the bipolar network

for people with bipolar disorder 

[shelbys-advice-blog]

Coping skills for the manic phase of Bipolar?

Hi darling (:

  Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings from mania to depression. The pattern of highs and lows varies for each person: For some people, episodes of mania or depression can last for weeks or months, while for others, mood swings are shorter and more frequent. Coping with bipolar disorder — and the mood swings it brings — can be difficult. But understanding what causes mood swings can be the first step in coping with the ups and downs of bipolar disorder.

Step-by-Step Coping:      

Find a good doctor

Become an expert 

Manage your illness 

Plan for a crisis   

Find a community                  

Practical matters - work, school, and federal aid issues

Other Resources - coping with mania, depression, and life with bipolar disorder          

mood charting - what it is and why it’s helpful  

managing medications

a healthy lifestyle helps recovery               

United States Support Organizations

Online Support Groups and Newsgroups       

International Support  Organizations

The next set of advice I have for you is some advice on how you can maybe understand some more about bipolar disorder.

Blogs

Being Beautifully Bipolar

Bipolar Advantage

Bipolar Beat

Bipolar Out Loud

Bipolar Update

Symptoms of Bipolar

Major Depressive Episode

Hypomanic Episode

Manic Episode

Mixed Episode

Phases of Bipolar

Treatment Options

Living with Bipolar Disorder

FAQ on Bipolar

Childhood Bipolar

Recommended Resources

Books

Websites & Organizations

Evidence-based Treatment for Children

Bipolar Library

Dozens of articles

Ask the Therapist about Bipolar

Ask Others about Bipolar

Help for Bipolar Disorder

Medications for Bipolar

Facts on Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar in Children

Teens and Bipolar

Differences Between ADHD & Bipolar in Children

Related Topics

Bipolar News

Clinical Trials

Research

DSM Codes for Bipolar Disorder

MEDLINE Research

Connect with Others

Personal Stories

Our Bipolar Support Group

Other Online Support Groups

Rate ‘n Review Bipolar Medications

Hope this helps! (: <3

[spectralhwa]

[sadiepickles]

Pro tip: Don’t hesitate to call your insurance company to understand the extent of your policy. You might be able to afford more than you realize and it’s always good to check. 

[bipolarblueberries]

What people think executive dysfunction is: avoiding chores, school, and work

What executive dysfunction actually is: me staring at the ceiling for two hours trying to figure out why I can’t move to get dressed

[undermoontannedskin-blog]

🌻

You deserve sleep because you deserve to have the sun sink into your skin in the morning

You deserve food because you deserve to have that cloudy lethargy leave you alone

You deserve water because you deserve to not have headaches

You deserve love because you deserve to have the darkness in your mind fought against as a team

You deserve to have your basic human needs, not just because they are your basic human needs, but because you deserve to reap their benefits

Self care. Not JUST self preservation.

[bipolarnet]

My friend Meaghan has struggled with bipolar disorder, chronic migraines, severe anxiety, fainting, and dissociation for a long time. Her husband’s job requires him to be away for months at a time, so she’s been having to live on her own. She recently got her puppy, Brutus, and is training him to be her service dog. He’s already made a lot of progress, but she needs help affording the remaining training so that he can learn the tasks needed to help her. Any donations would be very appreciated! Please signal boost if you can!

[bipolarnet]

Mod search

I need help keeping this blog going! Ideally I’d want someone who’s active online, has previous modding experience, and confident in answering questions and giving advice on bipolar disorder. If you’re interested in becoming a mod, please fill out this mod application form! 

[psychosis-spectrum]

Hey! Do you experience psychosis? Come join our rebooted Discord server! Fun for all ages!

here’s some cool stuff we got

a lovely and friendly group

minecraft server

music parties

cool bots

movie parties

a channel for the dankest memes

some other cool things we have

we offer as much help and resources as we can

we try to foster good coping

we uplift and support marginalized identities

we’re active

we’ve got channels for people of color and LGBTQ+ people

channels for people with all sorts of mental health experiences

Here’s the discord link

https://discord.gg/VZ8KDmz

[fuwaprince]

Recovery is versatile. Your goal doesn’t have to be learning to control your intrusive thoughts, your goal can be learning to acknowledge them and comforting yourself in healthy ways until they eventually pass

[mentalillnessmouse]

So I've been suspecting I'm bipolar after a friend suggested it after we talked about our experiences with depression and since I've really scrutinized my feelings and behaviors and it does feel right but I'm so... idk if I want to seek help because what if it turns out I'm actually not bipolar and just wants to be, idk not "cool" but fit in maybe? Idk like what if I'm just lazy and want to get out of doing stuff or write off shitty or irresponsible behavior?

