Bipolar Survivor

Hey, y’all –

Having bipolar disorder sometimes means living in an upside-down world.  Our lives are different than many other people.  But even those who don’t have the disorder have problems themselves – just different than ours.

So how do we stay calm in an upside-down bipolar world?

For me, sticking to a routine is crucial.  I don’t like unexpected things – there’s a danger that I won’t know how to handle them, would get stressed and anxious and worry over them or, at worst, even go into an episode.

So it’s mandatory that I stay calm.

What I’ve done to do that some of you might disagree with, but for the most part, I am pretty isolated.  I mean, I watch the isolation, because I know it’s been a trigger in the past to a bipolar depressive episode, but I’ve got it balanced now.  It’s not like I never leave the house (like I used to be), but for the most part I’m a homebody.

I like my surroundings.  It’s very peaceful where I live, in the foothills of the Smoky Mts., and I can see them from my window.  I can go out on my porch and look at the horses next door.  It’s a very serene place to be.

In my house I am surrounded by comfort – the many books I have on my shelves, my favorite albums (yes, the old fashioned records), my collection of crystal and blown glass, and an abundance of photographs of all the people who are important in my life.

Even my home office is comfortable, and reflects my personality – a little cluttered, but homey.  I keep encouraging and inspirational sayings on post-its on my computer, and even have some of my porcelain dolls on top of my computer desk.

I have a wonderful husband, who loves and supports me.  He is one of the biggest reasons for my calm.  We live as much of a stress-free life as possible, since he has bipolar disorder, too.

But I think the key to staying calm in an upside-down bipolar world is to be calm inside yourself. 

For me, I do it spiritually.  I pray constantly, as if talking to Jesus like a friend.  I put all my cares and worries in a God Box (a small box with pieces of paper in it with my prayer requests), and then I try to leave things in God’s very capable hands.  I say try because sometimes I take back my worries, even though I don’t want to.

I have very few friends, but those I do have I cherish.  They know about my bipolar disorder and still don’t treat me any different.  In fact, they are also a very calming influence on my life.

My mom helps me to stay calm.   Even though she lives in another state, I talk to her almost every day.  She has bipolar disorder, too, so I can talk to her about that or anything else that’s bothering me.  It’s good to have someone else to talk to about the disorder who knows what you’re going through.

Even my dog helps me stay calm.  She loves me with that unconditional love that dogs give, you know?  And sometimes when I’m stressed or anxious, just petting her has a calming effect on me.

And when I have racing thoughts (which I do more often than I’d like), I do crossword puzzles to focus and get my mind off those other intrusive thoughts.

But most important of all, I take my medication religiously.  It helps to keep my life rightside-up.

What are some of the things you do to stay calm in an upside-down bipolar world?

Wishing you peace and stability,

Remember God loves you and so do I,

Michele

Related posts:

1. Staying Balanced with Bipolar Disorder
2. Staying on an Even Keel with Bipolar
3. Happy Thanksgiving! But Watch Bipolar Excesses

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 9:21 am 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.