Hi,<\/p>\n
Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate it.<\/p>\n
How are you doing today? I hope you’re having a great day.<\/p>\n
You know I talk a lot about being in control of your bipolar disorder. That’s because if you don’t,<\/p>\n
the bipolar disorder will be in control of you. So how do you take control? By doing the things you need to do to be stable.<\/p>\n
Although you are not the only one with bipolar disorder, you are the only one who can take care of your own disorder. It’s different for different people.<\/p>\n
But there are some things that people with bipolar disorder should have in common:<\/p>\n
1.\tTake your medication. If there are any problems with your medication, you<\/p>\n
need to report it to your doctor so they can help you.<\/p>\n
2.\tEat a healthy diet. There are some foods that are bad for people in general,<\/p>\n
much less people who have bipolar disorder. For example, caffeine (even<\/p>\n
in chocolate) can be bad for you.<\/p>\n
3.\tLive a healthy lifestyle. You can’t smoke, drink, and\/or take drugs if you<\/p>\n
want to get better. Even nicotine can possibly affect your stability. And<\/p>\n
substance abuse is a problem in itself (and can also have bad consequences<\/p>\n
for your bipolar medication).<\/p>\n
4.\tStick to a good sleep schedule. You should get at least 8 hours of<\/p>\n
uninterrupted sleep every night, and go to bed at the same time and rise at<\/p>\n
the same time every day. Your body clock needs to be stable in order for<\/p>\n
you to be stable.<\/p>\n
5.\tGo to all your appointments. Not everyone with bipolar disorder is on the same treatment plan, but each should have at least a doctor and therapist. You may<\/p>\n
have a psychiatrist as well, who manages your bipolar medications. Missing<\/p>\n
appointments can become a very bad habit, and hurt you in the long run.<\/p>\n
6.\tHave a strong support system. Not everyone has the same people in their<\/p>\n
support system, as each person decides for themselves, but they should all<\/p>\n
have a support system. You could have your supporter, friends, family,<\/p>\n
co-workers, your clergy person, your pharmacist, and others to help you.<\/p>\n
In addition to these common things, there are other things that some people with bipolar disorder do to maintain control over the disorder.<\/p>\n
1.\tKeep a mood chart or diary. Recording your moods on a daily basis can be very beneficial for you if you have bipolar disorder. You can see at a glance any patterns, such as a prolonged depression, that can indicate that you might be going into an<\/p>\n
episode, and you can avoid it.<\/p>\n
2.\tHave a good social life. You don’t need to hide just because you have bipolar disorder. And you shouldn’t be alone a lot of the time, because isolation is one of the biggest triggers to a bipolar episode. Having friends and a “normal” social life is good for your self-esteem as well.<\/p>\n
3.\tStay close to family. Many people with bipolar disorder shy away from their family, or have offended them when they were in an episode. It’s important to maintain these relationships, so they can be there for you.<\/p>\n
4.\tBe productive. You may no longer work outside the house, you may even be on disability, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be productive with your time. Some people with bipolar disorder start their own home business, while others volunteer their time to a worthy cause. Being idle and\/or bored can lead to a bipolar episode.<\/p>\n
So who is in control? If you do these things, chances are that YOU will be in control of your<\/p>\n
bipolar disorder. If you aren’t doing these things, or not doing them consistently, your stability<\/p>\n
is in jeopardy, as your bipolar disorder has control over you.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate it.<\/p>\n
How are you doing today? I hope you’re having a great day.<\/p>\n
You know I talk a lot about being in control of your bipolar disorder. That’s because if you don’t,<\/p>\n
the bipolar disorder will be in control of you. So how do you take control? By doing the things you need to do to be stable.<\/p>\n
Although you are not the only one with bipolar disorder,<\/p>\n