Living with Bipolarity
- Overview: This community support group is available to provide a safe place to share experiences and discuss the realities of living with a bipolar diagnosis. The focus is on sharing experiences and exploring ideas for coping and improving health and well-being.
- Duration: Ongoing
- Time: 60 minutes per session Cost: Free
- Who Should Attend: Individuals 18 or older who have received a diagnosis of Bipolar 1 or 2, Cyclothymia, Rapid Cycling Bipolar, Bipolar with Mixed Features or Seasonal Pattern, or Unspecified Bipolar.
Bipolar disorder is estimated to affect close to 10 million Americans, about 3 percent of the population.* It features extreme high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy levels, thinking, and behavior. People with this diagnosis can have periods of extreme happiness and high energy and then drop into periods of great sadness, hopelessness, and low energy. Living with this diagnosis can cause emotional distress for anyone involved. Qualified speakers will be invited from time to time to discuss medications, diet and health, and self-soothing and meditation practices.
- Discussion Topics Include (but are not limited to):
- Experiencing social bias and discrimination
- Dealing with distress and grief -- in yourself and in others who care about/for you
- Understanding cycling
- Managing medications safely; the importance of medication compliance
- Managing physical health
- Techniques for self-soothing and self-compassion
- Community resources