When Sir Clive Woodward was asked how England won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 he said “Winning… was not about doing one thing 100% better, but about doing 100 things 1% better”. Making small changes can really help improve your quality of life as a bipolar sufferer. Emotionally I'm in a stable period but physically wiped out and I had bloods done to make sure my iron levels were Ok but everything is fine. Van Dijk, also author of several books on bipolar disorder and dialectical behavior therapy, shared these tips for getting restful sleep.. Have … Subscribe. At the age of 36, after decades of struggle with erratic mood swings—periods of mania followed by debilitating depression—and ample doses of anxiety and frustration, Julie Kraft, a mother of three, was finally diagnosed with bipolar II disorder in 2010. I honestly can say that up until the end of college I had no discernible signs of a mental illness. My Story with Bipolar Disorder . Introduction Small things help. Without treatment, these shifts in … I was on schedule to graduate after spring quarter. It is important when you are dating someone with bipolar disorder to recognize that their disease is a piece of their life pie, and not their whole identity. It all was jump-started during finals week of my second to last quarter of college. “I was fiery and ferocious, capable of lighting up a room or just as easily burning it down.” —Julie Kraft. That being said, to a large degree, a person's bipolar disorder contributes significantly to their … As our network member Emma said during our Bipolar Reddit AMA: “The question of whether psychedelics can be used therapeutically is one that the research is starting to look at, but unfortunately there has not been enough work done in this area to be able to weigh in on the benefits and risks for bipolar disorder. I was 23. Depression cycles always feature the worst parts of my personality. People with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder experience extreme shifts in mood that can result in manic or depressive episodes. Romance and bipolar disorder. Managing bipolar on a daily basis can be daunting. Does anyone have any tips to get things done or even get through the day when bipolar fatigue hits? Things I Wish People Knew about Bipolar I Disorder My bipolar depression cycles are the worst parts of me. Laughing along with our list of the condition's lighter side is easier. Bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is a brain disorder characterized by shifts in mood, energy, and … The shifts in mood associated with bipolar disorder can cause extreme changes in behavior. If you also have bipolar I, you may want to consider sharing these points with your own friends and family to help them understand what you are dealing with. I had one final exam left before spring break. The cullmative effect…