Bipolar Living: Exercise

Regular exercise has a multitude of benefits for everyone.  It improves weight stability, heart and lung functions, reduces stress and improves mental functioning.

  People living with mood disorders need exercise for increasing cognitive functioning, lessening of depression and overall physical and mental health.  Exercise releases brain chemicals that control emotional and psychological activity in the brain.  Exercise also counteracts the weight gain that most of the medications used in treatment can cause.  Exercise helps with the length and quality of sleep and is a release for the excess energy of mania.

Simple regular activity is needed to burn off calories, irritability and get fit mentally and physically. 

 Half an hour of physical activity a day is a healthy goal to maintain a good level of fitness.  Choose an activity that you enjoy or can at least tolerate for 30 minutes a day.  Walk to the store for that forgotten loaf of bread or gallon of milk.  You may choose to do indoor exercise if weather is an obstacle.  Whatever physical activity yoga, fitness shows on TV, walking the dog, bicycling decide to keep in mind 30 minutes a day can mean 1 less episode of depression, 1 less spending spree that sends your savings back 6 months.

Choose a date for the beginning of your way to physically and mentally fit.  Keep notes on which day you dide which exercise routine and which you enjoyed the most.  Incorporate it inot your daily routine.

Exercise can be enjoyable it not mean pumping iron in a dirty gym.   30 minutes a day for happier Bipolar Living.

Bipolar Living: Medication

I know been there, done it, walked around but there are no if ands or buts.  For a Bipolar you have to take medication.  It does not matter which medication you and your doctor choose a medication regime is essential.  Medication compliance, which means taken as prescribed, maximizes the prevention of future episodes and all of the drama that goes with an unstable mood.  Find the strategies that work for you and affirm them daily.

Finding the right combination and dosages can take time and can be frustrating.  Some Bipolars must take multiple medications each day; your own body makeup decides which medication works best for you with the least amount of side effects.  Medication is needed to get well and stay well.

The challenge of adhering to a medication routine is the major contributor to relapses.  Compliance with medication is the key to thriving with Bipolar Living.  Find a way to remind yourself when to take your medication: notes on the bathroom mirror, alarms, messages in your computer email; anything that encourages you to take that dose.  Keep the times you take your medication in your cell phone.  Use pill dispensers with days and times you take them.  Keep a log; write down when you last took it and when it is time again for it.

And for those that medication works well for, which is the majority, when you feel you are missing your high and creativity look at the risk of having a more serious depression if you reduce or skip a dose. It takes 1 time to crash and is the chance for a morbid depression worth even 1 hypomanic episode for what may be for a short time.

The effectiveness of medication is in your power.  Take control of Bipolar Disorder and Take Your Medication.

More Bipolar Living

Is it possible to turn suffering into a positive meaningful life experience.  In order to do so you have to understand and learn to have a positive mental attitude.  The diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, a serious mental illness, can be turned into an opportunity to emerge stronger with more self empowerment.  To have a purpose in life to achieve more goals and obtain greater pleasure in life takes work, knowledge and discipline.  It is not something you have to do alone you will need a doctor you can trust, confide in, depend on for  advice when you need assistance with your goal to mental wellness. With the right combination of health care providers, medication and self awareness you can regain the losses you may experience because of Bipolar Disorder.  Being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder need not be the end of hope for a future; it is just a change in your way of life not and end to your life.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has Bipolar disorder the first step is to immediately seek medical help.  A psychiatrist will be able to make the diagnosis and administer treatment.  When it comes to treatment the only true option is medication psychotherapy can be used in conjunction with medication it is up to the individual and type of Bipolar disorder and the treating doctor to decide.  Medication may seem to be a drastic step to make but since Bipolar disorder is biological in nature with a chemical imbalance in the brain medication is necessary in order to bring the brain back to a level state and aid in preventing future episodes.

Depending on the diagnosis the medications vary with Bipolar II with mild to moderate symptoms the medication is far more different than when you are dealing with Bipolar I disorder with psychotic symptoms and full blown mania.  The episode itself needs to be treated first an acute manic episode or a depressive episode the medication of choice will be different until all the evidence is gathered past episodes, family history information is taken by the doctor when making the diagnosis.  Mood- stablizers are prescribed if it is a true case of Bipolar disorder.  The challenges of finding the correct medication for the particular individual can take time varying from person to person.  Each case of Bipolar disorder is different with the basic symptoms accompanied by individual symptoms of the person.

With the basic requirements of treatment, medication, optimism and dedication the transformation is complete and you can continue living but living Bipolar and the future for the majority of Bipolar patients is one of a learning process in a new healthier way.