat keluarga si penderita.
Menurut beberapa kajian ilmiah yang dimuat dalam Ikatan Dokter Amerika, seseorang memiliki risiko 8 hingga 18 kali lebih besar terkena gangguan bipolar jika memiliki anggota keluarga yang mengidap gangguan bipolar.
Gejala
Penderita tak mampu mengendalikan mood yang dirasakan. Penderita juga terlalu larut dengan suasana emosinya sendiri dalam jangka waktu yang cukup lama, bisa berminggu-minggu bahkan berbulan-bulan. Penderitanya bisa terlihat terlalu bersemangat, atau sebaliknya terlalu depresi dalam kurun waktu yang tidak lumrah.
Fase dimana si penderita mengalami semangat dan energi berlebih disebut dengan fase manik. Gejalanya mencakup berpikir dengan cepat, cerewet, dan penurunan kebutuhan akan tidur. Bahkan, seringkali penderita terjaga selama beberapa hari tanpa menunjukkan tanda kehabisan energi dan merasa diri tetap bersemangat. Tahap mania ini seringkali mempengaruhi cara berpikir, penilaian, dan perilaku sosial si penderita.
Fase ini berlangsung bisa beberapa hari hingga beberapa bulan sebelum akhirnya digantikan oleh fase selanjutnya, yaitu fase depresi. Untuk fase depresi, gejala penderita gangguan bipolar ini akan lebih sulit dikenali. Karena, jika belum mengalami fase manik, orang awam lebih banyak menganggapnya sebagai depresi saja. Padahal, gangguan manik depresif lebih berbahaya dibandingkan depresi saja.
Tanda lain dari gangguan bipolar adalah perilaku yang sangat impulsif dan tidak memikirkan risiko. Misalnya, si penderita bisa menjadi seorang shopaholic yang parah. Penderita bisa belanja tanpa memperhitungkan kondisi keuangannya.
Penderita tak mampu mengendalikan mood yang dirasakan. Penderita juga terlalu larut dengan suasana emosinya sendiri dalam jangka waktu yang cukup lama, bisa berminggu-minggu bahkan berbulan-bulan. Penderitanya bisa terlihat terlalu bersemangat, atau sebaliknya terlalu depresi dalam kurun waktu yang tidak lumrah.
Fase dimana si penderita mengalami semangat dan energi berlebih disebut dengan fase manik. Gejalanya mencakup berpikir dengan cepat, cerewet, dan penurunan kebutuhan akan tidur. Bahkan, seringkali penderita terjaga selama beberapa hari tanpa menunjukkan tanda kehabisan energi dan merasa diri tetap bersemangat. Tahap mania ini seringkali mempengaruhi cara berpikir, penilaian, dan perilaku sosial si penderita.
Fase ini berlangsung bisa beberapa hari hingga beberapa bulan sebelum akhirnya digantikan oleh fase selanjutnya, yaitu fase depresi. Untuk fase depresi, gejala penderita gangguan bipolar ini akan lebih sulit dikenali. Karena, jika belum mengalami fase manik, orang awam lebih banyak menganggapnya sebagai depresi saja. Padahal, gangguan manik depresif lebih berbahaya dibandingkan depresi saja.
Tanda lain dari gangguan bipolar adalah perilaku yang sangat impulsif dan tidak memikirkan risiko. Misalnya, si penderita bisa menjadi seorang shopaholic yang parah. Ia bisa belanja tanpa memperhitungkan kondisi keuangannya.
Fase Manik : jika seseorang mengalami fase manik, maka ia akan merasa penuh energi, siap melakukan apapun, tidak terkalahkan, dan siap menghadapi apapun yang menghalangi niatnya.
Gejalanya :
- Penderita seringkali mempunyai rencana yang tidak masuk akal dan tidak logis.
- Berkurangnya nafsu makan dan jam tidur secara drastis.
- Penderita bisa begadang semalaman tapi tidak terlihat tanda kelelahan.
- Bicara yang sangat cepat dan sering berubah topik pembicaraan.
- Kepercayaan diri yang sangat tinggi.
- Sering mengambil keputusan tanpa berpikir risikonya. Akibatnya, seringkali keputusan yang diambil merugikan.
- Cara berpakaian berubah menjadi lebih flamboyan dan fashionista.
Fase Depresi : merupakan kebalikan dari fase manik. Meski demikian, banyak orang yang mengalami fase ini lebih banyak dibandingkan fase manik.
Gejalanya :
- Sedih dan sering menangis.
- Tidak peduli dengan keadaan diri sendiri. Tidak ingin mandi, ganti baju, atau bahkan inginnya hanya mengurung diri saja.
- Penderita bisa mengalami susah tidur (insomnia) atau bahkan terlalu banyak tidur (hipersomnolens).
- Banyak dari penderita tidak berselera pada makanan dan kehilangan berat badannya.
- Penderita sering mengalami kesulitan berpikir dan masalah pada ingatannya karena merasa depresi.
- Penderita mengucilkan diri dari lingkungan sosialnya.
- Hobi yang biasa dilakukan untuk menghilangkan stres sudah tidak lagi menarik bagi si penderita.
- Selalu merasa pesimis, tidak berguna, dan hilang harapan.
- Penderita bisa terkena penyakit kronis dan keluhan fisik lainnya tanpa sebab yang jelas.
- Yang paling parah, penderita bisa merencanakan untuk bunuh diri karena merasa sudah tidak memiliki tujuan untuk hidup.
Dalam kasus gangguan bipolar, perubahan suasana hati bisa terjadi secara bertahap maupun tiba-tiba. Pada tipe klasik, perubahan mood tidak sering terjadi. Hanya sekitar 1 atau 2 periode mood, baik manik maupun depresi, dalam satu tahun.
Sedangkan pada tipe rapid cycling bipolar disorder, perubahan mood yang terjadi bisa berlangsung drastis. Perubahan ini bisa terjadi lebih dari empat kali dalam satu tahun.
Penanganan
Semakin lama gangguan ini terlacak dan ditangani, semakin besar pula kerugian yang diderita akibat perilaku tidak wajar si penderita. Bahkan dapat mencegah kemungkinan bunuh diri yang mungkin akan dilakukan si penderita.
Penanganan utama yang dapat dilakukan antara lain dengan memberikan terapi obat (medikamentosa). Obat yang diberikan berupa anti depresi dan mood stabilizer. Tergantung dari kondisi si pasien saat itu. Jika ia dalam tahap depresi maka akan diberi obat anti depresi. Obat ini sifatnya simptomatik atau hanya meredakan gejala. Meski demikian, resep ini terbukti efektif menekan risiko paling fatal dari gangguan bipolar.
Adapun terapi lain yang dapat dilakukan adalah psikoterapi. Pada terapi ini. psikiater akan mengajak pasien untuk berdiskusi seperti curhat dan menemukan solusi atas masalah yang mungkin menjadi pencetus gangguan bipolar.
Penanganan tidak selesai begitu saja. Pasien juga perlu mendapat pengawasan dan kontrol dari kerabat dan ahli medis meski telah mendapat pengobatan. Gangguan bipolar ini sebenarnya merupakan gangguan kejiwaan yang akan semakin parah jika tdak dilakukan terapi yang tepat.
Job, Jobs, Employment
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)