Here’s an interview published by the website BP Hope, a colleague site of Moodsurfing. This expert researcher who also experiences mood disorder gives her top six coping strategies for dealing with bipolar. Her insights are both sharp and encouraging: there is a lot anyone can really do to make a life with bipolar be a better life.
Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine reminds us of the following:
- Stay on your medication. If you have questions or concerns about your medication, see number 5 below.
- Get regular sleep. This can’t be over-emphasized.
- Get involved with a support group. Check out this list of various types of support groups.
- Read and learn about your illness. Bipolar is a chronic disease, which means you have to learn to live with it. The more understanding you have the more control you have over your life.
- Make a list of all your questions. Whenever you visit a doctor be sure to ask them everything you are wondering about. Ask about alternative treatments, ask about possible side effects, ask about co-occurring conditions, both physical and psychological.
- Get psychotherapy if you can afford it. Research supports the long-term usefulness of several types of therapy, but finding a treatment that helps with your unique situation may take some personal study and work. Look for all the possible options available in your area, and don’t give up!
More from Kay Redfield Jamison here.
Moodsurfing aims to be a support for all those coping with the above, especially “read and learn about your illness”. We hope that you are finding these posts helpful, and look forward to your comments either below or on our Facebook page.