You Need to Take Care of Your Bipolar Self

There are times when I wish I just did not have bipolar disorder at all, but most of the time I am realistic and realize that I have this mental illness and have to live with it for the rest of my life.

Knowing this, I do whatever I have to do to manage my disorder and live a relatively normal, stable, happy, and successful life.

That means that I do what my doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist tell me to do. I also listen to my supporter, my husband, as he seems, usually, to have a better perspective on me and my behavior than I do. Especially when it comes to exhibiting bipolar symptoms.

But I also have to take care of my bipolar self. That means that I have to take care of that inner part of me that depends on only me.

I know myself best. When I am trending down to the depressed end, I may not always know what put me there, but I can usually figure out how to get myself out from there.

First of all, I need an attitude change. I can't just give in to the depression, or it will worsen. So I have to make myself get positive.

I think about all the other times that I've been here before, and I think to myself, "I've been here before and got through it, I'll get through this as well."

Or I'll think, "Hey, things could be worse. Things could be a LOT worse than this. This isn't so bad at all." Believe it or not, that actually does cheer me up sometimes.

And thinking about others helps me. I work writing for a bipolar website, and I will try to work when I'm feeling sorry for myself, because in listening to these other people's stories, I find that mine is not so bad in comparison.

There is always someone who is worse off than you are. And self-pity is NOT a luxury that someone with bipolar disorder can afford. It can take you right into a bipolar depressive episode, and you don't want to go there, not if you can help it. So put away the self-pity.

Try to do something you enjoy. Something that will make you feel better.

Watch a funny movie. Read an amusing book (I read books by Janet Evanovich - she cracks me up!). Get with some friends, or at least one friend, and do something that gets you out of the house (and out of your own head). Go bowling. Go to the library. Go to the park. Go to the public pool (if it's warm enough). Go to a museum or art gallery. Spend some time with your family.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it is enjoyable, and soon you will find that cover of darkness and depression lifting from you!

Remember to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Doing Whatever You Have to Do with Bipolar

As children, many of us hated doing what our parents told us to do, even when they told us it was for our own good. Now, with bipolar disorder, we have doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists doing the same thing. They tell us what to do, and tell us it's for our own good as well.

We're told tht we need to take medication, every day, and as prescribed, for the rest of our lives, if we're going to keep our disorder under control. We want to control those symptoms, so we have to do what they say (or else). Never mind what we really want to do (who of us wants to take medication for the rest of our lives), we have to do it if we want to keep our bipolar and its symptoms under control.

We're told that we should see a therapist for the emotional side effects of our disorder - that he/she can help us deal with the issues surrounding our disorder. And that we should keep regular appointments, usually every week or evey 2 weeks. Again, we do this because we want to keep our bipolar and its symptoms under control.

We're told that we should eat a healthy diet and exercise, basically keep our physical selves healthy, as that will help keep our minds healthy as well. Well, I don't know about you, but I hate eating "rabbit food" all the time. And exercise isn't one of my favorite things to do, either. But I do them both, because I am adamant about keeping my bipolar and its symptoms under control.

We're told to keep to a regular sleep schedule - 8 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time every day, because lack of sleep or a disrupted sleep pattern can be a trigger to a bipolar manic episode. Now, this I've experienced firsthand, and don't want to go back there, so I definitely keep to a good sleep schedule.

We're also told to keep as stress free a life as possible, which sometimes isn't so easy, but still we have to do it if we're going to avoid those bipolar episodes. We can practice meditation, tai chi, relaxation exercises, stress reduction exercises, listen to soothing music, do crossword puzzles... again, whatever works (we're all different, remember) - as long as it keeps that bipolar episode away.

Stress can definitely bring on a bipolar episode if you're not careful. And this is something else I know about firsthand (and do not want to experience again). So do whatever it takes to keep your stress levels to a minimum.

We may not like to do "what they say," but we must willingly do it if it keeps us out of a bipolar episode, and as long as it keeps us stable. We must do whatever is within our means to do, like take our medication regularly and as prescribed (for the rest of our lives), like it or not, just so we can maintain control over our bipolar disorder.

BTW, don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

HALT with Bipolar Disorder

There is an acronym that I used with my life in general, but that applies to bipolar disorder just as easily: HALT.

