Rifts in relationships with loved ones, friends, and coworkers can arise with bipolar, especially in the aftermath of an acute mood episode or prior to diagnosis and treatment. Take heart—there are practical steps you can take today to repair those close ties. In time, you may even strengthen your bonds and find new, supportive communities....
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I have found that psychosis is often misunderstood and misjudged. My bipolar delusions of grandeur led to my diagnosis and transformed me into a better mental health advocate and a better, kinder person. Psychosis, Delusions of Grandeur, & Bipolar Disorder When it comes to mental health conditions, sometimes we are unaware of our illness until...
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To effectively manage our moods and find treatments that work, it is vital that we clear away the confusion surrounding common misbeliefs about bipolar disorder. I understand why people get confused about bipolar disorder. It’s a complicated illness with many symptoms. It helps to know what isn’t true about bipolar so that we can make...
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Depression takes so much energy from our bodies. It makes it very difficult for us to find empathy or be there for others. Treating depression first is the path to ending the “selfish” symptoms that depression creates. Is It Me or Is It My Bipolar Depression? Too often, when we are in the midst of...
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Wondering whether or not you have bipolar? Questioning your symptoms? Confused about how to distinguish one mood episode from the next? Wonder no more! Here are 10 definitive signs—plus their associated moods. While reading each sign of bipolar, ask yourself, “Is this depression, euphoric mania, or dysphoric (mixed) mania?” 1. Sporadic Sleep Schedules Noticeable changes...
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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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After being hospitalized a few years ago, I’ve had more “down stretches” than I can count. Here’s what I’ve learned to do when depression or frenetic anxiety has kicked in. Protect against Unpredictability Because bipolar comes with different mood states, the fact is, when you are in one—or in between them—you know it can shift...
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Meltdowns happen to everyone––even those that are careful in managing their triggers and knowledgeable about the early signs of mood episodes. So it’s extremely important to know how to deal with them. Bipolar disorder can take you from crisis to crisis if it’s not managed regularly. My goal is to think about bipolar every day...
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Whether it’s manic or depressive, the destructive energy of bipolar mood swings can leave you bending over backward for all the wrong reasons. Here’s how to cope. Depressive energy can be smoldering, ruminative, and destructive. Manic energy can be euphoric, electric, and—also destructive. Although some argue that being off meds is better for creativity, and...
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Let hope guide you “stone by stone” through the grief and trauma left in the aftermath of challenging episodes. During a particularly challenging time in my twenties, I stumbled on a wonderful analogy for how we must move through the difficult times in our lives: stone to stone, exactly the way you would cross a...
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You are not alone if your mood swings can make you mean and nasty. But integrity helps you stop yourself before you unintentionally hurt others. Integrity is a word I cherish. It means acting the same no matter what situation arises. This is especially important in our up and down bipolar disorder world. When we...
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Bipolar consists of mania and depression. Sometimes mania gets a pass because of perceived “benefits,” but ignoring your mania means you aren’t fully addressing your condition. Do you really want to end your mood swings? I ask this question honestly. Many of us want to end depression. It’s a terrible, vicious and life-threatening experience for...
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When a spouse or partner has bipolar disorder, we may need to accept that life will be unpredictable, and then find ways to adapt. Adjusting to new realities A loved one’s diagnosis will affect the entire household. All family members will need to adjust to this new normal, a life likely full of inconsistency. Living...
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Living with the unhealthy stress of waiting for the “next shoe to drop” can be managed; here’s what you can do about it: What it feels like Life can feel like you’re walking on eggshells if your partner is struggling in a current episode of either mania or depression. You try to do everything...
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Making smarter food choices can help you decrease stress, increase your energy and feel better both physically and emotionally — and help regulate your moods. Whether you’re dining out, shopping for groceries, or sitting at home on your couch, food temptation is a force to be reckoned with. Images of sweet, decadent desserts, salty snacks...
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Although there are no specific recommendations when it comes to the foods that will help symptoms, nixing the processed, packaged fare and focus on eating fresh, whole foods is a good idea. Rather than focus on the foods you should eliminate from your diet, here are 7 healthy options to add in: 1) Salmon Salmon...
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Dealing with mood swings requires many of the same skills necessary for navigating the railway system– patience, planning, and self-reliance. I dislike long road trips, so I often take other forms of transportation. I’d rather be on bus, plane, or train than stuck in a car. On a recent Amtrak trip, I started taking notes...
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There is a simple question you can ask yourself to help take charge of bipolar disorder symptoms: how’s my personal hygiene? Yes, I did just ask that odd question. Here’s why: It’s easy for us to not care about hygiene when we’re sick, but the people around us do care. They watch us carefully and...
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People living with bipolar feel life more intensely. How do you handle random encounters that can substantially, sometimes dramatically, shift your mood? Recently, while attending a mental health conference in Washington, D.C., I found myself with a little free time. So, I attended a timeshare presentation. From past experience, I knew that these can be...
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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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