How Do You 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. 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. 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 t