Anxiety
Since I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder I'm struggled with lack in routines and planning and craved a relaxed organised lifestyle.
Through years of battling my disorder - as mentioned in my tell-all Blog Post here - I've realised certain ways to manage my stress, anxiety and have created a level headed positive lifestyle for myself through years of practice and trial and error.
I get asked how I cope and deal with situations, as although my Bipolar is now maintained by medication and my strict routines and planning - as well as all my tips bellow - I still have bad days with it too, so I thought I'd share my tips on how I try to lead my positive and relaxed lifestyle to stay calm and level headed.
Disclaimer:
Disclaimer:
I'm not writing to say these 'tips' will or will not help you, but as I had such an amazing response and inspiring feedback from my Living with Bipolar, Depression & Anxiety post, I thought to all of you that were helped by the post, my personal tips of how I manage my lifestyle to maintain a positive, happy and relaxed mindset, that this may be some new ideas to consider to get you to your happy zone.
My Top Tips!
1. Maintain a routine
Before and during my diagnosis with Bipolar, Depression & Anxiety I always struggled with managing my stress without a routine as I've never really had a structured lifestyle.
I live in a very spontaneous family where nothing is really planned ahead.
Before and during my diagnosis with Bipolar, Depression & Anxiety I always struggled with managing my stress without a routine as I've never really had a structured lifestyle.
I live in a very spontaneous family where nothing is really planned ahead.
My tip would be try and have a strong routine that you stick to so nothing worries or stresses your ideas or planning and pops up out of the blue.
So you know exactly what is happening where.
Remember, you're the boss!
For example;
• Wake up at the same time and go to sleep at the same time
• Eat around the same time every morning and evening
• Try not to make last minute decisions
Try and leave yourself enough time to plan it into your schedule/routine and make sure you family and friends are aware of this
Last minute sprung decisions and choice bring on stress and anxiety for me so I try to avoid that and my family and friends are very supportive of this.
2. Have things to look forward too
This is a huge thing for me, I have to have something to look forward too.
Be it a Holiday, meal out or maybe just a planned movie night in or even a takeaway evening with friends.
I find this the easiest way to stay positive and smiling with something to look forward to, so every time I've feeling lower than the day before I can use it to pick me back up again.
Remember, it's about making you happy not about breaking the bank
3. Treat yourself
People say 'money doesn't make you happy', but treating yourself to something every now and again is something that we all need and as well all know, does perk you up.
However, I'd recommend in treating yourself to something affordable, productive and positive.
I don't go on a huge spree I just purchase the odd thing every now and again if it's something I'm been excited about for a while.
For example; Camera lens or accessory if you like photography that's going to be productive to your hobby, Makeup brush is you adore makeup, Piece of jewellery you've always wanted etc
Something that's going to benefit your daily life and be continuously productive to positive so it's not something that perks you up for a day or two, it's something that every time you use it or wear it gives you a positive feeling or a smile.
4. Do what makes you happy and content
It may sound boring to some of your but my all time favourite evening and past time is having alone time with my boyfriend watching a movie, TV series or comedy program in the evening with a candle lit, an occasional glass of wine with a huge duvet cover and some nibbles.
This is something I've noticed makes me really happy, feel positive and content, it's something I like to spend most evenings doing as if it works, why not?
4. Challenge yourself
This is something I've started to do very recently after feeling in a happy headspace for quite a while. I've decided to challenge myself in situations I'd usually avoid or struggle with.
For example; There are certain locations I really struggle visiting with my anxiety and tends to stem panic and anxiety attacks for me which result in me only being able to visit those locations accompanied.
However, recently on a good day or week when I'm feel positive and happy I've taken myself into those situations alone and managed to cope with something that would usually of put me in a very vunerable position all by myself, which is very rewarding.
Granted, everyday isn't a good day where that's challenge is possible and it's not always as easy as that but I've realised occasionally challenging myself with the situations that would normally be extremely difficult is making me stronger and more positive when faced with them.
5. Don't surround yourself with any negativity
Unfortunately, I learnt this the harder way but now it's my biggest tip out there, whether you suffer with an anxiety or stress disorder or not.
This is my biggest life tip and my favourite quote:
'Don't surround yourself with negativity or with negative people.
So you know exactly what is happening where.
Remember, you're the boss!
For example;
• Wake up at the same time and go to sleep at the same time
• Eat around the same time every morning and evening
• Try not to make last minute decisions
Try and leave yourself enough time to plan it into your schedule/routine and make sure you family and friends are aware of this
Last minute sprung decisions and choice bring on stress and anxiety for me so I try to avoid that and my family and friends are very supportive of this.
This is a huge thing for me, I have to have something to look forward too.
Be it a Holiday, meal out or maybe just a planned movie night in or even a takeaway evening with friends.
I find this the easiest way to stay positive and smiling with something to look forward to, so every time I've feeling lower than the day before I can use it to pick me back up again.
