Learning to live with a mental health diagnosis

@humorousCup9733 I am so glad you found 7cups. There is a bipolar subcommunity if you find any kindred people there. https://www.7cups.com/home/bipolar/

Free Options at 7cups: If you are looking for professional guidance of a licensed therapist here at 7cups there is a paid option. More options here. https://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/?ob=1

If you want to try lifestyle changes in addition to seeking professional help, you might consider exercise, mindfulness, eating healthy moderate protein low carb diet, getting fresh air and either online or in real life social contatct.

There are free self help guides https://www.7cups.com/supportGuides/selfHelpGuides.php

You can browse for a listener. https://www.7cups.com/BrowseListeners/ .

You may also find these helpful https://www.7cups.com/connect/groupChatrooms.php

Some people find that mindfulness helps them cope. The video Resource Library https://www.7cups.com/forum/MindfulnessSupportCommunity_106/ResourceLibrary_1062/

Discussion for 50+ 35+ and mindfulness are here
https://www.7cups.com/forum/50OverCommunity_193/TeamToolsandTeamUpdates_1705/50plusDiscussionsScheduleandTopics_207920/

Paths are ways others share methods that help them https://www.7cups.com/path/modifier/

Hope you get the support you are looking for.

@humorouscup9733

ohhh humorous<3

Many are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, then are some who may never be it is actually very hard to diagnose bipolar disorder. I work as a peer support specialist for addiction and mental health when I’m not hanging around as a listener on 7 cups:) I can say that throughout my experience with bipolar individuals DBT therapy has seemed to help the most. Also if you know what type of bipolar you have can go a long way as well as far as treatment options. We are trying very hard in our large communities to break the stigma of mental health, bipolar seems to be one of the diagnosis that could be misunderstood, you are still a person and human at the end of the day, I don’t know you but I could assume you are a great person! The first step is reaching out for information and help as you are, I know that face. Book has a wide range of support groups for bipolar disorder for others helping. I see that sing sent you our bipolar community as well which you can usually most of the time get your answers there as we have a lot of members in that community;) I know this may be new to you and confusing but you’ll find you way I know it! And don’t ever let anyone try and tell you your not good enough or unimportant or different. At the end of the day we all are unique in our own ways but we don’t have to let our mental illnesses define us love<3 good luck on this journey, explore more about your diagnosis so you may be educated:) and can even maybe help others along the way struggling in the same spot you were some day<3

thank you for reaching out

@humorousCup9733

I share this diagnosis, as well as an unspecified anxiety disorder that sometimes gives me panic attacks, but I think that is getting better due to time passing since I started having them in an abusive relationship.

What do I do, and what works (when I do it, besides taking the meds?) I have found that yoga and meditation are probably the most helpful, and as journaling. I don't want to turn this reply into a big bummer because I believe we can have "normal" lives to some degree and can live full, long lives. I'm currently trying to get on nicotine gum to quit smoking cigarettes. Now, having said that...it can be hard, definitely can be hard. I had a depressive episode over the weekend and acted on a bad impulse, which left me feeling quite low and having now to recuperate. I have an alcohol problem and I had a big "slip".

I have been trying to solve the problem of feeling alone myself, and 7 cups have helped me a lot. Having a chance to care about other people and try to do things like challenges and huddles helps. Again though, that's WHEN I do it. I feel like I'm certain that if I had finished my evening Friday the way I have been, journaling the good things that happened and why they happened, I wouldn't have given in to my impulse to drink. I really can't do it, so now I have to reset that whole issue and forgive myself all over again.

So, what NOT to do? Don't give in to shallow impulses, the ones that feel sort of numb or numbing, the ones that feel like you're flying off into nowhere land like it's okay or somehow worth it to abandon the good things that help. Don't go off the meds, trust me, I'm 36 and wish I had stayed on them for the last ten years instead of only the last two. Don't let yourself convince yourself that you're truly alone, because you're not: there are others! Find your passions, dig into hobbies, and try not to use escapism too much. Escape with books that will help grow your soul, and hobbies that will help you express and work through the aloneness. I can't really give advice other than to say these are the truths for me personally, the things I know I need to do, and NOT do. I see my daughter maybe once a week, or once every two weeks, and sometimes my position in life feels pretty low. But I mean the world to her, and at this stage, I am taking small steps toward a bigger life. It's okay and valid to feel this way, right now I am right there with you. But it also gets easier, feels better, and the sadness does go away, and there are always new things to love about life despite this diagnosis. You are unique, special, and every bit as wonderful as other people. Life may be a challenge at times but the struggle is what makes us more worthy, more capable, and more equipped to offer perspectives that others simply don't have. I hope you find good ways, and good perspectives to deal with this. I know it's not easy. But we can truly have just as good a life as anyone else, we may have to be hard workers sometimes.