blobfish-a-go-go

(This entry blows my  usual 200 word limit out of the water, but because it's a listicle, I think it works best as one post.) If you spend much time at all in bipolar groups, you’ll eventually hear someone say “Bipolar is a fulltime job,” and then a bunch of people will nod their heads.  This might not be true for everyone. I guess some people can get their meds sorted and be on their way. But for the rest of us, we have to deeply invest in self-care. And it can absolutely take up 8 hours a day or more. What do I mean by self-care for bipolar? Well, there’s self-care between episodes, to help minimize their occurrence, and there’s self-care during episodes, to help minimize the damage they create. I'm gonna start with preventative self-care. Here are 10 self-care suggestions that I’ve found helpful.   #1 Establish a routine and stick to it .  Include -            sleep -         ...

All of my life, nighttime has been my favorite time. I’m most at peace, most relaxed and myself at night, when the world has gone to bed. When there is no more work, no chores or errands, and the phone can safely be ignored. Loved ones sleep soundly, needing nothing from me, and I am free to write, to read, to watch old movies, to unwind completely, stay up late in the quiet dark, and simply be. But the number one signal/trigger of a bipolar episode is disturbed sleep. My respite has consequences. So now my sleep hygiene (such a Dr. Kellogg kind of term) is perfect. A good eight hours every night (drug induced if need be). No caffeine after three, if at all. No alcohol. No wild nights out. The choice is follow the routine or lose even more days to the disorder. Be good or else.