Positive Thinking Keeps Your Bipolar at Bay
Bipolar disorder brings with it such negativity (Anxiety and Negative Thoughts: How to Get Rid of Them). It’s amazing how that negativity draws you down to the ground. It’s important to feel positive so you can pick yourself up and start fresh. I still recommend affirmations and meditation for bipolar disorder to bring you up, but there are a few other tips I can give you to become a more positive person.
Suggestions That Let Positive Thinking Help Your Bipolar
Notice How Green the Grass Is
Every day, I wake up and I raise the blinds in my house. I don’t do it just because I need light in the room. I do it because I need to see the sunshine. I need to see the green trees and grass outside. I need something to remind me to be grounded, to remind myself why life is so precious. I think, as bipolars, we lose sight of life. We get so mixed up in the darkness in our lives that we forget to see the light. Noticing how green the grass is reminds us that we’re living life. It may not be perfect yet, but we’re living it. And that’s a positive thing.
Live in the Present
It’s so easy to get caught up with what has happened in the past and how that makes us feel. Bipolars are people who feel deeply. Feelings whirl around like Chernobyl sometimes. It creates negativity. If we just live in the present, then the past won’t catch up to us. Deal with your problems in a timely fashion, so the negativity doesn’t linger. Breathe deeply and remember to live in the present and your problems will take care of themselves. Positivity will be your friend.
Remember That You Can Only Control You
Sometimes, your problems present themselves in a way that would require you to change the circumstance or another person. For example, you’re waiting to hear about whether or not you got that job you applied for. The only thing you can do is present yourself as best as you can at the interview. The rest is out of your control. You can only control you. You did your best and now you have to wait patiently for the results.
While you’re waiting, it would be more helpful for yourself if you had positive thoughts about what you did well in the interview. If something went wrong, you can’t turn around and change it. It’s done. All you can do is control how you react to your situation. Engage in positive thinking. Have a positive attitude. Be positive.
APA Reference
Fender, C.
(2010, April 15). Positive Thinking Keeps Your Bipolar at Bay, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, December 22 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/bipolarvida/2010/04/thinking-positive-keeps-your-bipolar-at-bay
Author: Cristina Fender
Thank you for the information. I am suffering from the same illness. The problem is to think positive. I work in a stressful environment where negativity is in every corner. At home is worse cause I feel that I'm failing my kids . If anything goes wrong I blame myself. Last year I was taking pills for this condition but I felt like a zombie. I quit and joined the gym. It worked wonders for me, ther were no relapses life was fun. This year and last 3 months of last year I vowed never to take the pill and I'm no longer in the gym. My life is hell. Prayer and my kids are the only things that keeps me going. When I feel down I recite the LOrd's prayer ten-fifteen time. Sometimes I just remain ther crying in bed for no reason, then when I read one verse in the bible I gain my strength and act normal again. The prase that I am using now is The Lord is the strength of my body in him I am confident. This helps because I feel useless and less intelligent. I hate my husband cause he does not understand according to me. He is trying very hard.
AV,
I'm not Christian, but I do have faith in a higher being. I think that it can keep us going to have faith in something. Most of all, I think that you must have faith in yourself. The other things will fall into place eventually. Have you tried more than one type of medication? Perhaps one made you feel like a zombie, but I don't believe all will do that to you. I've tried several different medications and I found one that worked for me. Perhaps you will, too?
Good luck and I'll keep you in my thoughts.
Cristina
We tend to forget how affected we are by our attitude. Attitude is everything. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has helped me with this type of positive thinking.
Hello, Mermaid!
Attitude will get you far, one way or the other. It's hard to think positively when you're in the dumps, but it's necessary if you're going to pull yourself up.
Thanks for the comment and it's nice to see you here!
Cristina
hi mermaid. i sure appreciate your honesty and openness. shame (not feeling good enuf) is such a big part of this crap, and i've come SO far in accepting that it's just a brain disease. i have written myself a letter of suggestions of things to do (paint my toenails, play a certain album, call a safe friend, pet my dog, take a tub bath, light a candle, say, 'this too shall pass' (but never as soon as i want it too).
NO one likes meds. they cost money, have side effects, are a pain to remember, and i've stopped them before. BUT not for the past 10 yrs, and things are much better. i've needed to chnage types and doses at different times, use a dawn simulator lamp, meditate, read comics and rent fun videos from the library.
if I felt like you, what would you suggest? listen to your heart, my dear. my friend becky used to say, 'if you tough it out, you did it wrong!'. it's hard to ask for help, but we're pretty generic. i've been sober 23 yrs, and sponsor 8 women in AA/Alanon who are also bipolar...and know tons more with bipolar kids/parents/friends. There IS hope, there IS help, and we take turns holding each other's hands. isolation is the killer, and i'm so grateful for your letter.
we moved four months ago, and i'm missing my support system and counselor. see a new shrink soon. i'm more depressed than i've been in three years, and i've been 'hiding out'...
