Living with Bipolar Disorder is not an easy feat. On the bright side, there are different strategies for coping with and managing the various symptoms. By making healthy choices and pairing medication and therapy, individuals with Bipolar Disorder can gain more control of their lives.
Some factors that are necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle with bipolar disorder include hope, perspective, personal responsibility, self-advocacy, education, and support. Having hope means keeping a positive attitude and confidence in your ability to lead a happy life with the disorder. Even when times get hard, it is important to never give up and have faith in your ability to overcome all obstacles.
In addition, take responsibility and get help when you need it. Take an active role in your treatment, and learn everything you can about your symptoms and options. Talk with your doctors and communicate with them what you are looking to gain from treatment. Together, you will be able to form a plan that is catered to your specific needs and are more likely to be successful in managing symptoms.
Once a treatment plan has been developed, stay true to it. Take medication as instructed, get therapy, and be proactive by monitoring your symptoms and moods. Keeping a close watch over your moods and changing feelings will allow you to catch a potential mood episode early on. A great way to regulate your moods is to use a mood chart that has information about your sleep, weight, medications, and levels of anxiety. In addition to having a mood chart, it is a good idea to have a list of your potential triggers, so you can see the warning sides before experiencing a mood episode. Some triggers include arguments with loved ones, work, exhaustion, and stress.
There are also a myriad of other activities that can lead to greater mood stability. Having a support group is a great way to cope with symptoms. This reinforces the fact that you are not alone and others are sharing in your journey. Support groups are a great way to exchange ideas about strategies that have and have not worked in managing symptoms. Getting more sleep, cutting back on sugar and caffeine, relaxing, writing in a journal, and engaging in creative activities are also every day strategies for preventing mood episodes.
Bipolar Disorder can be difficult to deal with every day, but keeping an optimistic attitude and using these strategies can make symptoms more manageable and lead to a more positive self-image.
More information and coping techniques can be found in the full article at this website.