Bipolar, or "chronic gemini disease"

Kieran. 24. He/him. I have BP2 and a luxurious mullet. Sideblog of @bendallfoy. Icon by @bipolarings :D

[boipohlah]

Hi I'm making a bipolar blog now

- Kieran, 24, recently diagnosed with BP2

- boipohlah = bipolar but make it Australian

- a blog coming to terms with my diagnosis and treatment

Nice to meet everyone 👋👋👋

[eros-vigilante]

hey hey hey. people with the Less Normalized Disorders deserve safety, support, and love just like the ones that are getting destigmatized. people with borderline, bipolar, schizophrenia, dissociative-based, and/or so SO many more should have their safety ensured by the community. we deserve to feel safe informing someone we have one or more of these things like people with adhd often can now. thats all, (feel free to add on for the specific topic of the disorders yet-to-be as normalized.)

[thefrizzkid-deactivated20220425]

There is no perfect narrative for recovery.

[positivedoodles]

[kindnotestoself]

[taking medicine does not mean you’re weak]

[bipolarings]

[random-positivity]

[Image description: Three images with text in flat colored backgrounds in different tones of purple. The texts read, from left to right: “Bipolar does not mean unfaithful”, “Bipolar does not mean abusive” and “Bipolar does not mean violent”]

[stolenchapstick]

[selves-acceptance]

there’s nothing heroic about burnout. there’s nothing heroic about not sleeping, or forgetting to eat because you’re so focused on wanting to help someone.

save the world, but the world includes you.

[that-bipolar-mood]

I think more people should know that bipolar is also a circadian rhythmic disorder.

Basically, with bipolar our body clock is messed up.

A lot of people can set their body clock by going to sleep and waking up at the same hour, their body is able to do it on its own after some time.

But with bipolar, this habits and routines of the body don't stick. So making a routine is essential for recovery but even once that routine is set, unlike with neurotypicals, it's easy to knock it off track.

But i also think this translates into a lot of things. People always told me "if you do something every day for a month you'll start doing it automatically from then on" and similar things that just never seemed to apply to me but worked for everyone else.

The ground that is founed in routine is so hard to set and you lose the balance quickly. The middle does not come easy to us.

[sadiepickles]

Literally one of the best things you can do when you're disregulated is just say "I'm feeling disregulated right now and I shouldn't make any rash decisions right now" and find strategies to deal with the discomfort. What is disregulation? A heightened state of distress that happens when you get triggered by something upsetting that makes you particularly prone to making bad decisions and overreacting to make the Bad Feelings go away and regain control. When you're in it, it feels like your head is on fire and your heart is racing. It is physically uncomfortable. Some helpful things to do when you feel disregulated? I'm glad you asked.

1. Sensory grounding exercises - Drinking water, splashing water on your face, smelling a candle, eating something, making decaf coffee or tea (caffeine is going to make it worse), smelling a flower, sitting in the bath, chewing on ice, heated blanket

2. Distractions- repeat after me "I am feeling disregulated and while I wait out this feeling I am going to watch a video of kittens on the internet", netflix comedy specials, a book if you have that level of concentration, playing with an animal, watching a movie, and turning your phone off if it becomes a trigger

3. Mantras- a) "I am feeling disregulated but I will feel okay again soon", b) "I'm feeling disregulated but I've survived worse", c) "You are safe. You are okay. It's going to be okay." d) "We aren't losing our mind today. Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine."

4. Breathing- 5 in slow, hold for 5, 5 out slow, repeat. Going on apps like Calm also help with breathing exercise variety

5. Talking to a friend - Either talk to a friend or the suicide hotline if you're short on friends to voice your issue. Sometimes actually talking about it gets the stress out of your system.

6. Recognize your personal "playlist of insecurities"- This is a big concept for me these days. I have specific insecurities that fall like dominoes once one is triggered. If a friend cancels plans, it'll look something like "Nobody wants to hang out with me--> Nobody loves me--> I'm going to die alone --> What's the point --> I have no control over anyting --> I don't matter --> Nothing matters --> Nobody loves me" and then the loop goes on. Once you recognize your patterns, you can call them out and interrupt the cycle. I usually start at the top. Plenty of people love me. I do my best. One disappointment is not the end of the world. I need to work on being flexible. One bad day won't ruin my whole life.

7. Get creative- even scribbling in a journal will help let off steam. This is adjacent to distractions.

8. Consider professional help- If the problem persists and you're at the point where you feel completely out of control when you feel disregulated you can look for programs that focus on DBT, which is a system of exercises and coping mechanisms that help you sense your feelings in your body while they are escalating and plan coping mechanisms to match the intensity of your feelings.

