*~*~*~*...us Bipolar exsperts on managing skills...*~*~*~*

First off I know my problems started when I was a young boy and went through both sexual and physical and also verbal abuse.
I will go into stronger details. But right now I would like to offer what ever I can do to help out. What I can say right now is you need alot of quiet time with no interruption and I have found good praise and worship music along with a rest is a good help. If you feel like crying let it out, it is like a cleansing from inside out. I will continue with more later for right now I just wanted to give what ever little help I could.

robcragg said:

First off I know my problems started when I was a young boy and went through both sexual and physical and also verbal abuse.
I will go into stronger details. But right now I would like to offer what ever I can do to help out. What I can say right now is you need alot of quiet time with no interruption and I have found good praise and worship music along with a rest is a good help. If you feel like crying let it out, it is like a cleansing from inside out. I will continue with more later for right now I just wanted to give what ever little help I could.

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My desire is to help others heal especially men, because they are the hardest to reach, I'm willing to share my experiences. However I made some small success, but right now I can't help myself. As I sit here in tears I don't know what to do except go to bed and cry.

Being BP, I know that I cannot take much stress. If I find it building up, I try my best to do something else. Listening to your favorite music is GREAT THERAPY..my favorite is doowop. My church is very small (about 250 members) I have come out to some of them, and they are very understanding. We have started a small support group which also helps. My best suggestion.....talk, to someone you trust, and talk alot. suppor is out there, the Lord will lead you to the right people if you ask and trust him.

Focusing on what I want and getting tunnel vision.

What helps me:

Reading God's word
Prayer
Fellowshipping and worshipping at church
Exercise
Friends (online and off)

God bless you all,

Suzi

Sending you a little healing thoughts and sunshine to brighten your day.

So...

I was just recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It's still strange for me to think about...some days I feel like maybe I was just being silly going into my Drs office and talking to him about my problems...other days I feel like I really do need help.

Since he diagnosed me I've told my close friends and family...so they'll maybe understand. the people I'm closest to weren't surprised...but other people that I'm close to but not SUPER close to were like "noo...I don't think you have that."
I'll be honest...it kind of discourages me...I feel like maybe it's true...maybe I don't.

Then I get depressed again.
I've been trying to monitor my mood swings from day to day and see what helps. I try to write down my thought process and exactly what I'm thinking.

When I get depressed I get to the point where I don't want to be around anyone...much less them look at me. I feel incredibly self conscious and incapable.

I don't really know what triggers it...I wish I did...but sometimes taking a shower or simply washing my face helps. Cleaning pretty much anything can help pull me out of it...exercise tends to help a lot too.

I don't really know what to do to help a manic phase. I tend to buy things, sometimes uncontrollably, I can get crazy ideas or plans. I snap at people for tiny things (ex. my boyfriend driving over a speed bump too fast or not slowing down earlier at a red light). I once tried to get back my old job simply because I missed that job even though I would be making about half as much as I do now and driving twice as much. Sometimes that determination can be a good thing, others it can be dangerous. I also get racey thoughts...that one I've had since before I can remember...it's kind of a scary experience..how do you explain that everything is going faster than it should? for that one I just have to close my eyes and cover my ears to make it all stop.

It's weird though..when everything seems fine you don't go through each day thinking "I have a problem." Having been diagnosed with it maybe a month ago, i guess it's all still just starting to sink in.

I try to explain it to my boyfriend....the poor guy...I tend to freak out on him the most. He doesn't really ever know what to do...yet he sticks around through it all.

If someone could give me some tips....or something it would be greatly appreciated...it's nice to have found somewhere to talk to people who kinda know what it's like.

I need some time alone everyday. It maybe watching a tv show, a quick nap, mowing the lawn, etc. If I can do this it seems to help my bi-polar at bay.

My alone time needs to be stress free and just by myself.

It's just what I do.

Hope it helps someone

Hi, it has been a very long time since I have been on this message forum. I guess you can say I have been trying to keep busy and stay focus. One of the hardest things to do when you have bipolar is to stay focus. Problem is when I am going through I find the only solution is to pray, talk to my husband or closest friend. Keeping busy by writing or doing something new keeps my spirits up and keeps me in balance.

My son has Aspergers' syndrome and bipolar disorder and is having a very difficult time cycling. Seems like loud noise and repetitive visuals such as videos is what keeps him happy.

