Bipolar on Vacation?

Well, I'm down in Florida sneaking a vacation into my busy schedule, and enjoying every minute of it! I'm actually visiting my parents who live here.

I've been having a wonderful time so far. It's been so relaxing, and so enjoyable being able to talk with my mom. See, she has bipolar disorder too, so it's nice not having to worry about how I'm acting - I can be real with my mom. She knows how I feel, so I can really talk to her about everything. I'm so grateful for that.

And my dad cracks me up! He reminds me of one of Jeff Dunham's puppets - Walter! LOL He doesn't realize he's being so funny, which makes it even funnier! What a blast. He is very protective of my mom, as her supporter. It's so wonderful to see such a good supporter in action. So is my husband. Even tho he also has bipolar disorder, he is still my supporter. So he and my dad do a lot of talking as well.

But before I left for vacation, one of the first things I did was check all my medications. I had to make sure I had enough of everything for the whole time I'd be here. I didn't do that one time and found myself in the Bahamas unable to fill a prescription I needed. Not bad enough to go into an episode, but I was a little more nervous than usual. But my husband was so supportive, and helped me get through it.

The problem with bipolar disorder is that it never takes a vacation. Everywhere you go, everything you do, you carry the disorder with you. So if you do go on vacation, you really have to watch yourself. Like you can't get too excited, or you might go manic. It's good to rest some as well. Not sleep or nap during the day (or you'll have trouble sleeping at night), but just rest between activities so you stay calm and unstressed.

And watch the shopping! I've had to really watch myself so that I don't spend all my vacation money on shopping. Just be reasonable with your purchases, and if you do feel manicky, stay out of the stores!

I'm glad to be able to tell you that it IS possible to go on vacation with bipolar disorder. Don't be so afraid of it that you let it keep you from enjoying life. You have to be prepared and watch youself when you're on vacation, but if you do that, you can have a great one and still stay stable!

Well, I'm going back to my vacation now. Don't be jealous! LOL

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele