Hi,<\/p>\n
There are many ways that people with bipolar disorder use to cope with their disorder, and one way is spiritually. There is a difference between being spiritual, though, and being religious.<\/p>\n
Now, I want to be clear about this: I’m not talking about religion here, as in going to church or adhering to any type of dogma. I’m just talking about spirituality in general.<\/p>\n
One of the most basic ways I\u2019ve discovered that people with bipolar disorder use as a coping strategy to deal with the disorder is the familiar Serenity Prayer:<\/p>\n
God, grant me the serenity<\/p>\n
To accept the things I cannot change<\/p>\n
The courage to change the things I can<\/p>\n
And the wisdom to know the difference.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t matter whether you are \u201creligious\u201d or not, the prayer still works. From what people who write and talk to me about their disorder have told me, they get tired of the ups and downs of their mood swings, and seek some kind of \u201cserenity,\u201d or peace. So they can relate to the first line of the prayer.<\/p>\n
In general, you need medication, therapy, and support to help you with your bipolar disorder, and how important they are in helping you to achieve stability, but in addition to medication, therapy, and support group meetings, many people with the disorder still feel that they need something more to help them feel \u201cbalanced\u201d from the excessive mood swings.<\/p>\n
In any 12-Step Program, they call it a Higher Power, and that works for some people, but for<\/p>\n
others it is just simpler to call this God. In the Serenity Prayer, they ask God to help them \u201cto accept the things I cannot change.\u201d For many people with bipolar disorder this is really hard, because they have to ask him to help them to accept the fact that they have bipolar disorder, and many of them are still struggling with their diagnosis. They just do not want to have bipolar disorder and to tell you the truth, I don’t blame them \u2013 this is something that is very hard to do.<\/p>\n
Being told that you have a disorder for which there is no cure, and for which you would have<\/p>\n
to take medication the rest of your life\u2026 That you would have to live with these mood swings for the rest of your life\u2026 That you would never be \u201cnormal\u201d\u2026 Well, this is definitely one of those things that you cannot change, no matter how much you want to\u2026 You have no power over bipolar disorder and the fact that you have it and always will. This is a very hard truth to swallow for many people with bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe courage to change the things I can.\u201d There is only one thing you DO have power over, however, and that is yourself. YOUR decisions. YOUR choices. You do need courage to face up to the disorder, as well as the other things you have to do to get to stability. You have to take your medications, see the doctor, therapist, and psychiatrist regularly, go to a support group, take care of yourself, learn as much as you can about bipolar disorder, etc. It might even feel as if you’re taking on a second job!<\/p>\n
But the point is, that you can become proactive in your own recovery. That is your own choice.<\/p>\n
It is the only thing you can change. The only thing you have power over.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the wisdom to know the difference.\u201d That\u2019s the tough part. Because some people still try to play God in their own life. Some people still don\u2019t get this line of the prayer right. But if they just do the little bit that they can do, one day at a time, and let God do the rest, they will find that their stress level is much lower, their stability is much higher, and overall, their life will be much better, in spite of the fact that they have bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
There are many ways that people with bipolar disorder use to cope with their disorder, and one way is spiritually. There is a difference between being spiritual, though, and being religious.<\/p>\n
Now, I want to be clear about this: I’m not talking about religion here, as in going to church or adhering to any type of dogma. I’m just talking about spirituality in general.<\/p>\n
One of the most basic ways I\u2019ve discovered that people with bipolar disorder use as a coping strategy to deal with the disorder is the familiar Serenity Prayer:<\/p>\n
God,<\/p>\n