Remember, it's about making you happy not about breaking the bank
3. Treat yourself
People say 'money doesn't make you happy', but treating yourself to something every now and again is something that we all need and as well all know, does perk you up.
However, I'd recommend in treating yourself to something affordable, productive and positive.
I don't go on a huge spree I just purchase the odd thing every now and again if it's something I'm been excited about for a while.
For example; Camera lens or accessory if you like photography that's going to be productive to your hobby, Makeup brush is you adore makeup, Piece of jewellery you've always wanted etc
Something that's going to benefit your daily life and be continuously productive to positive so it's not something that perks you up for a day or two, it's something that every time you use it or wear it gives you a positive feeling or a smile.
4. Do what makes you happy and content
It may sound boring to some of your but my all time favourite evening and past time is having alone time with my boyfriend watching a movie, TV series or comedy program in the evening with a candle lit, an occasional glass of wine with a huge duvet cover and some nibbles.
This is something I've noticed makes me really happy, feel positive and content, it's something I like to spend most evenings doing as if it works, why not?
4. Challenge yourself
This is something I've started to do very recently after feeling in a happy headspace for quite a while. I've decided to challenge myself in situations I'd usually avoid or struggle with.
For example; There are certain locations I really struggle visiting with my anxiety and tends to stem panic and anxiety attacks for me which result in me only being able to visit those locations accompanied.
However, recently on a good day or week when I'm feel positive and happy I've taken myself into those situations alone and managed to cope with something that would usually of put me in a very vunerable position all by myself, which is very rewarding.
Granted, everyday isn't a good day where that's challenge is possible and it's not always as easy as that but I've realised occasionally challenging myself with the situations that would normally be extremely difficult is making me stronger and more positive when faced with them.
5. Don't surround yourself with any negativity
Unfortunately, I learnt this the harder way but now it's my biggest tip out there, whether you suffer with an anxiety or stress disorder or not.
This is my biggest life tip and my favourite quote:
'Don't surround yourself with negativity or with negative people.
Surround yourself with love and happiness, and don't look back."
I'm always hesitant to write these kind of posts.
I'm aware not every out there has the same every day challenges as me or the same disorder, however I'm also aware that a huge amount of people out there do.
If I can share my tips after years of battling with mental health and help just one other person out there with one of my tips to maintaining a positive and happy lifestyle, then this is all worth writing.
Obviously I have a many more things that help me every day, however I believe these are the most important ones for me and the ones I think are well worth sharing.
Please comment bellow if you have any other tips, if you've tried or plan on trying one of mine or if you're that one person out their I hope this post will help.
Thank you for reading,
It has always been nervous for me to mention or write a post about this certain subject but it's something that shouldn't be hidden its something that should be said, as it may help others, and If I help just one person, then this post has done all I wished...
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder when I was 14.
After a childhood of irrational behaviour and struggles, I finally realised I wasn't the constant pain of roller coaster mood swings and emotions or a nightmare child, I had a mental disorder I'd never even heard of.
After a childhood of irrational behaviour and struggles, I finally realised I wasn't the constant pain of roller coaster mood swings and emotions or a nightmare child, I had a mental disorder I'd never even heard of.
Now 20, looking back it's kind of a huge horrible blur...
I was having constant mood swings, several all times a days from hyper to anxious, angry and emotional, it was exhausting.
I remember crying to my mum at 12 or 13; 'Life surely isn't supposed to be this hard Mum?'
It's was a constant battle of questions 'is it me?', 'should I feel like this?', 'does everyone feel like this?', 'is it going to be like this forever?'...
After years and years mental illness seemed to be spoken about more on TV and so on, so after a really tough time where I ended up in hospital in a really bad way, it was obvious to both me and my amazing Mum that this wasn't 'normal' and we should finally do something about this, as maybe it wasn't just the 'way I am'.
However, unfortunately diagnosing a mental illness isn't as easy as taking your temperature and diagnosing a fever, it's a long, hard, patient process.
Our NHS service in the UK is amazing and I'm extremely grateful of how I've been treated through my Diagnosis, however appointment aren't quick coming for psychologists and psychiatrists and I had a long wait as well due to my appointment records being lost so I had an over 6 Months for my appointment and then a long process of talking, writing, diaries and charting until finally my prayers were answers and I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
It might sound strange to say my family and I were relieved to find out I did have a disorder linked to my years of up and down behaviour but it was a huge weight off all of our backs, to know it wasn't something we were all doing wrong, and it was something I needed some extra help with to feel closer to what I'd always dreamt of, 'Normality'.
At first I didn't want to go down the medication route as at first glance I though with the right councilling I wouldn't have to have my body controlled by medication. Although after months of weekly councilling, it just wasn't for me and I needed some other extra help too.
