Articles and blog posts relating to triggers and living with bipolar disorder.
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...
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If you can quickly become overwhelmed when there is too much noise, it’s OK to allow yourself to escape the chaos without feeling guilty about it. Many of us with bipolar disorder deal with hypersensitivity, in one form or another. The most prevalent form of sensory sensitivity that I experience is “auditory overload.” For...
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The changing of the seasons and Daylight Saving Time can cause sudden mood shifts and instability, but there are tried-and-true methods to stay stable. In my mind, Alaska is a “bipolar” land, with its two extreme seasons marked first by an intensity of light during the long days of summer followed by long months...
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Gaining insight into your triggers and treatment strategies to manage mood swings takes patience and dedication, but it can payoff by helping you achieve stability. There is a term that is used in the mental health world called “insight.” In the dictionary, insight is defined as, “the act or result of apprehending the inner...
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Learning your high-risk triggers is important so you can practice avoiding them to maintain stability. I consider bipolar disorder a genetic illness. I was born with it and my symptoms showed up unannounced when I was in my late teens. I didn’t control this. But I can control the triggers of my bipolar. Here is...
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Understanding what can trigger bipolar disorder symptoms is important—and you shouldn’t feel guilty for avoiding what can make you sick. By Julie A. Fast Bipolar disorder is so easily triggered. It’s a rough illness that way—even the things we look forward to can create serious mood swings. People get sick from planning a...
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Healthy sleep is one of the most important—and difficult—aspects of maintaining stability with bipolar disorder. Luckily, there are five simple rules you can follow to get those vital ZZZs during daylight saving time and throughout the year! I really have a love/hate relationship with daylight saving time (DST). When I was younger, I always...
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Bipolar flashbacks are intrusive and painful––which can really take a toll on the mind and body. But there are ways you can successfully manage this symptom. The past year has been remarkable in the lifecycle of my bipolar disorder because it is the first time I have experienced a total lack of symptoms. I could...
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Everyone has them, but triggers are deeply personal; here are six ways to tame yours: #1 Identify the stressors Learning what our hot buttons are is the first step toward developing strategies to tame your triggers. Be on the look out as to what tips you off balance? What’s the environment or activity? If you’re...
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Behind the glitz and glamor, the holiday season is difficult for many. For people with bipolar disorder, the holidays often trigger intense depressions. I’ve been without a manic or depressive episode for nearly 2 months now. It’s the first time in many years that I have survived the holiday period without questioning if I would...
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Have you ever wished you could just ‘grab’ your mind and make it happy? You Can! Read on to learn how. By Allison Strong When I went to bed on Christmas Eve, I hoped to be looking forward to the holiday, filled with anticipation. Instead, I was obsessed with a negative train of...
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Get educated BEFORE you joke about suicide or mental health. It’s not about ‘political correctness’, it’s about respect. And it’s just not funny! People who have a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, are often thought to be dangerous, scary or criminal, but this is the furthest thing from the truth. It is not only...
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Are you a morning person or a night owl? Since good sleep is vital to bipolar management what techniques do you use to balance out your sleep schedule? DEFINITELY A MORNING PERSON. The majority of the time I am awake before the alarm goes off at 7 a.m. I love getting multiple tasks/errands done before...
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No matter where you go or what you do, politics is going to affect your life. You may hate the debates and the media coverage but you can’t escape the impact it has on our lives. Here’s how to cope with it This goes without saying that bipolar does the same thing. It’s there in...
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With honest reflection of what sets off your bipolar disorder, you too can curb your triggers and cut your symptoms in half. This is Julie Fast for bp Magazine. As you can see, I’m doing my video from my car today. Normally, I like to set up a location, make it beautiful, plan...
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My bipolar diagnosis seems to come with a hypersensitivity that causes the smallest of situations to trigger a mood swing. I’ve always been told that I am sensitive, emotional and stubborn. At first when I was a child it was ‘you’re just like your mother’ or ‘you’re just like your grandmother’. Then it developed into...
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Are you a night owl or the morning lark? Here’s what you need to know about chronotypes, circadian rhythms, and getting your sleep in sync. Cass has always been in love with sleep. “I can easily snooze until 11 a.m. or noon,” says Cass, 28, of Virginia. “I’m always ready for a nap.” Unfortunately, waking...
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In our media-driven culture, it’s important to learn ways to stay informed––without letting negative news trigger mood episodes. I’m a huge fan of staying connected and being “in the know”. I’m on a computer all day at work. I like my smartphone and my tablet. I’m in constant communication by phone, email, social media and...
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To experience my bipolar as an illness entirely separate from everything else in my life, as an entity of its own, is, in a way, a blessing. One might think that twelve years’ post-diagnosis, nine years as a writer on mental health issues, three years as a peer supporter, and a consistent follower of my own...
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It’s never easy to reach out for help. But even when it’s uncomfortable, ask for accommodations because they are exactly what we need to stay well. Life has been a whirlwind of change as of late and there have been many exciting developments in my life. I have recently moved residences from my comfort zone...
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