Taking Bad Bipolar Days With Good Days

When you have bipolar disorder, you have to take the bad days with the good ones. That's true for life in general, but especially true when it comes to bipolar.

But you can't take it to the extreme. What am I talking about? First of all, you can't assume that every time you feel bad or are in a bad mood that it means you are in a bipolar depressive episode. Bad days are going to happen, no matter what. They happen to people who don't have the disorder, too.

You still have to be vigilant and watch for triggers, and signs and symptoms of a bipolar episode, but you don't need to assume that every time you feel bad that it's an episode in the making, either. Remember, bad days are going to happen.

You just have to take the bad days with the good when you have bipolar disorder. You can get through them. When they come, just tell yourself that this is NOT a bipolar episode, but only a bad day. Then try to be positive, and do something to take your mind off it (doing positive things will usually accomplish this).

When you set your mind onto positive thinking, positive actions usually follow. First, accept that it's only a bad feeling, or a bad mood, or a bad (bipolar) day, and not an episode.

Then turn your mind to the positive, like thinking you can get through this, as you have before. Try thinking positive things, like being grateful that you are not, in fact, in an episode.

Some people even make a gratitude list and find that this helps them to turn their mind toward the positive. To do this, you take a pen and paper and list 10 things you are grateful for. If you can list more than 10, all the better. This will help to put you into a more positive frame of mind.

Other people use positive affirmations. These are sayings that you can write down and put in prominant places (like mirrors or the refrigerator) and look at to remind you to be positive, such as: "I can do this," or "I can handle anything," or "I have been here before and made it through, and I will make it through again." You get the idea.

Positive affirmations can be anything you want them to be. Even "You are loved" is a positive affirmation that many people use.

Then turn your positive attitude into positive action. Got to your volunteer work and help someone else. Work on your hobby. Do something creative and/or constructive. Try reading something uplifting. Listen to some quiet or inspirational music, or any type of music that will keep you positive. Talk to a friend or family member.

The main thing is to remember that you don't have to let the bad days get you down. They are only temporary. The bad feelings will always pass, as will the bad bipolar days. Good days will always return.

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

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,
Michele