You've Been Diagnosed With Bipolar, Now What?

You may be feeling lost or angry or even scared. “Isn’t bipolar bad?” you might be thinking, images from movies and social media swimming in your head, “Am I crazy?”

This is a normal reaction to hearing that you have bipolar disorder. It’s a serious condition not to be taken lightly, and it’s also pretty complex, usually requiring some kind of professional treatment. So, what should you do now?

Confirm The Diagnosis

First and foremost, make sure you actually have the disorder. Was it a psychiatrist or a fully licensed mental health professional with a specialty in bipolar who diagnosed you? Did they do it after completing a thorough assessment? Do they seem to understand your symptoms? Ideally, you should seek out a specialist instead of going to a random therapist.

All too often, people are told “I think you have bipolar” after displaying some simple mood swings and impulsivity. Guess what, many other conditions have similar signs. Truth is, there is not enough training about bipolar and how to properly diagnose it in regular medical school or graduate school for counseling and therapy. That’s why a psychiatrist is usually the best way to go.

Come To Terms With It

Acceptance can be very hard. Why me? Why now? Why bipolar?

It is even harder to realize that this will be a lifelong journey. Many people with bipolar are able to life full, colorful lives after learning to manage symptoms, but that can be a small consolation for someone who just received the diagnosis. Yes, bipolar is for life and yes, you will have to learn new skills. It sucks, and it isn’t fair.

It takes time to arrive at the “It is what it is” viewpoint. Get mad. Cry. Talk to yourself in the shower. Do what you must to accept of the fact that your life won’t be the same – and that’s a good thing. Presumably, you sought help and got diagnosed because things were going wrong. Now that you have the knowledge, you actually have a chance to make your life into something you want it to be.

Track, Track, Track

Track your mood, your sleep, your spending, and your substance use. All 4 are big indicators of where you are in the mood cycle, and excessive substance use can be a trigger for episodes. Make tracking a part of your daily life – there are many apps that can help like iMoodJournal, Daylio, Moodpath, or eMoods. At the very least, track your mood and your sleep as these are the big two.

If you hate the idea of tracking, you may want to consider to rely on a close friend who can give you heads up if you start acting a bit “off.” If they notice slow or fast speech, sudden bursts of energy and a flight of ideas, or a loss of motivation and enjoyment, they can give you a heads up.

Explore Medication Options

This is something you should consider even if you hate the idea of taking medication. Many cases of bipolar simply require it if you want to have a good quality of life. It is possible to manage cases of so-called “high-functioning” bipolar without medication but be realistic about your situation. There is no shame in taking meds to bring some normality into your existence.

Also, times have changed since lithium was the only option. There are newer medications with fewer side effects. The key is to be patient and try out several dosages and cocktails before finding the right fit. How will you know when the fit is right? Oh, you’ll know. Stability will become the norm rather than an exception, and you will have minimal, if any, side effects.

Educate Yourself And Your Family

Get a good book (we like “Bipolar Disorder: The Ultimate Guide”) or do some Googling, just make sure your sources are credible. Of course, get as much information as you can from the person who diagnosed you. Knowing the symptoms, origins, and treatments is really important so you can make informed decisions about your mind and body.

Don’t let your loved ones off the hook either. They will need to participate in your journey to get better for the very best results. They should understand why you are acting the way you are and what they can do to help. Try suggesting they read “Living With Someone Who's Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Practical Guide for Family, Friends, and Coworkers” and genuinely ask for help when you need it.

Find Some Social Support

Tell your trusted loved ones about your diagnosis and explain how they can support you. At the very least, they must know the warning signs that either mania or depression is coming. If you don’t have anyone you can tell in real life, find a supportive online community. Support makes a huge difference in acceptance and moving forward.

There is always a question of whether you are ready to disclose your diagnosis to others. There are environments such as work where disclosing it could hurt you (yes, it’s illegal to discriminate, but it happens all the time). Don’t rush it, especially not if you feel you may be in a manic phase, when it’s very easy to overshare.

Know the Warning Signs and Triggers

Now is the time to really get to know yourself. You should figure out the kinds of thoughts, emotions, sensations, and behaviors that start to appear before depression or mania strike. This is where tracking becomes incredibly important. If you notice yourself going on a suspicious up or down trajectory in your mood/sleep, you may want to activate your support system and deploy your coping skills.

Knowing your triggers is just as important. Do awkward social situations set you on a path to a depressive episode? Is staying up for an all-nighter a precursor to mania? Or maybe substance use is what gets you into trouble. Either way, this is another thing to track until you get a good idea of what your triggers are (it may be a good idea to keep a bipolar notebook).

Develop Solid Coping Skills

All the tracking, education, and self-knowledge is pointless if you don’t follow it up with action. This is where therapy and self-help come in. You must develop some coping skills, like self-soothing, self-compassion, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral activation, to name a few. This may sound overwhelming at first, but with time and support, you’ll become a pro at coping.

There are two classic types of therapy for bipolar disorder: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal social rhythm therapy (IPSRT). The former deals with changing your thoughts to change your behaviors, and the latter involves managing circadian and social rhythms. Consider downloading the free workbook called “Keeping Your Balance” some CBT ideas and strategies.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully you now have an idea of the next few steps to take after being diagnosed. Of course, there is much more you can do, but these are the basics of moving forward, one step at a time. With time and effort, you will learn to manage symptoms and realize that you are incredibly resilient. Bipolar tests your inner strength, and you can emerge victorious as long as you do the work to get better.

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We offer therapy for bipolar disorder both in-person and online - please reach out for details.