Living with Bipolar 2 – how I take control of my life.
It’s World Mental Health Day and as someone living with a mental illness, I find that everyday is a mental health day. That’s what we’re trying to achieve, right?
No matter how down or out of control you feel, it’s important to remember that you’re not powerless when it comes to mental illness, or in my case bipolar disorder. Beyond the treatment I get from my doctor and therapist, there are many things I do for myself to reduce my symptoms so that I can stay on track.
With my bipolar 2 diagnosis, I’ve learned that I’m not powerless when it comes to the disorder. Along with treatment and therapy, there are a few things I do to reduce symptoms.
How I Cope with my Mental Illness
- Get involved. This means reading all you can about your illness, collaborate and communicate with your treatment providers, and last but certainly not least – take your medications! Basically be an active participant in your treatment.
- Keep an eye out. Monitoring your moods and symptoms is pivotal. This means being aware of warning signs. For me that includes keeping an eye out for changes in my sleeping pattern, mood, and energy level. It’s also important to recognize your triggers.
- Have coping mechanisms available. Whether this includes talking to someone, prioritizing sleep, exercising, unwinding, or writing in a journal, finding ways to maintain wellness is critical.
- Stick to a routine. I’m big on my routine and having one I can rely on helps stabilize my mood swings. This includes set times for physical activity, sleeping, socializing, and even eating, among other things.
Sure, some of these are obvious ways I keep myself on track, but they are working and that’s all I can ask for. If these coping techniques resonate with you, great! If not, that’s okay too. I’m not a medical professional so you should be taking my advice with a grain of salt (is that the saying?).
And with that, I’m signing off. Bye, friends!
