Bipolar and appearance

I read an article today stating that your eyes are more dazzling when manic. https://www.bphope.com/blog/your-eyes-hold-the-clues-how-to-read-the-eyes-to-spot-euphoric-and-dysphoric-bipolar-disorder-mania/
That seems to be true for me too. When I am manic people look at me and smile at me all the time. They start conversations with me out of nowhere, and I talk to them out of nowhere too. It is a full connective experience. However, it ends up strongly infringing on people's boundaries. People have even said they felt very connected to me during those states. So it is a loss, not being willing to go there. Maybe it is possible to be sane and also have the connectedness of the mania, but who knows? I suspect it's possible. One thing I'll say is that even while in samsaric, boring day-to-day life it is good to shave, get an occasional haircut, shower every day, and wear decent clothes.

I recommend the kind of unwanted self-care that people are too lazy to do, to anyone with mental illness. Sure, people even without bipolar enjoy sitting around eating pizza and playing video games. As I say a lot, though, it's not a game for us. We can't be lazy about our self-care because our lives depend on it. So it's important to shave every day, to shower every day, to exercise regularly, and to eat a little healthier than you usually would.

Attempting to Perfectly Manage Bipolar

I am working on staying busy. I saw an article by a prominent bipolar author saying this is not the secret to success. I am starting to disagree, but it depends on your issues. My issue with stagnation is psychomotor agitation. I can handle this by having a very strict to-do list where I find things that inspire behavior. However, I do not mean disrespect toward the author who said that. I just think we can move beyond our disorder and really thrive.

If you have a routine, I think that working hard is very helpful. It's not just that you should frantically run around doing stuff. Instead, it's good to have a plan and then do what you say you were going to do. That builds confidence. It's an age-old tactic.

Attempting the Absurd: Perfectly Managing Bipolar. Personal hygiene

I've always been very laid back about my hygiene. I would shower every day and brush my teeth twice a day. I would wear deodorant. However, I would also not clean my room, I would not do my laundry until I had absolutely no clean clothes left, and I would wear wrinkled clothes. Taking pride in my appearance seems to be a key step in managing bipolar. I recognize that wearing outlandish clothing could be a fashion statement, but it is not so for me. Why? It is not a game anymore. After going insane several times, the risks are too high. It's OK to be normal. It's OK to be a conformist. I never really will be bland anyway. So I might as well try my best to take pride in my appearance. It's a good thing to shave every day if you can. All of these things help to build motivation and self esteem. The self esteem built here might not be the secure self esteem of feeling unconditional love, but even what social psychologists call "insecure self-esteem" does have its place. Being presentable is worthwhile just to recover from what is no longer a game. It is serious now. Don't go crazy.

I think most people with mental illness could follow this self-care tip and it would be helpful. I've seen it written about elsewhere.

https://www.bphope.com/blog/are-you-taking-care-of-your-hygiene-during-bipolar-mood-swings/

Good luck.

Attempting the Absurd, Achieving the Impossible: Perfectly Managing Bipolar (Not successful yet)

My life's goal, besides continuing to teach psychology, is to completely manage my bipolar symptoms. I don't want a cure where I can stop taking medicine, but I want to never have a manic episode again. I have had about 8 of them. I am 32. If I have another one, it is not a failure. It is just another attempt that has not yet been successful. TAKE YOUR MEDS. That's step 1 to curing bipolar. Even if you don't go crazy anymore, you need the meds as a perfect insurance policy.

1. TAKE YOUR MEDS, for your father's sake
2. Keep sleep hygiene
3. Choose friends carefully
4. Choose lovers especially carefully (Work in progress on this one)
5. Eat healthy (Also a work in progress)
6. Take vitamins
7. Take Omega 3
8. Listen to your conscience (this was a Buddhist guru's advice)
9. Have a job that is engaging that doesn't ask you to work crazy hours. Don't do overnights.
10. Limit caffeine
11. Don't drink alcohol
12. Don't smoke
13. Don't do drugs
14. Take care of your family
15. Exercise
16. I like to meditate. You don't have to. But I do
17. Go to therapy
18. Go to support groups

If I can not have episodes for 10 years straight, I'll consider that a milestone. I will still take my meds and do all of these steps. I am driven. Now I have a real goal. I can do it. I have faith. And if not? A quote about Don Quijote in a similar vein:

Solo el que ensaya lo absurdo es capaz de conquistar lo imposible.

Only those who attempt the absurd are capable of achieving the impossible - Miguel de Unam

My resolution is stop making resolutions

It's New Years Eve, and I thought of what to resolve to do. My dad said, "You know my resolution. No resolutions." That's his resolution every year. My dad actually could use a lot of changing, but I couldn't. My problem is I am always searching, always trying to improve. For me, his resolution is perfect. I googled it, and it's not an original idea. However, it's a good idea. Resolve to not resolve. It's a koan but it's also possible to live beyond the contradiction. Don't worry about failing once at it. Worry about failing more than once.

Endlessly self-improving won't get me anywhere. I will do this year what I have always done. I will be excellent.

July Update:

I have made several resolutions since my initial resolution. Therefore all-in-all maybe I have not succeeded. Then again, I have stopped "doing stuff." I stopped stirring the pot so much, so in a way that is not making resolutions. I don't demand that I change so much.

Carlos Castenada talked about being a "seer" vs being a "warrior." Being a seer requires just being. That has been what I've tried to do.

By anonymous

He is I
The idea, the principle, the nature
Exists
It cuts, it's a sword
Of common sense
BOOM!
Heavy fact
Translucent image
Always alive
Never dies

Do you know

Do you know
Do you perceive
Yourself and the air
Between you and the trees
The sky opens
And who should appear
But the sun, shining at you

Wind of power
Field of electricity
El - El - El
B-O-
No
Nonono
Wind of prana
Where's my joy?
Yes, an idea
No, a concept
Now is Nature
For now and more