I can relate to this article, having being diagnosed with bipolar I, and having had an extended manic phase (with psychosis) in which I was actually trying to save myself:
- eating well
- todo lists
- self discipline
- sports
- stopping drugs / coffee / alcohol
I'm kind of "scared" of these things now, but also realize that they are, while not the complete solution, necessary ingredients to living a "normal" life. It took me 28 years to realize that you could have a regular sleep schedule and daily routine for example. It's these kind of "symptoms" that I find very hard to share with "normal" people, who just can't see how that is that big of a problem.
The funny thing is that all of this further fueled my mania, but on the other hand, it also made me check in with a psychiatrist. I'm now on lamotrigine, which makes living seem so easy now.
Yet I can skip a day of pills, and drink maybe a bit too much coffee and sleep badly, and it's all there again. Only now I have a baseline I can come back to. I don't think the article sounds too manic. I'm a bit wary of the new agey "that's what all people should do with our method" thing, while it really is a "common sense" that is shared by pretty much all cultures on the planet (eat healthy, sleep, exercise, don't worry too much), but it's cool.
while I didn't have much one-on-one therapy, I went to a "psychoeducation" group about bipolar with about 10 other afflicted individuals, and basically, the most important thing really is to have these checklists: eat healthy, sleep healthy, don't drink alcohol, don't drink coffee, try to sleep more than 4 hours a night, try to sleep less than 12 hours a night, and write yourself reminders so you won't forget them.
Some people can manage it without constant meds - some only need meds some of the time - BUT with managing the things that throws that person in a tail spin. (i.e. not sleeping, chaotic relationships, travel in some cases). When it's mostly mania the person experiences - life is probably pretty good, but for those who mainly experience the depressive side (like a friend of mine) - it cripples his life and he can barely function. Each case is different. I really think the key is having someone close to the person who can make sure they're doing all the things they need to - like sleeping, eating regularly etc.
It's the caffeine and its side effects. It can cause sleep disorders, anxiety, and so on. Of course, not everyone encounters these problems with their coffee-drinking. See the Wikipedia entry for caffeine if you want more details though.
yes, mostly sleep disorder, the intense crash and burn of coffee compared to a more mellow effect of for example green tea, and the tummy problems.
especially the crash/burn + sleep problems though, which lead to anxiety, which leads to either depression, or in my case a kind of jittery angst-fueled hyperactivity.
- eating well - todo lists - self discipline - sports - stopping drugs / coffee / alcohol
I'm kind of "scared" of these things now, but also realize that they are, while not the complete solution, necessary ingredients to living a "normal" life. It took me 28 years to realize that you could have a regular sleep schedule and daily routine for example. It's these kind of "symptoms" that I find very hard to share with "normal" people, who just can't see how that is that big of a problem.
The funny thing is that all of this further fueled my mania, but on the other hand, it also made me check in with a psychiatrist. I'm now on lamotrigine, which makes living seem so easy now.
Yet I can skip a day of pills, and drink maybe a bit too much coffee and sleep badly, and it's all there again. Only now I have a baseline I can come back to. I don't think the article sounds too manic. I'm a bit wary of the new agey "that's what all people should do with our method" thing, while it really is a "common sense" that is shared by pretty much all cultures on the planet (eat healthy, sleep, exercise, don't worry too much), but it's cool.
while I didn't have much one-on-one therapy, I went to a "psychoeducation" group about bipolar with about 10 other afflicted individuals, and basically, the most important thing really is to have these checklists: eat healthy, sleep healthy, don't drink alcohol, don't drink coffee, try to sleep more than 4 hours a night, try to sleep less than 12 hours a night, and write yourself reminders so you won't forget them.