What People With Bipolar Really Want for Christmas
Bipolar is a difficult illness and an ongoing battle, so let’s let our minds think freely and our hearts open wide to imagine the most beneficial gifts we could receive this Christmas:
The Possibility of Purchasing a New Brain
OK, this isn’t ever going to happen, but we all know what it’s like to want to remove that complex organ in our head and replace it with something less challenging! In hospital I once went to the nurse’s desk to ask if they had any new brains and everyone fell down laughing. It’s important to keep our sense of humor!
A Good Night’s Sleep
Some of us struggle to get quality sleep of any kind. If we’re not wide awake, we’re oversleeping, willing our bodies to do as they are told. The crux of the matter is we all want to close our eyes at a reasonable hour and float off into a sleep that allows us to wake up feeling wonderfully refreshed.
The Time to Practice Relaxation Regularly
We know relaxation is important to keep our bodies calm and relaxed. It is scientifically proven that if we learn diaphragmatic breathing correctly, we can calm our systems down from anxiety and panic and de-stress our bodies.
I practice relaxation techniques from phone apps every night before bed and before guest speaking in front of lots of people. I can’t recommend practicing relaxation enough — it is a life saver for me.
A Set Routine
Getting up at the same time every day, getting to work early and eating breakfast, lunch and dinner before relaxing at home and going to bed is a routine we strive for. Don’t we all wish our body clocks worked this way?
However, we have all been given the gift of unpredictability so this is an unrealistic ideal! We can set alarms and aim for routine but my motto is this: we can only do our best! Let’s work with what we’ve got and accept our unique routines.
A Reversible Sign to Wear That Says “Good” or “Bad” Day
On some days I don’t have the energy or inclination to explain how I’m feeling, but with these signs I wouldn’t need to! Their invention would take all the pressure away and people would immediately know how to approach us — perfect!
The Power to Ride out the Bad Times
If only we could be superheroes and protect ourselves from those torrid times. Unfortunately, the dreaded depression robs us of our strength and perseverance, which makes it incredibly hard for us to fight through it.
That’s why I no longer see the dark days as spikes in my timeline, and instead a dip of a wave that will soon rise again. Our power must come from the knowledge that things will change and, although painful, we can and will get through those experiences.
