Bipolar - Twenty Minutes at a Time


What could I possibly be talking about? This might sound kind of silly and maybe it's just me but part of my bipolar causes me to do too much of things I enjoy, especially when I am manic.

 The result is that when I first started blogging I got so into it and I spent so much uninterrupted time on the computer that I developed terrible headaches and had to quit for awhile.

 Then I needed a hobby to replace blogging and I started sewing - with a passion! Hours and hours of pleasure, it was so good to do something creative again. The result? A spasm in my sewing arm that massage, acupuncture and pain killers could not erase. I had to quit sewing for awhile!

And then it dawned on me. 

 I am an all or nothing kind of person, 

 not a good thing sometimes. So, I thought that maybe I could try doing some of these activities I love but for short periods of time, say twenty minutes.

 I keep a timer with me and I spend 20 minutes on the computer, 20 sewing, 20 with a cup of tea and a TV show, go for a 20 minute walk, call a friend for a 20 minute chat, etc. I am sure you get the idea!

 The result is that 20 minutes is not enough time to cause physical problems. Also, by quitting an activity for awhile after only 20 I make it impossible for my old bipolar brain to become manic over the activity.

 You see I am a rapid cycling bipolar II. The II means I am thankfully on the milder side of this disorder, but the rapid cycling means that my moods are constantly changing. My main challenge is to stay on top of the changes, monitoring my moods and responding appropriately.
So far this 20 minute game not only prevents headaches and back pain but at the same time cuts down on my manic tendencies. For some reason I don't try to race with the timer.

 I did this for a long time and then stopped using the timer once I got into the habit of quitting before some activity made me either too excited or too sore.

 WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Would something like this work for you? Have you figured out some strategies that help counteract the negative results of your condition?

 Don't give up! There is hope for depression.

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