How to Cope With Bipolar Disorder

Learning to live and cope with any chronic disease is difficult, especially those that affect the mind. Still, by accepting bipolar disorder as a part of your lifestyle and finding ways to manage the condition, you may be able to lead a happier and healthier life.

Things You'll Need

• Mood chart

Show More

Instructions

Learn to Live With Bipolar Disorder

• 1

  Use a mood chart to keep track of your symptoms. A mood chart is a written record of your daily mood and feelings, usually in the form of a calendar or personal journal. This tool can help you and your doctor view patterns in your behavior and may help you recognize warning signs for episodes earlier on.

• 2

  Rate your mood each day at the same time on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being deeply depressed and 10 being extremely happy, and write it on your mood chart. You may also want to write journal entries with more detailed descriptions of your feelings that day, as well as information about any of your manic episodes or notes about any side effects you might experience from your medication. Use whichever method you find easiest to consistently follow.

• 3

  Read about bipolar disorder research to get a clear understanding of the disease and how it can be managed. Though bipolar disorder can seem very scary, reading about the current medical research and how to successfully treat it may be comforting to you. It may also make you feel empowered to manage and cope with bipolar disorder if you are able to recognize common symptoms you display and what the warning signs usually are.

• 4

  Prepare for crisis situations by having a plan in place to get emergency treatment. When you are experiencing a manic episode, you may not be in a mental state where you are able to make the right decision about getting help. It is therefore important to include your family members and close friends in this process. Make sure these people know the names and phone numbers of your doctor, therapist and any other health care providers.

• 5

  Put together a list of contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses, for people in your life who you trust to help you get the care you need. Distribute the list to the people in this group to form a support network. Make a list of early warning signs and symptoms for these people to look for in your behavior so they will have a better idea of when you might need to seek medical attention.