Friendships. Write about what they mean to you. How do they play out in your life? How does your mental illness effect them, etc?
What qualities do you want in a friend? What qualities do you offer as a friend? How satisfied are you with your friendships? What changes could you make to better them?
What were your childhood friendships like?
Link your response back to this post or comment below. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, my friends! 🙂
There’s a new study out that suggests a link between bipolar disorder and migraines. More specifically, “six percent of the study’s healthy control group had migraines, compared with 31 percent of the 412 bipolar patients.”
As someone who has bipolar and who also suffers from chronic debilitating migraines, I found this study very validating to my situation.
Researchers found that those with bipolar disorder who experience migraines are “at risk for worse psycho-social functioning, more severe depression, and earlier onset of bipolar symptoms.”
This gives me all the more reason to keep working with my doctors to decrease the frequency of my migraines. There have been many times I have just wanted to give up, thinking that this is as good as it gets, but then I tell myself that I have to keep trying, keep fighting, keep searching – new meds, new doctors, new triggers, new ideas, just keep talking to people and researching.
Over the past three years my migraines have went from 3-4 per week to 1-2 per month! What a huge difference!!! It took a lot of trial and error and perseverance and patience to get to this point, but it was worth the relief from the horrific pain these migraines can bring.
Do you have bipolar and suffer from migraines too?
If you could be any animal which would you choose to be? What does this animal represent to you? What advantages and disadvantages does it have over other animals? Is it possible or do you already emulate this animal’s positive qualities in your human life today? Why or why not?
Blog your response and link back to this post, or feel free to comment below. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!
This weekend’s writing prompt is the following Oprah Winfrey quote:
“Seek to be whole, not perfect.”
Write about what this means to you, and post your response in the comments below or on your blog and be sure to link back to this post so that others can find you. Thanks, and I hope you are having a super weekend!
Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which one feels and often avoids situations that may cause them to feel panicky, trapped, helpless, or embarrassed. Using public transportation, being in a crowd, and standing in line are a few examples. According to the Mayo Clinic,
You may feel that you need a companion, such as a relative or friend, to go with you to public places. The fears can be so overwhelming that you may feel unable to leave your home.
I definitely identify with this as I only feel safe leaving my house if my husband is with me. It is especially hard for me to drive myself anywhere. He has to be the one to drive. I believe my fears have to do with previous anxieties experienced in crowded situations. The noise and unpredictable stimuli of people merely moving around me is anxiety-producing for me. I don’t know why and I don’t know how to stop it, but I do know that I am tired of it controlling my life!
I take a PRN anti-anxiety med before going to any social event, which helps a great deal. However, I have to ration them because my doctor only prescribes me five of these pills a month per our agreement due to my addiction history. Thus, I am left with no medication assistance when I have to go to places like the store or to some of my kids’ activities.
So, what’s been happening over the past three weeks is I have been working myself up into an anxious state before leaving the house to do anything by telling myself how awful it is going to be and how much I DON’T want to go. I now realize this type of thinking has to stop if I am to find any relief.
Therefore, I have dug out my DBT (Dialectic Behavioral Therapy) binder to review some skills to help me regulate my emotions. I am starting with “Wise Mind” which is the part of our mind where “Emotional Mind” (our thoughts based on distressing feelings) and “Reasonable Mind” (rational thoughts) merge together (what I want to do vs. what I should do.) Wise Mind says, Yes, our Reasonable Mind is right, but Emotional Mind is important and needs to be validated, too. It is all about having compassion for yourself while still pushing yourself to do what is out of your comfort zone.
Last month, I overextended myself by doing way too much out of my comfort zone without checking in with my feelings and wants. I completely ignored Emotional Mind and blindly succumbed to Reasonable Mind, which over time lead to a state of depression and extreme anxiety – throwing me full force into Emotional Mind. Hopefully, with my new-found awareness I can now start using my Wise Mind to get back on track to emotional well-being and productive living!
What type of “Mind” do you tend to have – Wise, Emotional, or Reasonable? How does this affect your emotional health?
Ah, Mothers! Good, bad or otherwise, we all have or have had one, so let’s write about her this weekend. You could write about what you learned from her, how she impacted your life, how she impacted your mental health, how you are like her, how you are different from her. You could write directly to her thanking her for all that she’s done for you, or maybe releasing some pent up resentments you may have towards her. (I don’t recommend sending the latter to your mom, but it is a therapeutic tool nonetheless.)
If you never knew your mom, write about that, or write about someone who is like a mom to you.
Just think of the word ‘mom,’ pick up your pen, take a deep breath, and write away. Happy weekend, everyone!
I am a worrier. Worry is one of the major symptoms of depression, and I have come to accept the fact that worrying is a part of who I am. Some days are better than others, but overall, my mind is usually running amuck with worrisome thoughts. Here are some ways in which I try to combat the worry in my life:
I try to stay focused on what is happening in the present moment. I asked myself, What am I seeing right this very second with my eyes? What do I hear? What task am I performing and how does that feel? For example, the laptop is hard and flat on my legs. The keys are small and black, and the cursor blinks methodically as I sit and think of what to type next. I am staying in the moment, not thinking of past or future events – not worrying! Being mindful by engaging in productive activity is one of the best ways I know of to stop worrying.
I am not a religious person, per se, but I am a spiritual person. I believe in a higher power that gives me strength to deal with what comes my way in life. I have a plaque hanging on my wall that says, “God doesn’t give us what we can handle, He helps us handle what we are given.” I truly believe this, if we only ask for His help via prayer. It has always worked for me. Not always in the time frame that I want, but has worked eventually, nonetheless.
When I share my worries with others, especially others who have had similar fears, it seems to unburden the worries from my mind. It’s as if naming them aloud releases the power they have over me. By telling trusted friends how I am feeling, I also get the benefit of their insight and wisdom on how they dealt with the same worries, and their now broader perspective on the issues. It is also just nice to know that I am not alone in my struggles.
Are you a worrier? Is there a particular worry you can’t shake? How do you cope with worry?
This post is linked to Write into the Light’s Weekend Mental Health Writing Prompt – Worry.
Are you a worrier? Is there a particular worry you can’t shake? How do you cope with worry? Write about it and feel free to share it here or on your blog if you have one, and then link it in the comments below.
For this weekend’s mental health writing, list 1 or 2 things that are soothing to each of your 5 senses – sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes. Write about any memories associated with these soothing stimuli.
I hope you are having a lovely weekend!
What does the word miracle mean to you? Write about a miracle that has happened in your life.
Link your post or write your response in the comments below or just write about it in your journal at home.
Happy Easter to all those who are celebrating with me today. Many blessings to all.
Write into the Light 