Learning How to Love Yourself & Living with Bipolar Disorder

Learning How to Love Yourself & Living with Bipolar DisorderYou are worthy of love and of being loved. You may not feel deserving of love if you have been repeatedly told otherwise. The impact of traumatic experiences, one’s self-talk, ways of coping, mental illness, and access to support are all factors. For those living with bipolar disorder, mood can experience extreme episodic shifts of lows (depressive symptoms) and highs (manic symptoms) that impact self-esteem and ultimately loving yourself.

Did you know that seeking help for your mental health is an act of self-love? While bipolar can significantly impair functioning, many individuals are living with bipolar disorder and thriving! There are effective treatments, including a combination of medication and therapy to help manage symptoms. There are also resources and support designed for the bipolar community.

Mood symptoms during a manic episode are characterized by feeling very elevated or irritable, with overvaluation of self-esteem and importance. There is an excessive interest in pleasurable and risky behaviors such as drinking, spending money, and sexual activity. Whereas in a depressive episode, mood is down, depressed, or hopeless, with little interest or pleasure in activities. The individual often feels bad about themselves, feeling worthlessness or feeling of failure, and may be thinking about death or suicide.

There are different types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar I and Bipolar II both have distinct periods of manic and depressive episodes. Bipolar I disorder is considered more severe as the manic periods are nearly every day for a week and depressive periods last 2+ weeks, with greater impairment on day-to-day activities. Job loss, family conflict, and hospitalizations are examples.

These experiences can create additional stigma and shame. Self-esteem is further impacted by self-deprecation and depressive rumination. Self-sabotage behaviors only add to additional problems and interfere with one’s long-term goals.

If you are struggling with learning how to love yourself while living with bipolar, here are some strategies that can help.

Share Your Story.

Everyone has a story, and each story deserves to be heard. What is your story? What challenges have you overcome? What are you proud about? What are your hopes and dreams?

 

Harness Your Inner Strengths.

Do you recognize your unique strengths? We all have them. Building on the things you like about yourself can help you embrace a life worth living. If you do not know what these are, your therapist can help you discover some of the attitudes, beliefs, and skills that are strengths.

 

Permit Yourself to Release Shame.

Shame likes to live in secret and there is power in speaking something out loud to help “release” it. Taking steps such as talking to someone, forgiving yourself, taking responsibility for actions, and making healthy choices moving forward can help.

 

Seek Support.

Finding a bipolar support group and being connected to resources to help manage mental health symptoms such as a primary care doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist are recommended. A supportive community can validate feelings and normalize experiences, providing a safe space to share struggles and celebrate successes.

 

Take Care of Yourself.

The importance of having a solid foundation is the first step to taking care of yourself. Daily actions such as tracking moods, taking prescribed medications, establishing routines for daily activities, and prioritizing your health are all forms of loving yourself.

Resources:

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

https://www.dbsalliance.org/

https://www.dbsalliance.org/support/chapters-and-support-groups/

National Alliance on Mental Illness

https://www.nami.org/Home

https://namimn.org/support/support-groups-for-adults-living-with-a-mental-illness/

Written By: Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC

SCHEDULE
MEET CLINICIANS
NEW TO THERAPY?
RESOURCES
Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) with this year's theme focused on Heal, Hold & Center.
Suicide Awareness

The Impact of Suicide. Your Words Matter.

Suicide is more common than we’d want to admit. Suffering is part of the human experience, and there are a lot of heavy stressors that weigh people down.

Supporting Teacher’s Well-being

CARE Counseling is thrilled to begin offering a Doctoral Internship for Counseling and Clinical Psychology doctoral students enrolled in accredited graduate programs!

6 Things to Consider in Supporting Children’s Adjustment to Change

Change can be difficult, especially for children when their need for safety and stability is uncertain. Establishing consistent and predictable routines helps children feel secure.

Because, College is Hard!

The transition to college can be exciting, but also difficult. You may be leaving the comforts of home and sharing space with others for the first time while managing stressors associated with college life.
Inc.5000 Award

INC 5000 Award

CARE Counseling makes the Inc. 5000 list for fastest growing private companies for three years in a row!

MSP Magazine News Feature

CARE Counseling was featured in an article on “Mental Health: Hurdles to Help,” by Lindsey Scharold with Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine.

Life Satisfaction: 7 Things to Nurture Emotional Well-Being

“The best predictor for adult life satisfaction is subjective well-being and emotional health during childhood” according to the World Happiness Report. Less than half (47%) of Americans report being “very satisfied” with their own lives.

CARE Counseling Announces New Doctoral Internship

CARE Counseling is thrilled to begin offering a Doctoral Internship for Counseling and Clinical Psychology doctoral students enrolled in accredited graduate programs!

Bracing Yourself for Change: Flexible Vs. Blinded Optimism

Change is stressful, and there will be going to be challenges and these will be temporary; however, this is also an opportunity to utilize your strengths and access the internal and external resources that are available.

Suicide Prevention for Co-Workers: 5 Action Steps

The death of a co-worker can come as an unexpected shock, especially when they have died by suicide. If you are aware that a colleague is struggling, you can make a significant impact in helping them get the care they need.

Clinicians Info

clinicians-info

Customized Meditations for You

What comes to mind when you hear the word meditation? Stereotypes hold some people back from mindfulness practice. That is unfortunate. It is important to dispel the myths and understand the things people get wrong about mindfulness.

Going from Good to Great When You Are Not OK

How often do you get asked, “How are you?” and the polite go-to response is “I’m fine” or “good” thank you. How are you? These phrases are common greetings in the United States but seem to lack much depth.

The Client-Therapist Relationship: Transactional or Relational?

There is a transactional element that is present in receiving therapeutic services; however, a strong therapeutic relationship is vital to the success of therapy.
Summer health tips- blue sky with hands in yoga pose

6 Summer Health Tips to Feel Amazing This Summer

Making lifestyle changes has a significant impact on mental health and well-being. When you take care of your body and engage in safe and enjoyable activities, it has a direct impact on how you think and feel about yourself.

Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Meditation helps one become more present, utilizing the practice of being mindful. Perhaps you already have a basic understanding of meditation

Emotional Intelligence for Families

Self-awareness is a key skill of emotional intelligence. One way to build self-awareness early within a child’s life is to build their feelings vocabulary.

CARE COUNSELING IS A 2024 TOP WORKPLACE

CARE Counseling has been recognized in the Star Tribune's Top Workplaces for the third year in a row!  In 2024, CARE was named on the National Standard Setters list.

Men’s Mental Health Month

CARE Counseling was featured in an interview on the “Stigma still surrounds mental health issues in men,” with Laker Pioneer press.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Intersectionality of PRIDE and Juneteenth

In honor of Juneteenth in the middle of PRIDE month, intersectionality is a reminder that we hold multiple identities such as our race/ ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, religion, disability, and age that create unique lived experiences for each person, resulting in different advantages and disadvantages.

Relationship Violence

Partner abuse, domestic abuse, and intimate partner violence can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, abuse and violence in relationships are all too common.

Three Reasons Why It Can Be Difficult For Men to Seek Out Therapy

Men, it is OK to reach out for help. Asking for help is not easy, especially when topics are sensitive, and you may feel vulnerable.