1. Medication: It doesn't solve everything but it is key in helping to stabilize Bipolar Disorder. Unfortunately it can take awhile to find the right combination of medications that work for you but there is something out there for you, it just takes time. Everyone is different. I'm thankful to have finally found a combo that works for me, although it may need adjusting from time to time.
2. Therapy: This one was surprising to me. I didn't feel like I needed therapy. Eventually I realized how helpful it was. It's really good to have someone to talk to who knows what you're dealing with who can guide you and help you overcome problems in your life. You really will learn a lot about yourself in therapy.
3. Routine: For me, the most important thing is maintaining a daily schedule. Getting up at the same time, going to sleep at the same time. Even doing certain things like brushing your teeth at a certain time. Sleep is vital, if I don't get enough sleep I start to slip into hypomania. Which isn't too destructive per say however it can easily escalate into mania. Normally my cycles aren't triggered by anything but the rare few that are are triggered are triggered by things such as stress and or sleep disturbances.
4. Mood Charting: This is a very helpful exercise in which you chart your mood and daily habits. Overtime you can sea a correlation between mood fluctuations and different factors affecting them (ex: how much sleep you got that night) Here is a mood chart you can print out and fill out if you'd like: Bipolar Monthly Mood Chart
5. Workbooks/Books: I find self help workbooks wonderful. You can go at your own pace and learn a lot. Most of them use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques which are very helpful for many things, especially co-morbid issues that go a long with Bipolar such as Anxiety. I also enjoy reading books such as "The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide" 2nd edition by David J. Miklowitz PhD. to educate myself more and help my family understand what I'm going through,
8. Journaling: This is also important. A place where you can write out all your thoughts when you have no one to talk to or they're thoughts you don't feel comfortable sharing. This is a major release of anxiety for me. It's also a great way to get thoughts off your mind when it starts racing 100mph during hypomania and mania. It could prevent you from being impulsive and saying something you would later regret if you write it down then read it back to yourself later.
7. Exercise: It was very difficult for me to start a routine of daily exercise but I have managed to keep up with it. I think 20-30 minutes of exercise a day is not only physically healthy but mentally as well. You feel tired after working out but you also feel somewhat better mood wise and a little amped up. I usually work first thing in the morning so I get it out of the way and can focus on the rest of the day.
8. Healthy Diet: This simply makes me feel better about myself. Knowing I'm eating healthy I don't have to feel bad about myself or sluggish and depressed after eating a lot of junk food. Plus it's easy to eat healthy, it's all in moderation. Too many people go on these extreme diets and end up crashing.
No comments:
Post a Comment