Tasks That Could Soothe Bipolar Disorder Symptoms.

• Frame and display a photo of people who have loved and supported you. Seeing the photo will remind you that you are not alone.
• Play with color. Color a page in a coloring book (for adults or kids), arrange your books by color, or put together a few colorful outfits for coming events.
• Dress to feel empowered. Clothes influence us and others, which is why they can be well worth your time, money, and consideration.
• Take one of your favorite childhood books and read it alone. If you don't own your favorite childhood books, buy them--not for your children but for yourself. 
• Rearrange the blankets on your bed. A smooth bed is so soothing.
• Buy a new book. Invest in your future relaxation and happiness (and get to them as quickly as possible).
• Take a bath. I know that even a 5- or 10-minute bath can reset me.
• Read poems aloud. You don't have to "get" them. Just give your brain something to chew on besides itself.
• Go for a brisk walk. Don't think about weight loss; think about where and how you want to be strong.
• Remove as many small discomforts as possible. Tags in your clothes, underclothes that are too tight, mediocre pillows...They are a big deal. Fix them.
• In every room of your home, be sure something reminds you of what you love. I don't just mean your kids; I mean something connected to your life-sustaining passion. By the way, I think it is wise to have a life-sustaining passion that is not connected to or dependent on one's children. 
• Use sunshine. If you're at home and the sun is out, try to move your activities with the sun. My guest room gets great afternoon light, so I sometimes write or read there in the afternoon.
• Go public (when you're ready). I recently "came out" to most of the people I know--they all know I have bipolar disorder. It's a relief. Those closest to me already knew. But I even extended it to Facebook and made this blog public. I didn't want to hide it if it might help someone.
• Just say, "I love you." Do this for someone who has never heard it from you. Who knows when he or she last heard it at all?

Relaxation, Comfort, Leisure, Self-Expression

I read somewhere that these were essential for people with bipolar disorder. Of course, they're also important in some form for anyone.

These seem similar, but I guess they aren't really. I like taking a good look at similar words to see their subtle differences.


People with bipolar disorder probably need Relaxation to calm anxiety and to make sleep easier. Relaxation may quiet racing thoughts and pressured speech. But it's hard to get motivated to relax. It might have to be a scheduled activity, something that one does regardless of mood state. Closing one's eyes in sunshine. Lying down and praying. Meditating or doing yoga. Allowing someone else to do a pressing task. 

Comfort is a path to healing, and it can make mood states more bearable. A warm aromatherapy bath . Cool water on one's wrists and arms. Soup with a big spoon. Snuggling into a corner with a generous blanket. Rereading old letters or special E-mails. 

Leisure is a break from work. Since many people with bipolar disorder have trouble with executive functioning, work and house and family management may be especially exhausting and depleting. Leisure is a chance to connect to onself and one's interests. Depression kills connection and passion. But a stretch of time may awaken a person, whether he or she is ill or stable. When we have time to do whatever we want, we get to see what matters. 

Self-Expression makes good use of maddening energy. The bipolar mind is wild--both dangerous and fascinating. It needs at outlet--probably more than one. A person with bipolar disorder needs at least one patient listener who will hear racing thoughts yet also be comfortable in silence.