HALT stands for: H = Hungry, A = Angry, L = Lonely, and T = Tired.

In other words, never let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. If you do, HALT! or STOP! and take care of whatever you need to.

Some people can get mighty grumpy when their stomachs are growling! They don't calm down till they get something to eat. The point is to never let yourself get to this point - eat your meals on a regular basis, and make sure that they are healthy meals at that.

Don't eat junk food or unhealthy meals. They won't help you, and they can harm you. Sugar, high carb and high fat meals will not only put weight on you, but can mess with your body's metabolism and all kinds of things. You want balance in your body so you can have balance in your mind.

You also never want to get too angry. Too many people with bipolar stuff their anger until it comes out surprisingly in a bipolar manic rage. Then they wonder where it came from!

You need to learn to manage your anger as well as the rest of your emotions. Don't keep it bottled up inside, because it will just spill out and over at the most inopportune time and way. Listen to me, it will happen, have no doubts of that. You need to learn to mange your anger in a positive way.

Loneliness is bad for someone with bipolar disorder. It can lead to isolation, and isolation can lead to a bipolar episode. You really don't want that. So if you're ever feeling lonely, reach out to someone. Reach out to your supporter, and be honest - tell them how you're feeling.

Reach out to other family members and friends, too. Go out and socialize. Go to a support group. Go to church. Go to a day center. Go to the library. Go to the mall. Go where there are other people so you don't feel so alone, anywhere. Do anything to combat your loneliness.

If you get too tired too often, it can lead to depresion, and depresion can lead to a depressive episode. You don't want that. You need to keep your energy up. Eating right can help with that, and so can exercise. Exercise increases your body's natural endorphins, which naturally make you feel better.

Endorphins give you natural energy, too. They can help you feel less tired. Get the right amount of sleep, too. Keep a good sleep shedule, and make sure that it is uninterrupted sleep. Lack of sleep is one of the worst triggers to a manic episode.

Any one of these things being off kilter can throw you off, but if you have more than one at a time, it can be dangerous for your bipolar disorder. Consider that the next time you feel hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Remember to HALT, and take care of yourself.

BTW, don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Just Start Your Day Over Again with Bipolar

There's a woman I know who has bipolar disorder, yet you wouldn't know it by her attitude - she always seems to be having a good day, even when I know her circumstances aren't all that great.

One day I asked her about it, because I was curious. I asked her how she did it, and she said, "Whenever I'm having a bad day, I just start my day over again. As many times as it takes."

As many times as it takes, huh? Boy, I can relate to that sometimes, when I'm having a bad day. Some days it seems that no matter what I do my day just keeps getting worse.

So one day I decided to try her method. I decided to start my day over again. Yes, it was a decision. And do you know what? My day improved.

Later on, it turned bad again, and I made the same decision. And it improved again!

My conclusion? She's right! You CAN start your day over again, and you can do it as many times as you need to. This method really does work.

I think what's behind it is that it is a decision to consciously change your attitude. You don't let your day determine your attitude - instead, you let your attitude determine your day.

In this way, you are exerting control over the circumstances surrounding you. You aren't letting those circumstances dictate how you should feel. And I'm all about taking control wherever you can, because with bipolar disorder you don't have a lot of that.

I've tried this method several times. I've had bad days since, and I decided to start my day over again, and it worked - it changed my day. So I know this method works. At least for this woman and me, this method works.

I wonder if it would work for you as well. Maybe you should try it?

BTW, don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Bipolar: When Things Aren't The Way You Want Them

Sometimes, whether you have bipolar disorder or not, things aren't exactly the way you want them. However, if you have bipolar disorder, you need to be wary of how you react when things aren't the way you want them to be, because if you do the wrong thing, you can end up in a bipolar episode.

For example, if you are in a situation where things aren't going your way and you want to change them, you can choose to try and try all kinds of things, spinning your wheels, and expending all kinds of energy, and then the next thing you know, you're in a manic episode because of it.

It's dangerous to react that way to negative circumstances. Because of our bipolar disorder, we have to approach our circumstances differently if we're going to avoid episodes.

In Dialectical Behavioral Therapy terms, it would be called, "living in the moment," or "mindfulness." This means dealing with things the way they are and not how you want them to be. It's what you have to do when facing negative circumstances that you cannot change.

