Written several posts lately that have run the course of my mood cycle- what ever the hell that is. The closer I look at this disorder and how it affects me, the more out of focus and confusing it gets. It is individualized. It can be controlled with medication. It can be worsened with medication. The key is to know yourself and your triggers. Psychotherapy will help you to help yourself. We see ourselves through the distorted filter of bipolar disorder, so we can't trust what we see. Medication dosages and changes may need to be tweaked based upon the mood we present with... which may change tomorrow or with the next hormonal shift. If stress is a trigger, eliminate or cut down the things that cause stress (oh, that would be my job, my family, my health, my finances..my life). Diet, meditation, vitamins, excerise, get enough sleep. Don't drink, don't do drugs. Be good to yourself. Be kind and pamper yourself. Regular checkups. Get your teeth cleaned every six months. And, God forbid, don't smoke! Don't overeat, chocolate is the devil's food....no drastic decisions, cut up your credit cards, block ebay, put on a chastidy belt, get rid of all sharp objects, lock the medicine cabinet and throw away the key, get enough sleep, you're sleeping too much, take a shower, brush your teeth, fake it till you feel it, do it afraid, practice mindfulness, rate your mood today, don't forget to breathe, focus on your breath, keep a journal, make a chart, rate your core values, happiness is a choice, smile and the whole world will smile back, sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger, I can hardly breath, my chest is tight, close your eyes and relax, visualize your "stone cottage", stop. They say I am important and that they need me. I'm tired. I really am. What the hell are you complaining about? What gives you the right to whine about your life? Your house didn't burn down yesterday. You didn't lose your job and then your home to foreclosure. You weren't told you have cancer or that a loved one is dying from it. You don't have alzheimer's disease, down syndrome, or autism. You're not diabetic, hypertensive, or suffering from MS. Oh, that's right, you have bipolar disorder. Get over it. Children are starving in Africa and animals are suffering from abuse.