Bipolar and ideas of how to help ourselves beyond medication

@healthytoday Excercise, journaling, meditation, genuine laughter, understanding friends, volunteering for a cause that you find valuable. All have seemed to work for me!
Ginger

Hi, @healthytoday and @gingerw - you've mentioned that medication can help with bipolar disorder, but that many other lifestyle and self-care tactics can also be useful for managing this condition, such as funny movies, vitamins, activity, coffee, music, dark chocolate, journaling, meditation, volunteering, laughter, and understanding friends.

I'd like to invite other Connect members who have talked about bipolar disorder into this conversation to share some of the strategies that have helped them or a loved one with this diagnosis. Please meet @oprah @jp37019 @catcatanzaro60 @mizmaui444 @nodepression @kimmy @eva @teri15 @amberpep @hoffman @miss2sassy @lingram @jgl15 @trouse @put @mamaw @carl777 @kennethdbass @brenbren @hoagie6 @jaburrill @livedriftwood @randi1966 @ryan4250 @kelliedenise @jillnielsen @hussah @halhilde @tiffanyvillier @renwald @1lundboat @carlysmith011 @cathy615 @aesmayo01 @calypso @mblbirch @lauralee88 @121314 @pony @amelia42 @pinktart @redhedplus @sandytoes14 @windwalker.

I also wanted to share this Mayo Clinic information on bipolar disorder: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955

@healthytoday - you mentioned that with your bipolar disorder, you decided no matter what that you could study it and get to know it. It sounds as though this type of study may have been part of helping you with your condition? Any recommendations on information on bipolar disorder you found that was helpful?

@healthytoday Hello. I am joining your conversation because I have a daughter with bipolar, BPD, & Histrionic Disorder. She has found that keeping busy outside of the home helps a lot. She likes to work long hours because it keeps her from being idle and out of the bed. She also has ADD, so it is difficult for her to stick to any kind of hobby or activity; so, work is her answer. In my readings on this subject; people living with bi-polar have said that doing charity work helping others; tended to stave off depression. My mom also had it, so I have only known life with it in my family. I know the hell it can bring to the lives of those who have it, and the effect on family members. I always pray for a genetic remedy so that the affected don't suffer or need medications. How are you filling your retirement time?

Hi, yes, those "conditions" add up to my life. However, I was touched by the art muse at 15 and it gave me a way to express my craziness. My parents had the assets to send me to a university where I was to become an art teacher, a compromise. It was a struggle, but art, education, and family has been my focus. I was fortunate to grow up in LA and attended many find theatre and symphony concerts and developed a great connection to beautiful music. The arts really moved me through life. What touchs your daughters soul? In my later years, I have retired from making art, but am interested in massage. When living near Albuquerque NM a few years ago, I would go to a very good massage school and found many of the students had some background with the arts. Another words, the right brain. We just have a very left brain society, and for us wholistic types we are just suited for a different way of seeing. But who knows. the mechanical era is over and we are moving into uncharted territory. Just love. Christs Love sustains me; human capacities are enlarged and perfected as the human gains true light from God. I can't imagine functioning without a spiritual practice. Sometimes it takes the form of action such as feeding the poor. (those are some of my art work) Finding what works is essential for all of us.

Hi, I have some pictures from the cacti garden at the Phoenix Hospital Campus of Mayo Clinic. I hope I can download them.

Hay Mayo Folks, why are these sideways?

@healthytoday Stunning photos of the desert. I used to live in Tucson, Az. for almost 20 yrs.

@healthytoday Marvelous artwork! All yours? I especially like the embedded coke bottle cactus wall.

Hi, @healthytoday - Thanks for sharing these cacti photos. Did you take your photo using your cellphone? One of our Connect members, @johnbishop, has mentioned the following about photos appearing sideways: I've had the same problem with images being rotated sideways when I snapped the picture holding my phone in the normal vertical orientation like when you are talking on it. If you take the photo with your phone in the horizontal orientation, the photo will appear normal when you upload it to Connect. You can also fix it on a computer by opening it with an image program and rotating it 90 degrees.

Since it appears you are an artist, @healthytoday, I'd like to recommend you check out this Connect thread, "Art for Healing," when you have a moment https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/art-for-healing. @windwalker is also an artist, by the way.

I also wanted you to get to meet @hopeful33250 @gailb @parus, who are very involved in a number of discussions in the Mental Health and Depression & Anxiety groups.

In addition to art, you mentioned an interest in massage. I also go to a local school to get massages from students. I've found it is not only helpful with kinks and tension in my body, but also seems helpful for general relaxation and self-care, which help elevate my mental health. Have you found that massage helps with your bipolar disorder in any way?

@healthytoday

I found out that if I posted photos from my phone, they all were sideways. Post your photos from a computer and they will be upright.😉