So back to my amazing psychiatrists who diagnosed me who recommended I try a Mood Stabiliser Medication called Quetiapine to bring my high moods down to level and my low moods up to level to balance out my swings, and I'm still on this medication 6 years later today and it's the only one I've stuck with.
Hoping I'd only need a mood stabliser to help manage my bipolar, unfortunately due my huge amounts of stress, anxiety and phobias started to arise and I was unable to leave the house and unable to attend school for sometimes weeks so I was prescribed some Antidepressents.
I first tried Fluoxetine which I started taking at a basic dose which then had to be upped and upped until I found a happy level. However after 2-3 years on Fuloxitine I started to have migraines and panic attacks daily which occurred due to my high levels of anxiety and became dangerous and started happening whilst I was driving to and from college, so I was told by the doctor to swap my Antidepressents over to Citalopram which should help with my panic attacks and take the edge off my anxiety.
Citalopram was great for around 6-9 months however then I started to become very stressed, irritable, angry and argumentative which seemed to take me back a few years and I was recommended to swap my Antidepressents over to Sertraline.
Today I am still on Sertraline and a I finally think (and hope) after 6 long years since my diagnosis, I've found my perfect match of medication to help manage my Bipolar and I find this dose of Quetiapine and Sertraline along with organisation, routine and planning find myself at a much, much more manageable level and a much, much happier place.
It wasn't all about medication though.
There was years of learning, thinking and adapting. Learning how to minimise my anxiety, thinking about the future and adapting to the changes in my lifestyle and keeping myself at a happy level and healthy head space.
I've learned I have to have a routine and plan ahead. Unfortunately that means the same for the people I spend most of my time with i.e my boyfriend and my family as if I'm unaware of what I'm doing I can get very uneasy.
So that meant my family adapting too.
So that meant my family adapting too.
It means trying not to leave me alone, which brought and still does bring on anxiety and roller coaster emotions. Things that also help are planning ahead with a daily routine and planning things to look forward to.
If I don't have something to look forward to I find myself very depressed and unhappy so my boyfriend and I always like to plan what to do at the weekends or have a weekend away in months to come.
But it wasn't easy for my family at all, it was as hard them as it was for me, and hard for my boyfriend who I've been with for 3 years it was hard for him to accept, adapt and learn about my Bipolar too.
Now 20, and feeling positive and (what I could call) the most 'normal' I've ever been have only my family and my boyfriend to thank for helping me through some horrible times, but without those times I wouldn't be able to sit here today, write this to the world and say what I've only ever wanted to through everything say, I am happy and I am happy with admitting I have Bipolar.
Sure, I still have bad days and good days.
Every 6 weeks, 3 months or so I might have a really, really bad day struggling with out of control emotions, stress, anxiety or feeling angry, argumentative and irritable or I might have a rush of mood swings from low to high, hyper to depressive. It's hard, scary and difficult but they happen, and overall thinking back and thinking positively, the good days 100% outweigh the bad.
I've come to terms now that I have bipolar and I'll most likely suffer with the illness for the rest of my life, however I know how to manage it better now and I have some amazing people around me who help me every day.
If you're reading this and alarm bells ring or Déjà vu occurs it doesn't means you're Bipolar it just might mean you have some anxiety, stress or nervousness . It could mean a lot of things or nothing, but I want you to know that it doesn't mean you're mentally ill.
But what I would say is, if anything does seem familiar to you, talk to someone!
A friend, a family member, a loved one, doctor or a teacher.
Along my journey I have a lot of thanks for my teachers from my secondary school, they were amazing with me on my good days and my bad and never made me feel any different and they were the easier to talk to.
Along my journey I have a lot of thanks for my teachers from my secondary school, they were amazing with me on my good days and my bad and never made me feel any different and they were the easier to talk to.
Don't be scared to say anything.
Be yourself and be honest because it will help you in the long run, no one will judge you and if they do, it's okay because you don't need them.
Be yourself and be honest because it will help you in the long run, no one will judge you and if they do, it's okay because you don't need them.
The main thing I would say is; do what you love.
Have a hobby, it helps! Enjoy yourself.
Blogging really helps me to open up, and put my interest in something, I love it.
If you're doing something you love, you'll either forget about what you're worrying about or use it to your strengths, and never, ever, ever be ashamed.
It's been a long road but it's all worth it now I'm in a happy place with the people I love and who love me.
The best advice I would give anyone is;
Don't surround yourself with negativity or with negative people.
Surround yourself with love and happiness, and don't look back.
If you ever need any advice or help or just a natter!
Or Email me StyledbyCharlie@yahoo.com.
I'd love to listen.
P.S Thank you for reading, I hopes this helps someone, somewhere out there feel confident and happier.
Remember, don't be scared to talk, just be yourself.
Please SHARE the post if you can too, I'd like to spread awareness and make more people aware of Mental Illnesses.
Tag me on Twitter: @pallettBLOGGER and Instagram: @charliepallett
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