[Mollywisk]

Hi

When I was diagnosed w BP2 this month, my husband suggested that I get a journal. Good idea- and I did. It sat day after day. I wanted to write in it but didn't know how or what.

A few days ago, I got a daily email from a site called Moodscope. (I hope it's ok to mention another website here.). I signed up for the daily email months ago when I thought I was "merely" fighting depression. Some days the email is helpful, other days not as much. It's nice, though .

The topic a few days ago was writing your own self help book. I was intrigued. Who knows us better than ourselves? Who do we need to help the most? Writing just for myself with no rules appealed to me. I didn't need to fill every page, write every day, or meet anyone's needs but mine.

So I started. I write things down that I discover. One suggested issue was To Do lists, which I make constantly and pretty much hate. I wrote to myself that I don't like this habit because it gets me off the hook with things I don't want to do. They get carried over, list after list, and I get a pass on not doing them because I am addressing them--- they're on the list!!

Another issue was sleep. I like sleep but it hides from me and seems to sneak out the back door or an open window when I want it. I love to stay awake late, sleep late, and go with my body's rhythm. Unfortunately I can't do my job with that schedule. Now that my kids are grown I can sleep a little later but nothing like I want. I created a sleep routine and schedule in my book. I got resources- a bunch of soft spa type socks when I read that people often wake up after a few hours sleep when their body temp drops. I'm off work now and worried about money but found them on clearance for $1.20 a pair. I got 7 pair. I found a sleep app for my phone called sleep cycle. I think it was $1.00. I never pay for apps but this is important. I can set an alarm time, and it will measure my sleep cycle and wake me up when I'm closest to being awake in the cycle within 30 minutes of my alarm. It also measures sleep quality -keeps stats. I then researched the TV we have in the bedroom. I like to watch TVat night and sometimes fall asleep with it on, which disrupts my sleep. I found the tv has a sleep timer and now set it to go off just in case I fall asleep. Whiles routine has me unplugging all technology an hour before bedtime, at least if I fall asleep early it will stop itself.

Those are my two examples so far in my personal self help book. I plan on keeping adding to it so I can refer back when I am stuck, and so I can see that I really can work on the impact this condition has on me.

I'm sharing in case it can help someone else. You've all helped me so much and I'm very thankful.

[Phoenix_1]

I'm not sure what people mean when they say a self help book.
I spent 7 weeks in out-patient group therapy in 2011 and our last week there we wrote a stay well plan that was like a self help book.

We wrote things like:
Eat 3 well balanced meals a day with 2 healthy snacks.
Drink only 1 cup of coffee per day (or none)
Drink herbal teas instead of black tea
Go to bed at the same time every night (if that's possible for someone with small children)
Get up at the same time every day
Keep in touch with your family at least once a week
and so on.

It was a list of what we thought we needed to do to stay healthy.
It also pinpointed things to watch for. If we start staying up until 3 am every night or sleeping all day or eating nothing but chips and cookies and avoiding our families, then we know that something is wrong.

Does that make sense?

[Phoenix_1]

I also keep a diary on my smart phone. I use T2 Mood Tracker, which was designed for people with mood disorders. I have an Android phone, but it should be available for the iPhone too.
I can rate my moods, and write daily notes. I can review the notes, edit them, and view a chart of my moods.
You can create pdf or other types of reports to give to your therapist or pdoc.
I passworded the app so no one else can read it.
You can customize it to suit what you want to record.
Would that help?

[Mollywisk]

Hi - thanks for answering me, and especially for your suggestions. I love the mood app idea. I had found a tracking website online, but I don't remember to always go check it. It would be interesting to download the mood information and compare it to the sleep information in the future.

I think what you are describing is similar to what I am trying to do. My goal is to have a journal-like book eventually filled with my "ah-ha" moments, and what am doing to improve as well as the less successful learning experiences.

For example, I personally need more details than just telling myself going to bed early, or I will ignore myself. I had to make a list of what I was agreeing to do at 9, by 10, and by 11 pm as well as other rules like - no naps, unplug from technology before 11, set a tv sleep timer if I get in bed early to watch TV so that if I fall asleep it turns itself off.

Some of my entries have been in reaction to things you all talk about - I write about my thoughts, which at this point are usually things like "wow, I thought I was the only one" or "what a great idea". For example, I think in my first week on the forum, Red Panda had some suggestions about structure that were great and started leading me down the idea of my sleep plan.

I suspect that I sound a little dimwitted - and I have two Master's degrees and am finishing a doctorate. And, yet, I couldn't do this before the meds and the guidance from you all.