5 Ways YOU Can Take Charge of Your Bipolar Care

Last Updated: 21 Jan 2022
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Self-management is all about self-awareness and informed action. Mood stability starts with changing unhelpful thought patterns and lifestyle habits by understanding symptoms and working with supportive “teammates.”

taking control self-management bipolar disorder treatment

Bipolar Treatment Is a Team Effort

From psychiatrists to psychologists and dietitians to clinicians, there are many types of medical professionals who may be on your bipolar treatment team. Among all of them, perhaps the most important is you.

But what does it mean to “self-manage” your bipolar?

First, let’s start with what it doesn’t mean: self-management is not about “toughing it out” through bipolar depression or “going it on your own” to cope with hypomania or mania.

Self-management is really about two main concepts: self-awareness and informed action.

To actively participate in your bipolar self-management and treatment plan, consider these five tips from John F. Greden, MD, founding chair of the National Network of Depression Centers and professor emeritus of psychiatry and clinical neurosciences at the University of Michigan:

#1 Keep Track of How You’re Doing

Accurate care for a brain-based condition like bipolar begins with understanding yourself and your own unique collection of symptoms, triggers, and treatment options.

That means collecting data. You can create a chart or graph on paper to monitor your daily moods, but many smartphone apps now make this task easier.

(To enhance your self-management, track daily habits and potential triggers, such as sleep, exercise, and alcohol intake.)

#2 Join a Support Group

Fear and negativity thrive in isolation, which can worsen symptoms like bipolar depression. Add depth to your “roster” by joining an online or in-person peer support group.

Finding a community of people who live with bipolar (or love someone who does) can provide both peace of mind and the opportunity to learn from others in a similar situation.

When it comes from “teammates” with lived experience, advice is sometimes easier to absorb. Of course, encouragement and information need to be evidence-based, so routinely check in with your treatment providers.

#3 Incorporate Exercise

Bipolar is a brain-based disorder that affects mind, mood, and much more. And we know that beneficial changes occur in the brain following regular exercise. For example, exercise improves neurotrophins, a family of proteins that promote brain functioning.

Whether it’s starting up a regular walking routine, creating an at-home yoga practice, or stepping up your ongoing weight-training program, finding time in your schedule and creating a system to sustain working out more regularly are bound to improve your mood—and your mood-management skills.

Just make sure to talk with your doctor about beginning an exercise program, especially if you’re not already physically active.

#4 Eat Well & Mindfully

Certain foods, like sugar, can have a negative effect on mood, and even small changes to enhance your nutrition can improve the way you feel.

Here is another area where self-monitoring can be helpful: identifying triggers in your diet can help you sort out where to start making changes to improve your mood stability.

Everyone’s body is different and responds differently to certain foods and substances. In general, though, it is usually helpful to limit food that is highly processed and often full of added sugar and sodium and to reduce or eliminate stimulants like caffeine. When in doubt, seek advice from a nutritionist or dietitian.

#5 Develop Positive Self-Talk Patterns

It goes without saying but bears repeating: our thoughts influence our moods.

Try to identify the role that negative thoughts play in causing or exacerbating your stress—and the settings in which those kinds of thoughts tend to occur. Then work toward spotting (and stopping) those unhelpful thoughts as soon as they start to form.

Eventually, you can try to counter those negative, self-defeating thoughts by replacing them with neutral thoughts or positive affirmations. For example, “I can’t do this—it’s impossible!” can become a mood-supporting and inspiring self-affirmation, “I can do hard things.”

Put Self-Knowledge into Action

Knowledge is power. Knowledge heals. And self-knowledge plus action can fuel one of the most effective players on your treatment team—you!


Read more:
5 Helpful Apps for People with Bipolar Disorder
How to Be Your Own “Bipolar Detective”
Ask the Doctor: Self-Management & Recovery


Originally by Tanya Hvilivitzky and posted November 15, 2016
Revised and updated January 21, 2022

About the author
Jade Zora Scibilia is a former editor at bpHope, bp Magazine and esperanza. She was formerly the managing editor at Prometheus Books and the senior editor of Seventh Street Books and Pyr. She is also the author of two nonfiction children’s books.
9 Comments
  1. I think a crucial aspect of taking charge of your own bipolar management is to establish firm boundaries, especially with regards to our support team. Our support team (this does not include our psychiatrist and therapist and primary care physician) needs to walk a very fragile line. We are responsible for ourselves but at times may need more interactive assistance when we’re very depressed or manic.

    Our support team must respect the medical/psychiatric decisions made for us. It’s one thing for them to notice a side effect of a new medication but a completely other thing to tell us to stop taking a prescribed med (or two). This happened to me recently.

    Our support team must also believe that there really IS something called bipolar disorder and that psychiatry really IS a valid branch of the medical profession. I learned recently that my support team does not feel bipolar disorder is real and does NOT feel that psychiatry is a valid field of science. I cannot adequately express how deceived I feel. If members of our support team don’t believe what we’re dealing with is real, they should excuse themselves from the support team.

  2. I want to thank those who responded to this article. It was all inspiring. I’ve been working on some things and setting goals for exercise and diet. I too have lost weight finally. Was up to a size 12 pant at one point and am now down to a size 4 which is about where I started. The medication can frequently cause weight gain. My new diet and exercise program has helped me to meet my goal again. I’m so happy and I feel so much better as I also have other health issues aside from the scitsoeffective disorder. ( Not sure about the spelling. Sorry) your comments and this article has been even more encouraging. Thank you all. Now I need to work on my thought pattern. That has been a big struggle for me but I believe I can get this under control.
    Happy Valentine’s day everyone! Keep smiling. We got this!

  3. In terms of charting or tracking: over the course of 25+ years, I experimented with different ways of doing this. One really big takeaway: paper works best.

    Evidence now suggests that the dopamine effect and addictive aspects of our digital devices can be harmful. Imagine how much harder that hits a manic person than a “regular” person.

  4. Thanks for all the great stories! I used a free app called LoseIt to kick off my weight loss. I started eating salad instead of fast food, then salad no dressing. I lost 50 pounds, probably over 2 years. Now I have a health coach and I’ve lost 52 more pounds! Feel much better and don’t have joint pain in my knees! My mood is stable, and that’s key. I’m glad to be in this place. God has blessed me.

  5. Zoolah, I imagine you aren’t likely to read this after all this time, but for anyone else (and you if you see it!), I really recommend Woebot. Really great evidence-based sort of therapy bot. Teaches you great skills for your daily life.

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