#bipolar advice

[crunchy1313]

I don’t want to go the bipolar2 subreddit for this b/c that place always puts me in a real bad headspace, but I’m facing a pretty sizable problem wrt my mental state and my relationship.

I get really depressed and resentful of my girlfriend when we’re apart for a while. No, I don’t know why. Yes, I logically know I don’t have any reason to hate or feel angry at her. But the feelings are very real and intense. I find too that in this state I become deeply repulsed by being touched and unable to accept any kind of love or kindness from her. I try to ice her out despite my best efforts not to listen to the nonstop voice in my head telling me “she thinks you’re stupid” or “you do NOT deserve this level of love and admiration” I’ve taken to just avoiding her entirely in these states tbh

I KNOW THIS IS MY PROBLEM FYIIIIIIII so don’t jump on me about that and how she’s innocent in it bc I AM fully aware of that. What I’m asking is if any other #actuallybipolars have this issue with their partners. Specifically I want bipolar/cluster b women’s (preferably Lesbians’ or febfems’) opinions on how to cope with these feelings and delusional thoughts.

I know my girlfriend loves me, and in my better headspace I do love her too. Also, I am only just now getting back on a daily medication regiment after going off them for a year. and while I am taking them consistently now (to the best of my ability), the dosages I had to be prescribed are very low atm. Obvs I need to build up the mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in my system and that is a process.

TL;DR does any woman with bipolar or another cluster B disorder experience intense ups and downs in their moods wrt their romantic partners? If so, how do yall cope and work thru them?

[augustines-confessions]

make time for what you love

Something that life and college has taught me:

Do what you love and make time for it

When I came to college, I was scared and quite honestly disappointed. In high school, I promised myself every night that I’d never let myself live to graduation day. And day one of my life began when I smiled and accepted that diploma in May of 2017. 

Now I have another graduation day for this upcoming May, and it’s coming a whole year early. And while I have a lot of people to thank for helping me along the way, the only person that I can really say thank you to, is myself. 

College is hard. There are bouts where motivation seems to just never find its way to you and having a mental illness on your own makes it even harder. I went to psychiatrists for the first time in my life and stared taking medication, opening up more to professionals that could help. And even then, the manic attacks would still come and the depressive bouts would wash over me right after without warning.

Some people suck, and college taught me that the hard way at times. 

But through everything, I’ve had one thing keep me afloat through it all: Marching band and pep band. 

Even on days I’ve wanted to curl up and cry and stay home from rehearsal, I pushed through and when I put my drum on and became part of the team activity, things always felt a little bit better. And that little bit better was what helped me

And I want each and every one of you to have that activity that makes you feel even a little bit better. Whether its taking a walk, reading, going to a DND group, doing stand up comedy, playing games-- anything, make time for it. 

Making time for the things you love and that bring you joy is not being unproductive. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me to drop band, I’d have a lot of money in my wallet. Band is the one thing that keeps me sane and grounded and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. 

Find your stress reliever that you love, and never, ever let it go. 

Now have fun and look at me being a goof in uniform.

[mentallyrecovering]

Bipolar Culture is:

Everyone asking you if “you’ve taken your meds today” When you get mad and yell at them for something even though thats now how medicine and bipolar disorder work

[mentallyrecovering]

I don’t want to say my doctor is wrong but I think I may have been misdiagnosed for bipolar disorder. He based it all off the mood disorder questionnaire which I feel is too general. “Have you ever felt more self-confident than usual” like yeah I have pretty shitty self-esteem but there are time where I feel more confident. I don’t think I’m the queen of the world but yeah sometimes I think maybe I’m not as ugly as I thought or maybe I could get out and make friends.

Oh anon have you been following my story? Basically I was diagnosed bipolar 4 years ago and was like cool I get all the mood things and such. But I still have symptoms in between the mood symptoms so I decided to investigate and was like hmm I got BPD to. Brought it up to my psych and he’s like Nahh bipolar. He wasn’t even the one that diagnosed me that was 3 psychs ago.

Anyways bring it up to the psych but lay out your symptoms on a sheet with ALL your symptoms within the last 6-12 months descriptive so not just “I’m depressed” but “i have no energy and cry all the time” or what ever your symptoms are use feeling words and I feel statements. Next section is timeline of your symptoms be exact with “when I was 12 I felt hypomanic” but again use “felt energetic” or what ever described word you use. Then 3rd section should be a list of all your medication you’ve ever taken your reaction to it and why you stopped taking it.

Below is a video on the outline you use to present your symptoms. I used this but my psych wasn’t open to it. Get a second opinion if your psych doesn’t want to listen

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zSEO1xAlg

[knight-intraining]

Hey Bipolar Buds

I know that the up and down and up and down can make it seem like you’ll never make serious changes. You do something when manic that you undo when depressed. Self-discipline is a commodity a lot of us don’t have.

Food for example, when manic you might decide to get healthy and buy a bunch of health food. Then when depressed you’re like what’s this shit? And you survive on junk food instead. And you’re like how am I going to get healthy if I’m stuck in this constant cycle? I’m here to tell you: You Can Make Permanent Changes. The last time I was manic, I deleted this computer game I waste a lot of time on. I managed to get through a depressed period without re-installing the game.

Self-discipline? Bitch please, I don’t know the meaning of the word.

I blocked the site using BlockSite so I couldn’t reinstall it. Now, I’ve decided that I waste too much time watching cartoons I’ve seen a million times. So I used Parental Controls to block the cartoon channels. Then I had my Dad change the passcode so I can’t unblock them. You can also use Parental Controls to set TV time limits, or to set up times of day you can’t use the TV.

You don’t need self-discipline to make major changes. Instead, use the resources you DO have

[bbipolarb-blog]

Just a little walk.

Taking the time out of your day to go for a walk can go a long way. Any amount of exercising throughout your day can greatly improve how you feel. When you exercise, it releases chemicals in your brain which gives a happy feeling, kind of a reward system your brain does when you do something good for survival, even though going for a walk won't increase your chances of survival in a first wold culture it will still give you the reward and you'll feel better. Doesn't have to be much, but that little something will make a good day great.

[bbipolarb-blog]

Keep an open mind

We all like to have our secure thoughts, but we're not always right. We get aggravated with the thoughts of how we may be wrong, or how somethings aren't possibly right, but we just have to accept other people's opinions.

Religion, politics, all things that throw people off and can cause problems. People will have different views, and maybe we shouldn't get all worked up to say they're wrong, or defend how we're right, and just try to talk about it rather than point fingers. We all are entitled to our own views, so lets embrace it