Straight Talk on Managing Bipolar Disorder

I just wrote a blog on being hypomanic.

Here is what I’m going to do about it.

1. Use the energy to get as much work done as possible. Things have been quite terrible for a month- so I can at least use this energy to get caught up as much as possible.
2. Realize that I always want to drink when I get like this. I rarely drink otherwise. So, tonight, when I see friends for karaoke, I will not have Ouzo!
3. Be home and in bed by midnight at the latest.

Get ready for the downswing.

It’s all about awareness. I created the Health Cards to help me manage this illness- they have helped me manage this mania better than any treatment I have ever known. I am thankful I can recognize this for what it is and do something about it. I refuse, absoluely refuse to make the manic mistakes of my past.

What about you? Any signs of mania? Does someone you care about show signs of mania? There are more stories and tips under the mania tab on the right. you can read more about the Health Cards at www.bipolarhappens.com

julie

PS: if your diagnosis is new- or someone you care about has just been diagnosed- it helps to read the mania, rapid cycling and bipolar one and two sections to the right!

When I wake up in the morning I can always tell- immediately- what mood I’m in. I either have a thought or just an overwhelming feeling about what I will face during the day.

When I wake up depressed, I have the thought, “There’s no point to my life.”

When I wake up manic- if I managed to sleep enough at all! I have the thought, “All right! I’m going to get so much done today!”

The depressive thoughts are more like a flood or terrible emotion- they can cloud my day all day if I let them.

The manic thoughts are like a blast of sunlight and I spring out of my bed like an athlete.

I use this time of the day to gauge my mood before I even leave my room. I have to be that self aware. If it’s depression, I say to myself, “Ok Julie. It’s here. Now let’s do something about it. You WILL feel better when you go to bed tonight.”

If it’s mania, I say to myself, “Be careful today Julie. Channel this to working, not to partying.”

Of course, my favorite way to wake up is with no odd thoughts at all. I just get out of bed and get on with my day.

Julie

I’m so sick tonight.  

This is what I wrote in my journal last night when I tracked my mood. I’ve tracked my moods every night for over four years. It is an amazing tool. Usually, I can tell by looking at a month of data what was helping and hurting the bipolar. These last few months have not been as obvious. I’ve just had so much depression that doesn’t seem related to any event. It’s causing events!  When this happens, I try to look deeper into what my be exacerbating the depression.  1. I know it’s bipolar disorder. It’s al illness. There is nothing wrong with me.  2. I’m very upset and worried about my brother. I’m once again to the point of not spending time with him due to his moods. He’s a wonderful man, but he won’t get help for his mood swings. (Yes, I write the books- he doesn’t read them!)  3. I worry about my mom becauase she is worried about my brother!  4. I’m very stuuupidlly reading a very good, but way too depressing Japanese crime novel. Now Julie, this is just dumb.  5. My work is unfocused.  6. I’m often lonely because I’m single- yes, I made the decision to stay single this year in order to work without being PSYCHOTIC! but it’s hard.  wait…. is this list never going to end! It helps to write this as I see these are all normal things. As I say in my newsletter below- I just feel them more than people without bipolar. These everyday occurrences make me wake up crying.  They cause a despair and gloom that sits on me like a dark fog.  I have an illness. I can deal with my real life the way a normal person would- I have to deal with the repercussions of my normal life with it’s normal problems by treating bipolar disorder separately. I will look at that list all day today and make the changes needed to get rid of this awful depression. I can go to bed feeling better than I do right now.  gosh! I wrote a novel! I try to keep these things short!  Julie