#131: Upgrade Your Bipolar “Playbook” Often

FROM THIS SHOW:

Does it come as a surprise to you that your bipolar symptoms are like the weather—they just repeat over and over, and not always at random?

It helps a TON to know this, and yet just as you would prepare for an inevitable storm or heat wave in your region, would you know how to prepare for a repeat scenario of your manic depression coming back around?

The first part of getting your “playbook” constructed for the challenges and changes going on in your mind and body is to know that you even NEED one.

Once you decide to make your playbook a non-negotiable asset in your planning strategy you need to decide on the actions you must take, for when you sense a shift in the “weather” of your biology.

Today, we’ll uncover exactly what those actions are, and how to seamlessly upgrade them in the future as well.

You don’t want to miss this critical briefing and mini-training!

Listen to the podcast:

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TAKEAWAYS

• For every symptom of manic depression you experience (Yes, including mania and depression themselves), you will need a dynamic action plan to follow so that you’re not re-inventing the wheel every time you begin to get mentally ill.

• Use a medical diagnostic guide (found online or in a book on bipolar disorders) to document your symptoms in real time. Then begin to write out your creative strategy, or add insight from your notes from last time. This “playbook” compilation is YOUR living document to use and be proud of.

• Even with a rock-solid, time-tested set of guides on your symptoms and symptom-clusters (when multiple symptoms overlap or compound), from time to time you WILL be overrun by physical exhaustion from them. Or you may encounter a new scenario you’ve never been tested on. This is nothing to fear, but it never gets easier. And that’s OK—you are not weak or unintelligent at managing this illness.

Lifer Discussion Guide

Use the questions in today’s Lifer Guide to assist you over any hurdles you may have to clear as you address your mental health. These are special conversations!

“Lifers” are people who have unwavering faithfulness. This assures you that they’ll stick by you through all the highs and lows that are normal for a life with mental health challenges. If you haven’t nominated a lifelong family member or friend as part of your non-medical support team, what are you waiting for? :-)

The Questions:

1) Do you have something that you depend on, like a recipe book for making meals or a shop manual for working on your car, that you prize?

2) Can you remember a time when you tried to do a task without that manual, and you struggled to get a successful result?

3) Is there anything about this idea of a “recipe book” (a step-by-step playbook) for your symptoms of brain illness that doesn’t make sense to you?

4.) Could I share with you what my number one challenge in life is right now? / And would you be willing to share yours with me?

5.) How could we be more creative and curious together in how we manage each of our “number one” top stressful challenges?

Join the Tribe!

Once you’ve had a chance to talk or journal about these things you might have a question from this episode. If so, make sure you head on over to The Bipolar Now Podcast Network on Facebook! There’s quite a few people over there who are also taking a new step in their mental health. And we’d love for you to share your story with us when you’re ready. So don’t miss out!