You may not have control over your circumstances, but you do have control over your reaction to them. Someone once said that life is 1% what happens to you and 99% your reaction to it. I like that saying, because I believe it is true, especially when it comes to bipolar disorder.

We may not be able to control everything, but we can have control over some things - our reactions, for example. Because our reactions are choices that we make, and we can make good choices if we want to.

For example, when faced with a negative situation, you can choose to rant and rave all you want, but you will accomplish nothing. Bad choice. Or you can choose to face the situation with a positive attitude, believing for a better outcome, even though you can't see it at the moment. Better choice. You can't control your situation, but you can control your attitude toward it.

If you don't do this, it can lead to frustration, anger, and a whole host of negative emotions that, if they get out of control, can lead to a bipolar episode, and you don't want that. So you need to maintain control of your emotions. Practicing mindfulness, or staying in the moment, can help you to do that.

Remember that you may not have control over the circumstances that surround you, but you do have control over your reaction to them. You have control over the choices you make.

Even when things are not the way you want them, you can still make good choices, like choosing to have a good attitude in spite of them. Your main goal is to stay stable, and in this manner, you have a better shot at it than if you go off getting angry and frustrated over something you can't control anyway.

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Keep Positive About Your Bipolar Disorder

One of the most important things you can do to help yourself with your bipolar disorder is to keep a positive attitude. I think it's as important as the medication you take for your disorder.

Especially at those times when you may not see as many results showing on the outside, as otherwise this could lead to discouragement, and discouragement to depression, and depression to a depressive episode (and you don't want that).

You can't always count on others to bring you up - sometimes you have to be your own best cheerleader, and sometimes that isn't easy. That's why you have to keep a good attitude.

You've heard the expression, "Count your blessings?" Well, it helps if you can do that. For example, a biggie is that if you are not in an episode right now, count that as a big blessing, remembering that last big episode you were in and how much you struggled because of it. Then thank God you are episode-free right now.

You may be growing in ways you don't even see, but they are positive, as long as you keep a positive attitude about it. If you stay positive, then every step you take is a step forward toward progress, and eventually they will show. You will begin to notice your stability. You will see yourself being able to handle things that you didn't used to be able to handle. And you will grow from there.

If you believe you can achieve it, you will achieve it. So believe in your own recovery, and you will have it. Just stay positive. And take any small defeats in stride, as they will come. Just don't let them overwhelm you. Concentrate on your victories.

Don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Don't Be Too Sensitive About Your Bipolar

Have you ever heard the expression, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you?" Well, just because you think people are staring at you doesn't mean they're not, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are, either, and certainly not that they have some kind of psychic knowledge that you have bipolar disorder.

We have to learn not to be so sensitive about having bipolar disorder. Stigma is still there, but it is certainly not as bad as it used to be.

Before there was as much knowledge about bipolar as there is now, and as widespread, people actually used to believe you could catch bipolar disorder from someone who had it like you can catch the flu. Really! Believe it or not, but they did. That's how ignorant people were about the disorder.

But with knowledge comes decrease of fear. People today are not as afraid of us. In fact, they are more apt to ask you questions about your bipolar once they find out you've got it, rather than sit in judgment of you for having it.

That's because so many people have it now. Over 13 million people! So we are definitely not alone any longer, and we need not hang our heads in shame nor be embarrassed.

I am pretty vocal about the fact that I have bipolar disorder. Because I have written a book about it, I talk about it all the time. Besides, by being open about it, I find I have been able to help so many other people who are struggling with it. Once I open up about it, so do they.

I find that other people either have it or have a loved one with it, or at least know someone with it. With it being as widespread as bipolar disorder now is, chances are if you talk to someone, you'll find the same thing. 13 million people is a lot of people!

Still, some people with the disorder choose not to tell people that they have it, and that is their personal choice, and I respect that. Not everyone is as accepting of it as the people that I've run into. In fact, at one time I was looking for a place to rent (this was only a year ago), and the landlord came right out and asked me if I have bipolar disorder, and I said yes, but it is being managed with medication, but her whole attitude toward me changed, and she was downright cold and nasty from then on.

The only thing I could think was that maybe she had someone in her family with the disorder who wasn't doing well, or she knew someone who had it who wasn't doing well, but either way, bipolar disorder had left a bad taste in her mouth.