[disabledprincesses]

Take your meds

Not because your doctor told you to, or because you have to

But because past you would've leapt so far and paid so much to be able to do so

Do it for younger you

[future-ghosts]

it's never too late to start your day

insomnia got you sleeping in until 2 pm?

that's okay. get yourself some coffee and go thrift shopping, no one will know

anxiety got you staring at walls until 8 pm?

it's going to get better. start a load of laundry and take a hot shower, so you go to sleep clean

depression keep you locked in your room until 11 pm?

it'll be alright. drive to walmart and buy some nice candles for your night, you'll wake up with something new

you don't have to start your day in the morning. i start at 5 pm sometimes and let me tell you, doing something almost always feels better than doing nothing. it doesn't have to be big or important. it doesn't have to be too much to handle. it's enough to wash your face, or comb out your hair. if you feel tired, it's enough to make a list of things you want to do tomorrow. don't let the clock hold you back. it's a piece of glass and plastic. you get to decide what a day is.

[self-healing]

recovery is not ‘soon i will be untouched, perfect, and in a permanent state of bliss. i will be healed and all will be well, forever.’

recovery is ‘i will continue to survive despite what happens, i will find ways to cope instead of continually tearing myself down. i will recover and will see myself in a light that i never thought was possible.’

[kilterstreet]

Reminded of this excerpt from Getting Through the Day: Strategies for Adults Hurt as Children by Nancy J. Napier: “It also helps to remember that healing occurs in a spiral. We swing around again and again to the same old issues, but at different turns of the spiral. Each time we confront a similar feeling or reaction we have yet another opportunity to learn and to heal. Each time, we bring with us whatever new understanding we have gained since the last time we cycled through this particular difficulty.”

[bipolarings]

Hi! Inspired by some of the other modifiers out there and a few different polls, I have created a set of Bipolar Based Identities, or Modifiers! The goal of these is to reclaim some of the stigmatized aspects of our disorder, the term “maniac,” and attempt to describe how our symptoms make us feel. On this site you’ll find what a modifier is/why I made these, the modifiers themselves, and a few preemptively answered questions.

Heavenly Maniac (🌊🕊️) - A label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with, godlike creatures or angels. This may be due to dealing with grandiosity or grandiose delusions, reclamation of religious trauma, associating with heavenly colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. Monstrous Maniac (🌊🧟) - A label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with monsters, cryptids, or other “entities”. This may be due to feelings of being ostracized or othered, feelings of guilt associated with depression, associating with creepy colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. Clown Maniac (🌊🤡) - A label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with, clowns, jesters, or comedians. This may be due to feelings of euphoria or increased social activity, increased feelings of silliness or need to joke, associating with fun or silly colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. Infernal Maniac (🌊🔥) - a label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with, demons/devils or fire. This may be due to intense feelings (specifically those of irritability or anger), reclamation of the stereotype that bipolar people are dangerous, increased feelings of impulsivity or risk taking behaviors, associating with dark, reddish, or fiery colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. Void Maniac (🌊⚫️) - a label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with a vague concept, such as the void, deep space, or the deep ocean. This may be due to feelings of being vast or complex, foggy or vague, feelings of emptiness, associating with deep and dark colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. Robotic Maniac (🌊🤖) - a label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with, robots. This may be due to feelings of having “modes” or “settings,” being overcharged or undercharged, trouble fitting in due to symptoms, associating with mechanical colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. Stormy Maniac (🌊🌩️) - a label modifier for when a bipolar person identifies with, or things associated with, storms, wind, hurricanes, or other inclement weather. This may be due to feelings of unpredictability because of their moods, being “caught” in a mood, feeling destructive, associating with dark and damp colors or aesthetics, or for other reasons. (credit to @pink-sativa on tumblr for the idea!)

[serenityquest]

[legionsandmultitudes]

Mania without Depression Kinda Sucks

I could use some of that good ole fashion depression sleep.

my article from yesterday

[bipolarings]

needing to take a lot of pills every day doesnt make you damaged or broken.

needing medication isnt a personal failure.

your brain just needs a little extra help making chemicals and thats okay

[bipolarings]

if you feel like your bipolar doesnt present in the same way as other people’s its okay. 

if you feel like you dont relate to other people with bipolar disorder its okay.

if you feel like you dont experience symptoms that you “should” or you do experience symptoms that you “shouldnt” its okay.

youre not secretly faking. 

bipolar disorder is a complex mental illness that wont look the same on everyone. whatever it looks like on you is a normal way for bipolar disorder to look. you’re valid and loved and welcome in our community.