Hey anon,

You deserve help regardless if you’re “really” bipolar. Diagnosis doesn’t determine if someone is struggling or not. What matters most is the symptoms themselves. If you relate to bipolar symptoms and they are affecting your life, then you deserve help to minimize those symptoms.

Let’s say you are officially diagnosed. That alone doesn’t actually help you improve. It’s just a way to categorize your experiences to narrow down what might work for you, and for insurance purposes. Some professionals actually prefer not to put down an official diagnosis to try to prevent discrimination for it. 

Not having an official/concrete diagnosis doesn’t mean you don’t deserve help or aren’t mentally ill. It’s managing symptoms you experience that makes the difference. People without mental illnesses deserve support and help too, so even if you end up not having anything, that doesn’t mean you aren’t struggling or that you can’t benefit from therapy.

Diagnosis or not, your experiences are valid and real.

I understand wanting a diagnosis to validate what you’re going through, but know that you don’t have to officially be bipolar to relate and benefit to resources for bipolar disorder. If it helps you, then that’s what counts! 

Some resources for you:

bipolar resource masterpost

This is a step by step on getting a therapist & A beginner’s guide to starting therapy

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

For people who think they don’t deserve therapy

-Cornet

[icantdrawbutdontcare]

You’re supposed to stop before you are at your wits’ end. You need to know your limits.

[Green, black and red text that reads: Doing your best does not mean working yourself to a mental breakdown]

[wheresmybubble]

Journal comic.

[howilearnedtocope]

Image description: A comic showing a person waking up and going about their morning that reads “I woke up late today/My first instinct was to ‘punish’ myself (I need to do twice as much work today!!!)/ It didn’t occur to me/that maybe I just needed the extra rest.”

[bipolarblueberries]

I know you’re doing your best to cope with your illnesses and I’m proud of you

[bipolarnet]

mood: up high

mood: down low

mood: too slow

[sad-but-rad-7]

[autistic-bipolar-psychotic]

Shout out to mentally ill people who dropped out of school

- shout out to the kids who were “so bright” and ‘heading somewhere” and had to drop out because school was too much to handle along with mental illness

- shout out to the kids who struggled to get where they got before they dropped out

- shout out to the kids who tried and tried and tried and still couldn’t finish

you aren’t unintelligent because you dropped out of school, you aren’t a delinquent or a bad person because you dropped out of school, just because you did what you had to doesn’t make you a bad person

[monstermonstre]

Red flags to look for in psychiatrists

- if they do not like that you research your disorder/s and treatment/s - if they do not explain the reason/s behind certain treatment/medication that they are prescribing you - if they are reluctant/refuse to let you access your medical records - if their first response to symptoms is medication without any talk therapy - if they say they “don’t believe in therapy” - if they say they “don’t believe in medication” - if they insist on seeing your parent/legal guardian without you being present - if they tell you that there are no other treatment available if you complain about your current treatment/medication not working/having unmanageable side effects - if they diagnose you without explaining how they came to that diagnosis, what it entails, and which treatments you have at your disposal - if they fall asleep during a session (you’re laughing but it happened, several times, and i’m not boring) - if they assure you that you cannot have [insert disorder here] because you are too young/wealthy/poor/fat/skinny/smiling/old/whatever bs (the only valid reasons for not having a disorder is if you do not meet the minimum criteria for it, age/body/ethnicity/etc are not criteria) - if they tell you that you obviously do not want/are not ready to get help (that’s a super abusive technique, would only see this as a valid comment to make if you are pressured into seeing them by someone who has authority over you) - if they insist on you continuing to take a medication despite the side effects very negatively affecting you (for example: if you are recovering from an ED and you get the “gaining weight” side effect and that is very triggering to you) - if they are flippant about/disregard your feelings i’m probably forgetting a lot. feel free to add. EDIT: I made a blog to vent about bad mental health practitioners @shrinksfromhell. Check it out and submit your stories!