For example, "I spend too much money when manic, so now I use a debit card instead of a credit card," or "Never hide my mood from my spouse because they will always support me when I need it the most," etc. (I just made those up.)

---

Me: Always keep track of your sleep, because sleep is oftentimes the biggest trigger (or indicator) of a mood swing.

[fern46]

I learned to be humble and allow other people to help me. I had to accept that my opinion of how I'm doing may not be trustworthy and therefore I had to develop systems for myself that rely primarily on feedback from others. I love teams, but I struggle with asking for help. I have mixed feelings about my new lifestyle, but I'm coping.

[USMCBIPOLAR7]

I’ve learned that no matter how severe my depression gets or how long it lasts that I have to have faith that it will end . It always has so it always will. I just have to endure it . I also have a seasonal pattern so am depressed in the fall / early winter so I plan all my taxing things and projects etc for spring and take the other time to just deal with my depression.

[Wander]

There are times where I cannot trust my brain.

[Cornucopia]

- Refusing a diagnosis didn’t make the illness go away (only harder to cope all by myself)
- Sleep enough, eat healthy, easier said than done sometimes
- Second opinion myself and my thoughts if they suddenly change or are far out
- Never make important decisions and never write professional mails when feeling sad/frustrated/angry.
- Take medication, even when I feel I don’t need it

Maybe the last one is the most important one. When I started medication I was all «oh, I don’t understand why people stop taking their medication, when they know it works». Little less than a year later I became one of them myself That didn’t go as well as I planned…
So, lets see if I can stay on medication and don’t screw it up again

I am actually very happy atm, I feel just a tad hypo- just enough to really enjoy life. Oh, I looove this feeling. I might be a bit chatty, strange thing- it’s almost like making up for all the time I spent in solitude…

I've learned that patience really does pay off. I used to hate the word "patience"! I eventually realized that I am a better person treated for bipolar disorder than untreated.

[Jedi67]

I've learned:
This is always going to be with me.
I am not the same person I was before meds and therapy.
I need help.
I cannot do this alone.
I need to be grateful.
Storms will pass.
I need to be strong even when I feel weak.
My support team will always be there.
My diagnosis does not define me.
I can keep going on and on lol.

[Nammu]

Not everything is bipolar, sometimes it's just me.

[wiretwister]

never let your meds run out . . .

I've learned how to advocate for myself when no one else will. I've learned how to ask for help when I need it.

[Skeezyks]

Here's a link to an article, from PC's archives, titled: "The Biggest Lesson I've Learned in Managing My Bipolar Disorder"

The Biggest Lesson I've Learned in Managing My Bipolar Disorder

[Sunflower123]

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

Here's a link to an article, from PC's archives, titled: "The Biggest Lesson I've Learned in Managing My Bipolar Disorder"

The Biggest Lesson I've Learned in Managing My Bipolar Disorder

Great article! Thanks for sharing the link.

[~Christina]

To always listen to my gut instinct.

And mainly to be kind to myself, I struggle a lot with this, I often internalize everything. A life time of self harm ( over 6 years free, go me ! ) and battling ED.

[Dysphoria]

How to spot episodes. Mine start with anxiety/panic attacks from some sort of environmental trigger. From there my mood shifts either up or down (but usually mixed). It seems I get a bad one every couple years or so.

And I agree with sleep. There is research out now that shows Bipolar may in fact be a circadian rhythm disorder. I have never known a Bipolar person who sleeps like a normal person even when not in a major episode. Most of us are night owls and even prefer to sleep in the day (if we can). I know, for me, my internal clock slowly drifts every day where I go to bed later and later until finally I come back around to going to bed at normal hours (9-11 PM).

If you're interested in a technical talk on that topic, I recommend this video from Dr. Colleen McClung from Univ of Pittsburg's School of Psychiatry. It's very interesting.

[Polibeth]

To listen to those around me (friends, family) when I am coming off the rails.

PDOC"How are you doing?"
Me: I'm fine
PDoc: What do those around you say
Me: That I'm doing terribly and being irrational
PDoc: That's what I thought