I wish we could just all take a pill and never experience bipolar disorder symptoms again. In over 20 years of work in the bipolar disorder field, I have met only a handful of people who take medications and never get sick after a first episode. I know one person through my professional work who is free of symptoms because of medications. Most of us have symptoms that are not completely treated by meds and many of us, like myself can’t tolerate daily medications.
I’ve noticed that the meds help the random mood swings and help us stay more stable in every day life, but as soon as something big happens we can go right in to mood swings again.
The meds definitely make the mood swings less serious and in many cases, less lengthy, but the mood swings are still triggered.
I’m amazed at how complex this illness is and what we all have to go through to stay stable. I know that the Health Cards are what keep me going when the mood swings are raging as they are today. They remind me that I have to be very careful about triggers if I want to really stay well. And they remind me that I am going to be fine.
I hope that you have a plan that works! You can use my books or find a plan that better fits your needs, but I do suggest that you have a plan as meds are rarely enough.
