Bipolar Triggers

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Everyone faces challenges in life. And bipolar disorder can certainly add new and unexpected complications. It’s how we face them that matters. Seeking Wisdom in Challenges with Bipolar We are going to face challenging situations, people, and barriers in our lives, but we have control over how we deal with them. We can decide to...

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One unexpected, angry outburst showed me how speaking kindly—instead of reacting with rage—can help me handle uncomfortable situations and prevent hurt feelings after the fact. Learning to speak kindly was a valuable lesson that I learned the hard way. And I’ll never forget how it happened. An Angry Outburst One day, I was in the...

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One night, our own thoughts get in the way of restorative rest. The next, it’s our partner’s snoring. Here’s how to mitigate several common sleep saboteurs. It’s no secret that steady sleep and stable moods go hand in hand when it comes to managing bipolar disorder. Whether it’s chronic insomnia, a sudden circadian disruption, or...

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Strong support has been a pillar of my stability with bipolar for 14 years. Even so, a trigger recently sent me back to therapy for help. I try to stay positive, but the reality is, sometimes, life can be hard, unfair, and unkind. Even after a long period of success and stability, inevitably, there comes...

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When an unexpected project deadline coincided with the busiest week of the year, I had to temporarily sacrifice sleep without triggering a mood shift into depression. Sleep Is Vital to My Mood Stability The importance of regular, sufficient sleep is underrated in our culture. Adequate, restorative sleep plays a huge role in my ability to...

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Convinced I had the “perfect” work/life balance, I dismissed red flags of excess stress. My symptoms built up until I finally realized that bipolar is only truly invisible when we’re ignoring it. The Itch I was sitting in front of my computer in my home office, cranking out a poster design for a movie set,...

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Hypersensitivity to cues in the environment—clutter, noises, the wrong kind of fabric—can trigger or be part of a mood episode. Does that happen to you? HYPERSENSITIVY MAKES noises, bright lights, and certain environments almost intolerable. This was quite a struggle in some of my workplaces and contributed to my decision to apply for disability. I...

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My birthdays come with love, presents, parties, attention, and crying jags. As I counted down the days to my birthday, I found a pattern of moods that surprised me. “Big” Birthdays Lead to “Big Feelings” Recently, I celebrated a milestone birthday—one marking another decade in my life. And I just have to say that I...

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Facing heightened anti-Asian discrimination, I continue to work at softening my triggers while navigating a lifelong journey of being considered “different” for my ethnicity and, sometimes, an “outcast” for my bipolar. Early Experiences of Racism & Feeling Like an Outcast When I was five years old, I remember riding the bus to kindergarten. There were...

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My mood episodes fluctuate seasonally. This can be challenging, so I have a plan for recognizing changes and keeping myself as safe and stable as possible. Seasonal Changes & Mood Episodes Like me, many people who live with bipolar experience a seasonal pattern of mood shifts throughout the year—the darkening of the fall months can...

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To stay on track with wellness and boost my mood, I stay away from damaging negative self-talk and have positive conversations with myself instead. If you see me walking, driving, or even just standing around, you may notice that I’m talking to myself. This practice might seem peculiar, but I assure you that it has...

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I learned long ago, to move forward to positive, healthful, stable days, we must first release the trauma of the past. Coping with Trauma & Triggers I once learned a valuable life lesson at the dog park, of all places. Years ago, I adopted the cutest little apricot-colored shih tzu, whom I named Lady. The...

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When intense irritability and “anger attacks” disrupt your life and damage your relationships it’s time to look at your mood swings, triggers and stress levels. If Terry had to give herself a diagnosis, it would be “what I call POPD—pissed-off personality disorder,” she says. Even though the she has learned numerous coping skills to help...

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In facing personal turmoil and societal upheaval, I have found that routine has been key to my stability with bipolar. Changes to my schedule can have a massive impact. But so can reinstating new patterns and structures in my days. Routine Has Been My Best Bipolar Management Strategy Last year, I shared about how a...

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Often overlooked as part of an effective treatment plan for bipolar disorder, rest is one of the most important tools we can use to maintain our well-being. What Is Rest? Nighttime: Sleep I believe we can rest during both sleep and wake times. Sleep is what comes to mind as an obvious source of rest....

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With this diagnosis comes lifetime admission to the Bipolar Theme Park, where the possibilities for mood flare-ups (and downs) are endless! But … we needn’t ride EVERY roller coaster. In my journey with bipolar, I’ve been puzzling over how to detect the signs of an oncoming mood episode. I want to catch them as early...

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My episodes seem to come out of nowhere when I ignore everyday triggers and find it hard to admit that—even as a proud “supermom”—I sometimes need backup. Finding a signal for support has made a big difference. “Here We Go Again” Well, here we go again. Most of us with bipolar know this phrase all...

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When faced with disappointment, my brain never gives me the luxury of deciding how I feel and how I want to react. Nope. It just experiences it and immediately starts doing bipolar flips and twists in a way I find very hard to control. Here I share two related stories about disappointment that led to...

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What to pack? Preparing for a trip is always a conundrum, but especially when you want to explore the world without triggering a mood episode. Here are my tried-and-true tips to stay stable, no matter your destination! When Travel Is Your Passion The main reason I work and earn money (other than to pay bills)...

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Finding useful information and nurturing connections with friends, family, and people with common interests are good things. Depression, demoralization, and isolation aren’t. Today we communicate and interact in a manner unprecedented in human history. Social media—such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.—are mainstream technologies that allow us to communicate and connect with each other online. What’s...