SO: i'd love it if you'd email me . we're in this together, my new friend.
besides, if you have your shit together, all you have is a pile of shit!
give yourself a hug. i'm sending you one. please, everyone who wants to, i could use one. got some scary stuff to go thru tomorrow, and i feel about 5, not 53. stay tuned!
Deb,
I'm sorry you're going through a hard time right now. It does help to have a support system in place.
I'm sending you a hug through the air waves!
Cristina
I just joined this site....now. I'm going through a rough patch right now...Bipolar is killing me. I can`t function or do anything. Getting out of bed is like moving a mountain. I hate feeling like this. I don't want bipolar medication. I just want it to go away.
Mags,
I know how you feel. I've been there. But, unfortunately, the only thing that will get you better is to take the medication. You can't just throw the covers over your head and give up. You have to fight for your life.
Good luck to you.
Cristina
Thank you. I`m trying all the natural things there are to try and I know its a slow process but I was on medication and it totally wrecked my brain. I took so many pills and I think they made me worse. Being alone doesn`t help much either but I`m really really trying.
Mags,
I wonder if you tried the wrong meds? I was on some awful meds before now. Just something to keep under your cap.
Cristina
I'm struggling big time at the moment, I'm switching up to a half a dozen times a day and seem to be constantly shouting and getting upset this has been going on for about 2 weeks, I'm walking on egg shells around my son as he is getting the brunt of it. I'm 42 and I feel like my life has been turned upside down and will never be the same again, I just don't know what to expect anymore, I was hospitalised 6 weeks ago for a month as I went into hyper mania and lost all touch with reality I didn't sleep for almost 3 weeks I didn't recognise my family I was traumatised and so were my family especially my son they thought they had lost me, I've had 3 episodes in the last 12mths the last one been the worst, I suppose my worry and question is will these episodes get worse?? I have no memory of the episode before and during the time I spent in hospital and now struggle with my memory daily, Is there anything I can do??
Mary,
I'm so sorry to hear about your troubles. The only thing I can recommend is an antipsychotic. If you're already on one, then you need to change or increase the dosage. I would definitely talk to your doctor as soon as possible before it escalates further.
Good luck to you.
Cristina
Dear Mary and Christina
I was going along decent until 2 years ago I started going up.
I have to act fast to stem the tide. My family Dr. added Seropquel. It is a major help The side effect for me is sleepiness.
I get great help from my sister, a former girlfriend and myself. We can tell very quickly when I start to waver from the middle line of the railroad tracks
Good luck
My live in 37 year old girlfriend/wife and I broke up a few months ago, in December. She blames my bi-polar and on off internet hypersexuality, and I lost tolerance for her South American type jealousy, controlling attitude, and want of a child (I am 56-been there). We were friends, but could not work out our difference, and we both decided to move on. OK, with that said, a few weeks later, I felt abandoned in CA, as she moved back to NYC. I also had work, 1/2 remodeled devaluating home and of course, issues surrounding the bi-polar...namely hopelessness and suicide. I began to have obsessive actions and thoughts and the ability not not let go. I still and not there yet, 6 months after the separation.
Today, I just had this dream which is pretty easy to understand.
Here is the dream.
A group of friends and family warned me, with some sarcasm, before I jump into a pool to, not to drown myself.
I am now underwater. I attempt to swim to the surface, as I hear my name being called. I only make it to just below the surface. I am struggling, to break through, as I am holding a handful of sand above my face, which is preventing me from doing so. The sand flows from my hand, into my face, blinding me and annoying me. I just can't let go of the sand. It is the excessive sands weight, that keeps just below the surface.
My vision is further hampered by the rippling ripple effect of the surface water. It frustrates me. I can make out the shape of friends and family, at the edge of the pool, who do not notice my struggles.
I am now screaming under water for help, but I am not gasping for air.
I outstretch my legs to be easier seen, but my actions go unnoticed.
I am hoping someone will jump in to save me, but I just float there just below the surface, with only the sound of my muffled screams.
I am wondering why I can not make the simple choice, of letting go of this handful of heavy sand, that both blinds me, and keeps me from breaking though the surface. It is causing me to drown.
I also wonder why no one at the on the pool edge, sees me struggling, or hears my screams. I am frustrated that they can not save me, and that I can not save myself, by the simple action of letting go of the sand.
I then woke up, startled, sad and agitated.