There Will Be Bad Days, But You Must Fight
The bad days to expect with bipolar disorder.
One of the most dangerous things I see from people newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder is the belief that medication will suddenly make everything wonderful. Many think once they start the correct treatment plan that everything will be rainbows and butterflies.
If only that were true.
Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in. Everyone has bad days, including those who are on the right medication and following the best treatment plan. Bad days are something you have to be prepared for.
Some days, you will feel crazy. There will still be times you’re too depressed to get out of bed or be with family and friends. There will be times you want to give up. But you never should stop fighting. The right treatment plan won’t remove all of your bad days, but it will make them happen less often. Let’s discuss some bad days you should expect.
Depression
Even when you’re following the right treatment plan, depression can knock you out. Life can feel too hard, and you may lack the motivation to get out of bed or bathe yourself. If this condition lasts longer than a few days, then it’s something to talk to your doctor about. But if it’s just a day or two here and there, then accepted it as part of your illness and move on.
Some days, the disorder will be stronger than you are. The bipolar beast will hijack your day and hold you hostage for much too long, but you must never give up. Accept your depression for what it is: your disease fighting against you. Then stay in the fight.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is a daily battle for many of us. There will be times it feels impossible to be around other people. Your door to the outside may feel like it’s guarded by an immovable mountain. Interacting with others will make your heart race and your stomach tighten. But again, you must not quit.
I won’t pretend social anxiety is easy to fight. Every time I hang out with other people, I agonize about it, but the potential positives of validation and understanding outweigh the stress I feel. We all need people, and socializing is the only way to get what we need.
Unless this anxiety makes it impossible for you to live your life, it’s something you have to live with. Yes, there are days when it makes things especially hard, but with the right treatment plan, those days will be less often.
Anger
Bipolar disorder can make you so irritable that every little thing makes you angry. Simple things such as the ticking of a clock or the drip of a faucet may make you feel like you’re going to lose your mind. You’ll want to throw things and break them. Yep, I’ve been there, and I’ve got plenty of broken things to prove it.
These angry days tough, but you can beat them. You must never forget bipolar is a war, not a single battle. There will be days you might feel you’re losing, but as long as you stay in the fight, you are being successful.
You Are Winning
Remember, bipolar is a chronic illness, and just like any other ongoing condition, there will be times it’s harder to fight. I also have Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). It causes fevers that last for days and inflammation throughout my body. FMF also gave me neuropathy, which creates pain from head to toe. Sometimes the pain is so intense that there’s little I can do but sit in the recliner and watch TV.
Those are the bad days. Even though I’m following the right treatment plan to tackle my FMF, there are times the disease gets the better of me, but I keep fighting, both FMF and bipolar.
Every day you choose to live is another battle you win. And every success matters. So even though depression, social anxiety, and anger will still plague some of your days, you still have reasons to be grateful. You’re learning to fight your monsters, and as you do, you’re getting stronger.
The right treatment plan won’t take away all of your bad days, but you should have fewer of them. So take care of yourself on the better days. Follow your treatment plan and take your meds as prescribed. Give yourself time to rest and prepare your loved ones for the way bad days affect you.
Then keep fighting. No matter what, always keep fighting.
Until next time, keep fighting.
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Originally published at https://speakingbipolar.com on August 24, 2022.
