bpHope Blog: Dedicated to Living Well with Bipolar Disorder

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I have bipolar; my father had bipolar; my mother is a mental health professional. I couldn’t possibly have fallen for any of the myths surrounding bipolar disorder, right? Wrong! Here I identify and debunk the top 10 myths I believed about my diagnosis. I was diagnosed with bipolar 18 years ago. My dad was diagnosed...

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“Ugh! This is the WORST!” We’ve all said it. We’ve all thought it. But if you’re consistently thinking about how things can go wrong and expecting the worst, you might be stuck in a worst-case-scenario thought pattern. The good news: You can break this pattern and start a new one. Here’s how. Worst-case-scenario thinking is...

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When you are in the midst of a depressive episode, mania can call to you like a Siren. Its song is alluring, promising you freedom and joy. But chasing the melody of mania is sure to lead to disaster and wreckage. I hate bipolar depression so much, I often think of taking a substance that...

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What are you afraid of? What are your limitations? What have you overcome? What makes you powerful? In short: Do you own your story? I am in the process of owning mine. Here is how I’ve made progress so far. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives...

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Experiencing an episode with “mixed features” can be especially confusing. You might ask yourself, “Am I up? Or am I down?” And, sometimes, the answer is, well … BOTH. Doctors can classify particular bipolar episodes as having “mixed-features” (the jargon is “Mixed Features Specifier,” or MFS, for short). The qualifications for this distinction are to...

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Life can be hard sometimes—we don’t need to make it even harder for ourselves. But sometimes we do just that! Fortunately, self-sabotage is a behavior we can take on together. We all have behaviors that hold us back—some of which even sabotage us. This series is about taking on behaviors that don’t serve us, and...

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Are you trying to make the decision to disclose? First assess—and address—your own opinion about bipolar disorder. Your feelings about bipolar affect how and when you tell a potential partner. Note from the Author: This blog is about sharing a bipolar diagnosis with a new love. Although I talk about my experiences telling people about...

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If you lose yourself in obsessive thought spirals or cycles, you are not alone. I have come a long way with managing my obsessive thoughts. Here is my process for dealing with those thoughts that won’t go away. I have found that bipolar disorder and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) often go hand-in-hand. What Is OCD?...

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Having bipolar can rock your world, but take heart—there are some pros to all the cons. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder is a tough pill to swallow. From pharmaceutical decisions to disclosure decisions, it can become a crippling time of anxiety, frustration, and upheaval. That feeling of brokenness can be hard to shake, but remembering...

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Do you tremble when it’s your turn to talk? Do you avoid public speaking at all costs? And do you feel like that fear is holding you back? I sure did. Here I share my story of leaving my comfort zone and finding my voice. Sometimes, when we speak, we aren’t communicating effectively. Furthermore, if...

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Anxiety can take your breath away and make even the smallest of tasks feel impossible. How can you try to make a living when bipolar anxiety is stealing your every breath? I have found four strategies that help me keep anxiety at bay and keep the income flowing. Anxiety is so debilitating. I can work...

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They say that life has its seasons—and that everything can change in an instant. I despise change. When a sudden, painful event tried my strength and tested my faith earlier this year, I turned to my support network to find my way through the storm. There is a song called “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by the...

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There is a significant difference between being irresponsibly impulsive and being adventurous. On the outside, they look the same. To tell the difference, I take time to reflect, recruit someone I trust, and listen to my heart. We often hear about bipolar disorder and how it can result in impulsive shopping, but what about other...

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We hear the people around us, but do we really listen? Developing effective listening skills boosts our relationships and wellbeing—and maintains our personal power. The goal of this series, Taking Yourself On, is to find success in making positive change. When we are taking on our flaws, it is just as important that we cultivate...

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It is critical that you and your loved ones craft a safety plan when you are well to protect you when you are not. When I am stable, my thinking is clear and the thought of creating a safety plan seems juvenile and unnecessary. However, in the depths of a depressive or manic episode, a...

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In order to pursue being a ‘know-it-all’, we have to sacrifice self-acceptance and perpetuate perfectionism which, in the grand scheme of things, prevents us from being our true, authentic selves. People may or may not recognize this, but being a ‘Know-It-All’ is actually a character flaw. We think it is something impressive, something necessary and...

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If bipolar disorder is a coin, its two sides are depression and mania. And, if you want to lead a stable life where you’re able to work and have long lasting relationships, both sides have to be managed. Bipolar disorder is a coin. It has two sides of equal weight and size. Think of it...

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Sleep: it’s so important for mood management, but (hypo)manic energy often makes it feel like a waste of time. To make sure you get your mandated shut-eye, harness that manic energy into healthy behaviors that promote sleep. Sweet dreams! We hear it from our therapists like a broken record: Regular, adequate sleep is of utmost...

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We don’t need our own thinking being ruled by outside influences––whether that be friends, family, or coworkers. It’s time we let go of our need for outside validation, and find it within ourselves instead. We live in a world that cares too much about what others think. We are sometimes more concerned with other people’s...