What are the Do's and Don't's of Living With Bipolar Disorder

[SmilingElephant]

What really is a coping skill??

I hear this phrase alot....and i'm not sure if i have any. Like when i get really angry with something or someone i go off on it after trying to breathe and calm down....like today at work...this guy i work with is such a jerk and he makes me SO angry when i work with him.....i could've just killed him tonite...seriously. I went off on him!

When i'm sad i tend to shut down. I usually cry til i get a headache and then fall asleep.....if i'm depressed i'm even MORE worse.

[Dreamline]

Here's a coping skill example:

I was at work and manic...my boss was being a dick about something and I was so pissed after something he said, I was enraged.  I wanted to start throwing shit and when looking around I remembered "ok, I am manic, I gotta get outta here"  The only thing I can do in a situation like that to cope is LEAVE.  I still yelled at him but didn't go ballistic I just said something like what the fuck man!!!  I threw a dishrag and walked out the door, walked to the beach and got in the water.  It took me forever to chill out and I never really did but when I felt like I could go back to work and not kill him, I did.  It was like 45 minutes later.  I looked at my boss and said whats up...(my plan was if he reacted badly to just leave and go home).  He said not much.  He didn't fuck with me at all after that...I was soaking wet and had sand all over my shoes but he didn't say shit. 

You can't change the fact that you are manic or depressed or whatever.  You can to some degree, cope with these feelings and thoughts in a better way.  You can only do but so much but better than nothing and flipping out.

[donna14]

I guess I am one of those people that can't be pleased.  When someone is home with me all day, I wish they would go away.  When I am alone I wish someone would come home.  That does not include Fox.  He is always home with me and really helps me because I have to get up, help him with his lessons for the day, and just be there for him.  It is other adults I tend to have issues with.   *cough* Mom.

[donna14]

OK I have to clarify.  I love my Mom, I really do.  She totally helps out around the house and with the girls.  She cooks for us or we would starve.  She is just a little weird when it comes to my bp or Fox's asperger's.  She is a "snap out of it" sort of person but she is getting better.  Just did not want to give the impression that I don't want my mom around.  I could just do with a few less comments from her on the subject.

[sine]

This is great advice from everyone.  Having a stable life has helped me alot; if there is alot of chaos and stress in my life then I think it makes the mood swings more extreme.  Hard to eliminate stress but I try to find a way to deal with it all in a healthy way.

[chasemanzmum]

Avoid breaking up with a loving and caring spouse which duh i didnt do