I was planning to post all 8 steps in one shot but a few friends recommended posting each step as a blog post in order to keep it in digestible chunks of info. Without further ado let’s dive in to the basic story behind this post and Step 1.
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to post! I started a new job in April that has been extremely challenging (in a good way!) and rewarding but has needed a huge amount of my mental capacity to get up to speed. As always, we’ve also been very busy with the happy chaos of our modern Brady Bunch of 8 plus the puppy!! Recently (aka August) on a flight home from San Diego where my new employer is headquartered, I wasn’t able to rest but I was able to take the “disconnected” time to write out more details around the day to day strategies I have used and continue to use to tame the bipolar beast and to work toward balance and stability in my life. I’ve been taking the time since August to get some feedback and I’ve also just been overloaded with focus on work and family, but I’m excited to finally get this series of step by step strategies out to you!
I’d love to hear your feedback and what you do to keep your mental health challenges in check!
If you’re facing a manic episode or an acute period of depression, these are steps I’ve taken. I’m not a professional, but I’m someone with diagnoses of bipolar, SAD and PTSD who has found stability, wellness and overall happiness. Please feel free to apply what works for you personally! This is not a comprehensive list but it includes my top go to steps.
- Accept that your brain is not functioning “normally” right now, whether it be due to inflammation of the brain or gut, genetics, abuse/trauma, environmental triggers, other biological factors, etc. Know that there is hope for feeling fulfillment and purpose in life again! It may be in a different way than you had planned or it may take longer to get there, but every person in this world has value and this is not the end of your story.
I’m leaving acceptance as a short but sweet, and easier said than done first step without much more explanation. Acceptance can take an hour, a few weeks or 10 years. The sooner we accept that we may need help (working on ourselves and self care and/or from our support network) the sooner we’re able to work toward feeling more like “me” again (or working toward a better version of “me” if it’s been lost, undefined or not the “me” we’ve wanted for a long time).
Taming the Bipolar Beast 