#67: Sorrows are for a Season (And Then You Move On)
Jul 02, 2020
Image Credit: "Blou and Me" (from the series, Balance) Mindfulness Circle by Ethan Blu (2023). Acrylic on canvas. 48" x 60".
FROM THIS SHOW…
Do you ever wonder where depression stops and ordinary life kicks in? If you’re like most people, having a bipolar diagnosis means you now have to identify what is and isn’t the illness, whenever you feel “not yourself”. It’s a confusing path that’s hard to navigate outside of reading the medical literature.
So when you feel a “heaviness” settle in, and you’re thinking it might be depression, are you right or are you wrong? The difference is that you might end up seeking treatment changes from your doctor when you aren’t actually experiencing symptoms of bipolar.
You might just have… sorrow. Or “sorrow of the heart”. And there’s no prescription for it but to endure. So on today’s episode of The Bipolar Now Podcast, Mike talks openly about his “secondary ongoing affliction”. And he shares a few powerful takeaways for utilizing sorrows and afflictions so that you can still function in your day-to-day responsibilities.
Don't miss this very special discussion.
Listen to the podcast:
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TAKEAWAYS
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When it comes to sorrow, you have to first become familiar with its feelings, causes and effects.
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As you find familiarity with this affliction, you have to give yourself permission to grieve for it. Oftentimes with sorrow, it’s a feeling of not being enough to live up to your standard.
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Then as you learn to navigate life with sorrow, it’s important to grant others permission to know what you’re going through. This is painful but effective, and it keeps you from isolating unnecessarily.
Lifer Discussion Guide
Use the questions in today’s Lifer Guide to help you out with this notion of bearing affliction, and how incredibly difficult it can be to get the conversation started.
“Lifers” are special people who have unwavering faithfulness. This assures you that they’ll stick around 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) How would you describe feeling afflicted? / Do you feel like it’s ordinary sorrows, or do you believe this to be bipolar depression?
2) Have you dealt with sorrow before? / What happened that made it clear up?
3) How often would you like to talk about this? / Would it help if we established a regular phone call or visit while you go through this?
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!
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