S Gunter - Meds make me worse too. My Dr doesn't believe that they make me worse (because they are supposed to make me better - I guess) So, currently with out meds. Am living on prayer - and that's a great place to be.

I created this in 2004 (and have updated many times since) to keep track of my moods to help me realize where I'm at and to help me prevent major episodes... i hope that this can help others as well.

1v4n said:

I created this in 2004 (and have updated many times since) to keep track of my moods to help me realize where I'm at and to help me prevent major episodes... i hope that this can help others as well.

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I'm sorry that this is just an image, but that's all the forum would let me upload, i have a PDF and a MS Excel file for those who are interested, otherwise you can just resize the image and print it.

goldenviolet said:

this thread is for us that are bipolar. ​

a place for you to tell us what works in your life to help encourage your moods, behaviors, off days. ​

​

........................................................................................

me (i know i'm a handful)

*bible and prayer alone... vrs... with a person.
*not aggrivate by noises and busy activity right around me... vs getting out.
*doing some activity that is calming and distracting.
*hug... vs space.
*talking about it... vs being available in the room with me.
i'll fix this post... where'd everybody go?
*going to doctor... vs dealling alone or with family.
*loud music... vs soft music (i can only listen to worship)..

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Thanks for this thread

The coping skills I have learned at program have helped me.

Deep breathing, Grounding (counting, distraction by using colors or your 5 senses)

Taking a walk, being outside, being around people, talking to people who get it

what helps me 1. quiet too much noise and I'm annoyed more and more sometimes my ears are hyper sensative. My mother always said she could hear a high pitched dog wistle from blocks away.No matter what the T.v. or what ever is on the computer in the next room, my husbands alarm clock when I'm sleeping everything is always tooo loud. 2. sleep has always helped every member of my bi-polar family. We often sleep 9 or 12 hours at night work schedule permitting on the weekend I can sleep late and get up and 2 hours later take a three hour nap. 3. Not having constant activity around me. My husband would wrestle the 2 kids on the living room floor and just drive me nuts or the kids would start chasing each other and circle me and I just couldn't stand it even for 1 circle around me. My husband favorite arguement is that I have to have everything my way and mine is well you married me.

I forgot exercising out doors durrring nice wheather, walking the dog or taking one kid or the other to sports like football practice. can push mood funks away. so can a good standup comedian if I find myself laughing out loud, which doesn't happen often enough. Being trapped indoors during winter or going to work when it is dark out and coming home when there is little light left makes the mood funks come in and stay for long periods as does working too many manditory overtime hours and having feelings that nothing is in my control. I definitely have a need to control wheather it be little things or everything all day long.One way I've satisfied this is to drive a forlift for a living because I'm in control.

Atheists suffer from bi-polar disorder too.

I take Abilify (15mg) and Effexor (150mg), which are the main reasons that make me stable, I guess. Don't have any experience with any other medicine except Zoloft, but I prefer Effexor for my depression.

I walk. A lot. But don't do it alone, ask a friend or family to walk with you - but in my case I'm in a walking group where we every Sunday go hiking in the mountains in my country. This has definitely improved my social standing and overall mood.

I cook exotic foods. Dunno why this helps, maybe it's simply the joy of cooking or something, or just the feel of pay-off for making your own special food and of course the various and sometime surprising gastronomic experience.

I keep a diary, that I (unfortunately) infrequently write in. Good to keep track of thoughts and works for me as auto-therapy just from reading my own writing later on.

I try to maintain social contact with friends and family, but in my specific case it gets difficult as I'm also a tad anti-social, but I'm getting there with cognitive therapy treating social anxiety and other issues that I have.

That's about it.

goldenviolet said:

you guys aren't going to believe this post.

try it sometime ...

when you feel moody in anger and frustration... try this. sit with back strait, feet flat on floor and breath as relaxed as you can. then, try to smile with half of your face only (force it if you have to).

ok. you are thinking, dee is whacked right? ...

actually this does two things medically tested ... breathing in a strait up posistion produces body chemicals that help, from the blood and oxygen flow through body. and the half smile will cause you to really smile, which produces a chemical that is sent through those muscles releasing the same chemical when you laugh and smile.

i tried it when i was furious! it worked. ofcourse it was temporary. but it helped me get rid of the knots in my brain and stomache from being tense in frustration.

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I am going to try it. sounds great and worth trying.

" Jesus in me" total dependence on him helps me more than anything. just get sidetracked a bit.