[DelusionsDaily]

Does anyone chart their moods? If you use an app on your phone, which one? T wants me to start documenting mood and all symptoms. I think I found an app I like but was just curious what others do.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

I use a DIY paper chart. Updating it is one of the things I'm supposed to doing right now.

[HALLIEBETH87]

imoodjournal on my phone. Pdoc wanted me to try it....been a great thing for my appointments. She can see whats been going on. I forget it all.

[CozyMellie]

I chart my monthly moods with paper and pen. It's a line graph spreadsheet where I can include daily notes for hours of sleep, irritability, anxiety, menses, medication, exercise and pdoc/therapy appts. I like seeing the whole picture on one page.

I used to use the Optimism app. It's great! But for me I just couldn't remember to do it daily. I keep my paper chart on my nightstand and fill it out before bed. Easy peasy.

It took me a while to really figure out a system. I have charts since 2007 so it's really cool to look back on them!!

[Sinking Feeling]

I use Optimism, it's a free program that also syncs with your free online account, has charts graphs, highly configurable for personal needs. I love it and highly recommend it.

Now as for charting, it's definitely a good thing! Even if you lose interest in recording daily and have lapses of months with no entries, it's beneficial! It helps you see patterns and trends. I been doing it for over a year now, wish I started sooner! I discovered that I got depressed around the same time last year and seen how long it lasted and can read my daily notes from them, it's cool seeing your mood swings on a graph too.

Seriously, Optimism has been one of the best tools I've come across.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I should add....imoodjournal has reminder alarms to chart. I have 3 set and I use the rooster tone!

[Mimielam]

I must have downloaded all mood charting apps on my iphone..but I always delete them after a while..because they are either too complicated when I'm not well or look babyish, or because I can't put what I want on them..when I feel well I just don't chart...really I find the best thing I have is a little chart booklet a nurse gave me 2 years ago..I can't write much on it..but I've noticed that each time I was not well I did write in it and this is what helps me when I walk into the doctors office so I can answer some of the questions . but I think I will give some apps another try : optimisum (free) and maybe my mood tracker..tell us what works for you

[DelusionsDaily]

I'm using optimism because it covers everything it seems my T wants and it saves quite a bit of writing.

Anyone able to se an episode coming before it gets bad b/c of charting?

[Victoria'smom]

I use moodlytics. It's a simple mood sticker chart but let's you take notes.@

[Creative1onder]

I use the mood tracker and daily mood tools on psych central to record moods as well as writing down how im feeling, whats going on for me in notebooks, , from time to time and sometimes on plain A4 paper, i just give myself permission to write freely, including drawing too.

Originally Posted by DelusionsDaily

...Anyone able to se an episode coming before it gets bad b/c of charting?

Sometimes. I have terrible sense of time. Chart: time format. So, seeing things that'd otherwise be missed or when a pattern is really starting to develop. For instance, there was a spell when I guessed I'd been hypo for maybe 4 days. Chart revealed it had actually been going on a week and a half(!) Ooops! Ok --better up the diligence in keeping an eye on this one. (How did I not notice till that far in??!! Distracted much?! Or maybe scattered missed days, then realizing that (although I couldn't fill in the more detailed info…) that there was a point where it had increased significantly and that hadn't been any days that weren't like that since then.

I wish it would work better when I'm all over the place, but I get very erratic and forget to chart. One time, sensed it was getting quite bad because of a feeling like dejá vu of the timeframe that had preceded a long-lasting mixed episode. ( A real stand-out of horror the magnitude of which I NEVER want to experience again.) Anyway… "back-charting" (by going through matching-date PC posts) confirmed the dejá vu warning. (And how!) Took getting that pup back in line seriously. And PRONTO.

[Tucson]

Mood charting has helped me, among other things, understand the duration of an episode and possible reasons why it happened. My hypomanic episodes just appear to happen. But I can see episodes of depression coming before it happens.

[DelusionsDaily]

Thanks all for your input. It is very much appreciated. You have helped me greatly!

[Curious651]

I use moodlytics. And on pc facingus.org

[BipolaRNurse]

I use Optimism online plus the Mood Tracker here on PC. I have almost three years' worth of mood charting and I can see at a glance what my patterns have been. I share it with my pdoc once in awhile, mainly because he wants to see where I'm struggling (and not calling!). It's a handy little tool and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a mood chart that's customizeable and easy to use.

[Blue_Bird]

I used this mood chart http://www.psychtoolkit.com/uploads/...v_06-24-11.pdf

It helped me a lot to recognize patterns and triggers. The comment section is very helpful too. I don't really chart my moods anymore but I do journal, I can kinda figure how my mood has been by reading past entries.

[Nammu]

I use optimism.
When I'm depressed I use more of the features plus use the notes section. When I'm doing better I just fill out the sleep amounts and brief notes, when hypo I rarely remember it. It just has the numbers of hours slept and quality of sleep. I've noticed a direct correlation between the lack of sleep and an increase in symptoms, high and/or low. One thing I do wish it had is the ability to note the exact times I went to bed and kept on a schedule that could be charted, not just put in the note section. It just has the numbers of hours slept and quality of sleep.