World Bipolar Day
The trivialization of a chronic disorder just fuels the stigma. Today is World Bipolar Day. Awareness matters. I’m proud of those that fight daily to maintain their mental health.
Redefining family
“I was diagnosed with dual diagnosis of anxiety and opioid addiction. Both my parents and other family members struggle with drug abuse. They were a trigger for me so for my recovery I had to love them from a distance. I had to find support through my groups and meetings. They are family to me and I’m grateful for them.” Anonymous post. Thanks for sharing!
Coping with reality
It’s interesting the ways we can choose to protect ourselves. For me it was either compulsive behaviors to manage it or dissociative episode to escape it. Both are distractions to handle the intrusive thoughts, but aren’t helpful for the long term. I used to binge to deal with stress, purge to release the guilt, and then compulsively exercise or restrict to avoid binge eating again. I used to get depressed, start to sleep more, have feelings of disconnection, and memory lapses to subconsciously not deal with reality. They were all… Read more Coping with reality →
Accepting the unknown
Was it genetics? past trauma? nutritional deficient? innate personality trait? Trying to figure out why used to stress me out more and cause even more anxiety (especially if you have OCD traits). Finding a cause is great for research. That research is monumental for not only establishing treatment modalities but also to push for insurance to cover those treatments. I’ve accepted that it could be a combination of things, but that doesn’t stop me from finding ways to manage my mental illnesses.
Being there
This is for the caregivers, significant others, family members, and friends. It is not your job to save that person. You can’t fix it, but you can support them through their struggles. It is okay to be frustrated with the disorder. It is okay to set your own boundaries when you feel like you can’t handle certain behaviors. You can understand triggers to be proactive instead of reactive. You can provide suggestions, but can’t enforce them. Loving and caring for someone with an mental illness requires your support but also… Read more Being there →
Definition of Success
And that is okay. Maybe you were depressed and finally took the time to clean. Maybe you tried the fear food you always avoided. Maybe you fill turned in that job application. Your definition of success can always change. Little achievements matter.
Letting go of the familiar
We find comfort in the familiar, but that doesn’t make it healthy. It brings comfort because we don’t have to risk change or vulnerability. Seeking help is letting go of the familiar. Taking a chance that hopefully it will make a difference. Whether it is seeking therapy, being hospitalized, or just expressing your feelings aloud. What chances have you taken or want to take?
Symptoms vs Diagnosis
I was diagnosed at a young age with Clinical Depression, Generalized Anxiety with OCD tendencies, and Bulimia. I followed the treatment plans, found others with similar diagnoses, but something wasn’t working. I was getting worse. I was misdiagnosed. After my freshman year in college and psychotic breakdown, I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder II. All my previous diagnoses were symptoms of Bipolar II Disorder. The anxiety, depression, purging were symptoms/behaviors of my untreated mental illness. With having an misdiagnosis, I understand the importance of treating the symptoms and not put… Read more Symptoms vs Diagnosis →