Bipolar Survivor

I’ve talked to other people with bipolar disorder, and they agree with me – sometimes bipolar can seem like a job.

Alot of us are on disability, so we no longer work a traditional 8-5 outside-the-home go-to-work job, but yes, our disorder sure can seem like a job nonetheless sometimes.

It takes a lot to manage this disorder.  We have medications to take and to manage, for example.  I don’t know about you, but I have to manage about a dozen, not just for bipolar, but for other things as well, like hypothyroidism and high cholesterol. 

I have a big clear plastic container that I keep all my pill bottles in, then I have a daily pill dispenser that I have to fill up weekly.  Then I also have to do morning and evening pills, and keep those straight.  It’s no small task.

Then you have to be careful not to run out of your medications, either, so you have to watch carefully when it’s coming up on time to getting them filled.  And of course, they’re never all due at the same time, that would be too easy.  Just managing medications can seem like a job in itself sometimes.

Then there’s toggling all our appointments.  I see a regular doctor, a therapist, and a psychiatrist.  So I have to manage all those appointments.  And the doctor, it’s not just visits, but also lab appointments for blood work because of the bipolar meds that I’m on.  It’s hard to remember when I’m due for blood work, but I have to do it.  Just part of the management of my bipolar.

Then there’s all the other things you have to do to stay stable.  Like watching your sleep schedule (I know, I preach about this all the time).  It’s like how I used to watch the clock at work.  But I have to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. 

Not just that, but I also have to watch taking breaks when I’m working – I actually have to schedule in breaks, or I’ll forget to take them, and I really need to do that, or I can get stressed out.  That’s where my husband really helps me – he reminds me when it’s time to take a break.

We have to watch how and what we eat.  We need to stick to a healthy diet.  I just went grocery shopping today.  Because we live on disability, we have such a limited income, so we have to watch our spending very carefully.  So we look in the sale papers, make our shopping lists, and cut coupons every week. 

We go to 3 different stores (they’re within a mile of each other) when we go shopping.  But it’s a real chore!  Just like a job, we have to work at it to make the money stretch.

Now, watching for episode triggers and signs and symptoms of a bipolar episode doesn’t cost any money, but it does take energy and time.  It can seem like a job, too.  Some days it seems like my husband and I are watching each other like hawks for any signs of bipolar, because something is going on and we don’t want to be tripped into an episode.

Then there are all the other things you do to stay balanced – hobbies, social life, time with family, relationships, relaxation, productivity, spirituality, exercise, etc.

Put all that together, and I think you’ll agree with me, too, that having bipolar disorder and managing it correctly is like working at a job. 

But just like working at a job has its rewards, so does this.  If you manage your disorder correctly, you can enjoy long periods of stability without episodes.  So, in the long run, it’s worth it.

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,

Michele

This entry was posted on Friday, July 2nd, 2010 at 7:46 pm and is filed under Opening Post. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.