I was given the diagnosis of Bipolar I with mixed/psychotic episodes. The patterns are a bit different between the two, but you can still build a system.
First, it is best to not only educate yourself, but others as well. I know it's difficult to try and explain things that you don't quite understand yourself, but it takes time. If you are required to take meds, not all may work for you. You may need one, you may need more. They may need to be upped they may need to be downed. In the process, between the episodes and side effects, it can take a toil on you and everyone around you. A good support system is important. I personally, found a good support system right here in this forum. I used to be married to someone that not only told me that mental illness was over rated, but ignored every warning sign, pushed every trigger and tossed every piece of information I gave him. I took him to therapy once....and only once. My therapist wanted to try and educate him considering he wasn't listening to me. That resulted in me banning him from ever going back by the end of the session. First of all, your hubby and everyone else that is in contact with you needs to be educated so they have a better understanding and will possibly be of more support. Two, if you are in therapy, always be open about everything. The more they know, the better they can help you. Even if it's a difficult subject, it is best to always talk about it. If it's on a bad day, a good therapist will save it for when you are ready.
Three, if a medication doesn't work for you, always give it enough time to get in your system. Sometimes it can take a few days, a couple of weeks or as much as a month. If after a period of time you feel that things are worse, call your dr immediately and they may be able to work you in and do something different.
Journaling is a good thing to do. This may not only help you relieve anxiety or depression, it is also a good tool to help you locate triggers you may not have noticed at the time.
It is important to locate triggers and build a list of coping skills to help suppress them before they get out of hand and lead to panic attacks, paranoia, etc.
Coping skills can and will become an important factor to help make your journey a little easier. Depending on where you are and the situation, they may not always work, but that's where the "list" comes in handy.
For instance, I don't like crowds. I have been known to leave carts full of stuff in the middle of an aisle just to get out and away from people. I had to find a coping skill that helped me get through the crowd and not go into a panic attack or leave a full cart for someone else to deal with. I then found a system. I always find the nearest aisle that has little to no people and take that route. I may zig zag my way to checkout, but I get what I need and without panic. If I get blocked in by people, this is the worst for me. I look down, focus on something and if it involves me counting to 100 in my head, I do it. It keeps my focus on the item I am looking at and not on the fact that I am closed in.
If certain thoughts trigger something from a traumatic event, (I have PTSD), I get busy doing something that alters my mind. Be it writing, crafting, cleaning, spending time with pets, going for a walk, etc. Something I enjoy that gets my mind on a different route.
This is why finding your triggers are VERY important. If you can identify the trigger, you can sometimes take hold of it before you spiral. This is where the education of others is important, for they know better what to do/not do say/not say.
It all takes time and there is a lot of trial and error. However, the more all these things come into play, the easier they become. It doesn't mean you won't have bad days, it doesn't mean you won't have episodes....but it does make things a bit smoother.
Blessings,
