BipolarQuestionOfTheWeek

We know that searching for a new medication can be time-consuming, exhausting, and might even make you feel hopeless at times. First, know that you’re not alone! Although it may be frustrating, not everyone stays on the first medication they are prescribed.

If you have had to search for a new medication (or several), what has made you feel confident or hopeful about that decision? Maybe you felt better when your doctor provided a personalized recommendation, or when you read the experiences of patients who had already tried that medication. Share your experience in the comments below.

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What are some coping techniques and strategies that help you when you are feeling overwhelmed by your bipolar disorder?

Maybe you carve out time in your day for activities or hobbies you enjoy, or you monitor your symptoms and mood in a journal.

What strategy have you found to be the most helpful? Let’s share and help one another add to our self-care tool boxes in the comments below. 🧰

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Recognizing the early signs of a bipolar depressive episode can be difficult, but there are early warning signs that can clue us in: sudden changes in appetite, loss of energy or focus, and lack of personal hygiene.

How do you know when you are experiencing, or about to experience, a depressive episode? Share with us in the comments below.

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Mighty fam, we know how important the relationship you have with your doctor is in your life with bipolar. For some of you, your doctor is the only one who provides space for you to just "be." For others, finding time to communicate with them is a really frustrating experience.

Have you ever felt rushed by your doctor during an appointment? Share whether the above statement feels true or false to you in the comments below. (And if you feel up to it, tell us why!)

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Everyone’s experience with bipolar disorder is different, but if you had to choose, which symptom has been the most challenging for you to manage? You can select from the list below, or share any additional symptoms in the comments below.

✅ Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed

✅ Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

✅ Lack of concentration

✅ Sleeping too much or not enough

✅ Fixating on thoughts of death, suicide, or self-harm

✅ Increased fatigue

✅ Less energy

✅ Becoming angry more easily

✅ Significant changes in weight

✅ Racing thoughts

✅ Poor judgment or a lack of inhibition (e.g., spending excessive amounts of money or drinking too much)

✅ Hypersexuality

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Balancing self-care and daily responsibilities while managing the symptoms of bipolar can be challenging, especially when you’re experiencing increased levels of stress.

How do you relieve stress as it relates to your mental illness? Share and help one another in the comments below (who knows, you might just pick up a new technique!).

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Deciding to start a new medication is a big decision. Maybe you haven’t found any symptom relief, or the side effects from your current medication are impossible to manage. Perhaps your doctor is not seeing the results they expected, or your insurance decided not to cover the medication you were hoping to try. We know many factors can influence a decision to start a new medication and some of these can be out of your control.

When do you know it’s time to switch or change treatments?

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Living with a health condition can be frustrating and unpredictable even on the “good” days. When the “bad” days become more frequent or even unbearable — you struggle to get out of bed, are forced to cancel plans, or miss work — you might decide you need a little extra support through treatment.

What made you seek treatment, either for the first time or after a length of time without treatment? Share your defining moment in the comments below.

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Unfortunately, depictions of bipolar disorder in the media are not always accurate – we’ve heard from our community how frustrating it is to see media perpetuating harmful or dangerous stereotypes, or how isolating it can be to not feel represented in media at all.

Have you found any accurate or validating portrayals of bipolar disorder (whether it’s in books, shows, movies, video games, etc.)? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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