I find social media tricky.
As you all know, I’m in full recovery and my day-to-day is pretty great.
However, my bipolar 1 is a complex type which means little things can trigger me in a big way.
Take something I’m really passionate about: animal welfare. I simply cannot cope with seeing or reading any stories of abuse. I’ve liked the animal charities I support on Facebook, but then—boom, a story or picture ends up in my feed, and I find it so distressing that it can send me into a tailspin for days. I get reoccurring thoughts and visions. It is horrifying and can start a depressive episode—which may only last for a day—but it’s a depressive episode I can do without.
I reached out to my friends and asked them what I should do. They all said to unlike the page. OK, but then I feel like I’m sticking my head in the sand and pretending things aren’t happening. I can’t walk around in my own little perfect bubble. Can I? Catch-22. My mental health is my number one priority. So what to do?
I took my friends’ advice and I unliked all the animal Facebook pages and newsletters that I had signed up for. I felt horrible, but then I thought I could donate to them instead. I’m only talking $5 here and there, when I can afford it, but I feel like I am still contributing in some way and looking out for my mental health in the process.
The news is another thing that can trigger unwelcome thoughts. I want to hear about what’s happening around the globe, yet I struggle when seeing terrible things. It’s that same old chestnut.
When I was depressed, I would turn on the news and watch it for hours, which is a thing that I know a lot of people with depression do. But, it makes no sense to do that. If you feel yourself heading for a downer, turn that TV off. Instead, read a book, listen to music, cook, or go lie down. Just remove yourself from that remote control.
I’ve learnt now how to take care of my mental health. I hope you can identify your little triggers and come up with a strategy that works for you.
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Thank you for talking about this. I almost had to leave work today due to a horrible story I heard and so knowing I’m not alone is helpful. However just when I feel I’m making progress I always feel like something is thrown at me about animals being hurt. I’m sickened by it and I cannot unsee or unhear things. I just come running home and hug my sweaty baby cat.
I met sweet baby cat
Allison;
As a child and teen I, too was horse-crazy, and I’m still crazy about them (unfortunately, I’m too old and fragile to ride any more) but now that I’m able to keep cats as pets, my love of them has over-taken my first love. I suspect your knowledge of race horses comes from a PETA campaign they’ve been running recently, I too see a lot of photos and descriptions of animal abuse and neglect, but I don’t get depressed, I get angry, concerned and empathetic for them. I can’t do a lot about most, but I can be sympathetic ; I have a very small income and am sorry I can’t contribute to all the animal charities I wish I could support but I know I’ll do what i can: $10.00 here and there is about all I can manage unless I buy something from their animal-themed merchandise. But…and it’s a big but, I can and do sign online petitions and letters and occasionally write my own letter or e-mail and send that out to the appropriate person.
For those looking for animal charities, there are the ASPCA, PETA, HSUS, local Humane Societies and shelters, Fund for Animals, Audubon Society, Farm Sanctuary, Farm Animal Rights Movement, American Wild Horse Campaign, World Wildlife Fund, Tree House Humane Society, Petfinder, Alley Cat Allies, The Elephant Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, I’m sure there are many others (you could Google ‘Animal Charities’ to find others and in some you WILL see before and after photos and read about abuse and neglect; a lot of groups believe that the public must see and know about the abuse and neglect to make their point and to ask for contributions, but as I said, it’s not helpful to get depressed at something you can’t do anything about. If you want a charity with only “after” pictures and a brief mention of the cats’ previous circumstances along with his/her present and hopeful future, look up Tree House Humane. Some other charities may show pictures of the healthy animal and just short bios. I sure hope nobody gets so concerned they get depressed when they could get angry, sympathetic, empathetic and willing to do what s/he can do. Even if it’s just signing an online petition. Maybe I’m unusual; maybe my bipolar is milder than most, but usually I don’t let myself get depressed over things I can do little about; I can be sad, or as I’ve mentioned before, concerned, angry,… (My mood stabilizer does a good job of keeping me from spiraling into extremes.)
Liza-maybe look for Facebook pages of organizations that are doing positive things in animal rights or caring for animals…We need Good News papers and pages. There are many wonderful, compassionate and positive things going on in the world-we just don’t hear about them… I have stopped watching the news because of the negativity and fear it induces in me. I can pray & meditate and try to change things in my neck of the woods, but otherwise do self-care.
I have Bipolar I and I am always deleting or deactivating my Facebook account because I believe that the police and government are spying on me through social media. As someone who is also serving 1 year of probation, I don’t want one misunderstanding by someone snooping in on me to land me back in jail. Don’t trust any social medias, they give you up to the cops without even letting you know that they’re doing so….
I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and found the diagnosis as a good thing (Yay a way to learn to move forward) and terrifying.
One of the last straws for me before a massive depression was social media. People I’d never physically met who claimed were friends started personally attacking me. In manic episodes I’m so passionate but it causes so much trouble.
I’m hoping I can eventually find my balance and am in the first steps of treating a condition I’ve probably had since my teens. Thank you for sharing your journey. I hope to someday be as brave.