All we can do is take care of ourselves and manage our disorder the best we can. The longer we are symptom-free and stable, the better the image we will present to others of what a person with bipolar disorder looks and acts like.

Some people will always be judgmental. We have no control over them. But other people will exclaim, like what happens to me more often than not, "I wouldn't have known that you had bipolar disorder if you hadn't told me!"

Don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Taking it with a Grain of Salt with Bipolar

My mom used to have an expression that went, "Take everything with a grain of salt." When I was younger I didn't know what it meant, but as I grew, I also grew to understand its meaning, especially when it came to bipolar disorder.

Too many people take everything too seriously - too "black and white," with no gray areas, no room for flexibility. When applied to bipolar, those people are the ones who end up in episodes, because there is no room for flexibility in their thoughts or thought patterns - everything is just black or white.

When you take things with a grain of salt, you don't take them so seriously - every mistake is not a fatal mistake. You don't get so down on yourself all the time. So your self-esteem isn't crashed at the bottom of the ocean, like so many other people's who have bipolar (or even those who don't have it).

We have to lighten up once in awhile, especially because we have this serious disorder. We have to take it with a grain of salt, like my mom said, because otherwise it will overwhelm us.

There are times to be serious, to be sure, but there are other times to (dare I say it) be spontaneous! Be flexible! Have fun! Do something different! Yes, we can do that, too. And, I'll go a step further and say, we really need to, or else we can get so caught up in the fear that the fear itself will cause us to go into an episode! Do you see my logic?

Letting go and having fun once in awhile is NOT going to put us into a bipolar episode. And being spontaneous does NOT mean that we're manic! It means that we're normal, as a matter of fact.

If we don't inject some spontaneous fun into our lives, we run the risk of boredom and idleness overcoming us, leading to depression, which we all know can very possibly lead to a depressive episode.

So it is necessary to have fun, especially if you have bipolar disorder. Doctor's orders!

Don't forget to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember that God loves you and so do I,
Michele

Great Hippocrates Quote for Bipolar

I came across this great quote by Hippocrates the other day that I really like: "It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has." I think it really speaks to the stigma that unfortunately still surrounds mental illness in general and bipolar disorder specifically.

My husband and I were talking the other day about disabilities, and about how bipolar disorder is a hidden disability, but that doesn't make it any less a disability. We still struggle in the same way someone with, say, a neurological disorder might. I know, because my husband has a degenerative neurological disorder in his legs that is gradually causing a loss of function in them.

Right now he is down to having to use arm crutches to use his legs, and eventually will probably have to use a wheelchair. When we see someone use arm crutches or in a wheelchair, we obviously see that they have a disability, and we accept that.

But when someone has bipolar disorder, we can't see it as readily. And we would hope that their behavior wouldn't reflect it, either, because if they are stable, they shouldn't be showing any signs or symptoms that they even have the disorder. So, like I was saying, it's a hidden disability.

That's why I like that quote by Hippocrates so much: That it's more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.

If a person is stable with their bipolar, you can get to know them as a person first, and a person with bipolar disorder second. The disorder will not interfere with their personality and who they are in their own right.

You remember how I'm always preaching about how you have to separate yourself from your disorder, that you are NOT your disorder, right? That your identity is separate from your bipolar disorder, and that's an important distinction to make and to remember at all times.

You are only as disabled as you feel. In fact, I've seen it written as DISabled and disABLED. I like that. It really shows the distinction. I consider myself disABLED. I am stable, I am working part-time and have been doing so for over 5 years, I can drive (many people with bipolar disorder can't, so I don't take it for granted, as there was a time when I couldn't, either), and I live a simple, peaceful, successful, good life.

That says a lot for someone with as bad a case of bipolar disorder as I have, rapid cycler, etc. But I have been episode-free for quite awhile now, and grateful for it. But the stability that I have was hard fought-for, and took a long time to get. It just took doing the things I needed to do (medication, therapy, etc.) consistently over a period of time, and NOT giving up! I HAD to believe that someday I would recover, that stability was a possibility.

I know how bad a case I was. And yet I was able to achieve stability, sobriety, and serenity. So I have to believe that if I was able to do it, then you can, too. Just don't give up. It does get better over time.

Remember to check out my new bipolar book at: www.brokenroseministries.com

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele