Living with bipolar disorder can commence at any age. The disorder affects both men and women across all ages, races, social classes, and ethnic groups. The average age for the start of bipolar disorder is 25. People living with bipolar disorder die at younger ages due to causes like accidents, suicide, overdose, and violence. Research indicates that many overdose deaths involve prescribed medications. People living with bipolar disorder also die younger due to natural causes such as metabolic diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Some research seems to suggest that polar disorder is linked to faster biological aging. Some medications prescribed to treat bipolar disorder tend to increase weight gain and lead to high blood pressure. High rates of tobacco use contribute to higher rates of cancer and overall negative health outcomes for bipolar patients.
People living with bipolar disorder often experience:
- Job loss
- Relationship issues
- Substance abuse
- Suicide risk is higher than in the general population
- Bipolar disorder often occurs with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse
- Mental health professionals say that about half of the people living with bipolar disorder are misdiagnosed with other disorders
Living with bipolar disorder requires emotional stability and imposing a structure on lifestyle. When designing a mental health journey, personalize those skills to meet personal needs.
Bipolar Disorder Coping Strategies
Developing bipolar disorder coping strategies is the way to achieve the stability needed to smooth out the rough edges. The following paragraphs briefly describe a few successful bipolar disorder coping strategies.
- Everyone diagnosed with bipolar disorder would do well to take the time and make the effort to establish a support system. Sure, telling co-workers, friends, and even relatives that this bipolar disorder is so close to them is a scary proposition. It is also a necessary one. Some days, everyone needs another person to talk to, to bounce ideas off, to keep the social connections that humans thrive on. And different individuals fulfill different roles in this social support system, so pick carefully and painstakingly.
- Today, we credit Socrates with the saying “Know thyself.” In the case of bipolar disorder, the maxim is: Educate thyself. The more bipolar sufferers understand about the causes, symptoms, and available treatments for the disorder, the more they can protect themselves and participate in designing their treatment options. Remember that knowledge empowers.
- Managing medications is key to success in treating any disorder. In any health protocol, dosages and the prescribed times for medications must be taken seriously. In bipolar disorder, the doctor prescribes the medicine in the dosage and at the time they determine it is best for the patient’s individual needs. The dosages and timing are not suggestions. They are part of an intricate balance designed to return the patient to balanced mental health. Caregivers can help manage medications. Patients can even program AI-type helpers, like Alexa, to give reminders so doses are taken at the appropriate time. Take advantage of technology to keep medicine management on track.
- It is true that bipolar disorder creates stress for sufferers. It is also true that bipolar disorder makes sufferers more susceptible to stressful events. Those stressful events can trigger mania or depressive episodes and make it difficult to quickly recover from them. Managing bipolar disorder means taking advantage of stress reduction routines, such as eating healthily, exercising daily, and keeping a healthy sleep routine. These skills are what therapists refer to as self-care.
- Take the initiative and take the time to identify your personal early warning signs. Forewarned is forearmed. Make charts to track mood swings and their relation to stressors.
- Designing a structured daily routine leaves little room for bipolar episodes to take hold in the wake of stressful events. Routine structure is a matter of control, and controlling stress is key. The structured daily routine creates a certain number of stress-free zones each day and makes living with bipolar disorder easier.
- Focus on becoming resilient. Being resilient means developing coping skills that help people adapt to stressful situations. It also means to develop the skills that permit a person to bounce back from adversity while keeping well emotionally, socially, and mentally. Each person diagnosed with bipolar disorder should learn to identify and manage the personal triggers for their illness.
- Studies link the effects of social isolation and feelings of loneliness to depression, poor sleep habits and quality, a decline in executive brain function, and cognitive decline. The remedy for social isolation is to engage in social relationships. Engaging with a faith community or faith circles expands the patient environment and their sphere of influence to help others.
- Avoid alcohol and substance abuse because the combination of either alcohol or substance abuse with bipolar disorder can exacerbate all of it. Mixing substance abuse with bipolar disorder is an explosive charge waiting to make physical violence, severe mood swings, depression, and suicide more probable.
- Trying to recover from bipolar disorder without professional help is fighting the battle with one hand tied behind the back. Mental health professionals have the roadmap to coping strategies and recovery tools, and to help set achievable goals on a mental health journey. So, do due diligence in research. Set achievable goals. Find a therapist who practices compassion care and cultural competence and who will engage the appropriate community with each client.
- Bipolar Disorder Recovery Tools
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mental illness. Mental health professionals do not have a magic cure. Yet, every day, people with the diagnosis are managing bipolar disorder, achieving a sense of personal recovery, and going on to lead fulfilling lives.
Managing bipolar disorders means that their bipolar recovery tools must consist of consistent treatment over the long term and include lifestyle changes. Bipolar recovery tools include finding mental health professionals who design treatments that fit personal needs and goals. Managing bipolar disorder means treatment that is usually a combination of medicine, psychotherapy, a strong support system, and healthy lifestyle habits of self-care variety. Successful treatment means developing a personal recovery program, setting realistic goals, and persistently following the program.
Along the mental health journey, celebrate achievements, small and large. Encourage the traveler on their mental health journey to believe that success is possible. The history of humankind is filled with examples of individuals who, when challenged by bipolar disorder’s obstacles and setbacks, achieve greatness through sheer determination of will, persistent mental health treatment, and support. Such determination and perseverance should be celebrated.
Life After Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
If you or a loved one feels challenged by symptoms of bipolar disorder, please contact us today. Allow us to show you why Refinery Counseling Services, LLC (RCS) is the right therapist for you and your family.
At RCS, we strive to empower all our clients on their mental health journey through a combination of compassionate care and community involvement. We pledge in our mission to provide the support and resources that engender personal growth and mental and spiritual healing.
A black, female, disabled military veteran founded the RCS practice. Having a veteran on staff provides insight into the issues that impact military veterans and their families, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The firm’s ideology encompasses compassion concerning issues affecting women and embraces cultural sensitivity.
The Refinery practice emphasizes a personal approach to therapy. Our team adapts each person’s therapy treatment plan to meet each individual’s goals and personal needs.
The Initial Consultation
When you contact RCS, the practice’s friendly and efficient staff will be happy to schedule a free, initial appointment for you with one of our counselors. Your therapist will assess your current mental health, inquire into your mental health history, and your family’s medical history.
Your counselor will encourage you to ask questions about the counselor’s education, years of clinical experience, and the rules regarding scheduling appointments and fees.
Our staff wants you to feel comfortable in our environment and in the safe space we provide so you can share your sensitive thoughts and feelings. You and your counselor will work together to determine the best treatment options that reflect your personal needs and goals.
RCS Services
RCS provides a wide range of services from which our clients may choose. The services include:
- Individual Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy
- Group Psychotherapy, where a small group of clients comes together to share their experiences regarding a specific topic and to learn from each other.
- Family therapy
- Couples therapy
- Suicide survivor Counseling
- Child and adolescent therapy
- Grief counseling
- Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and OCD counseling
- Sexual trauma and rape counseling
- Veterans’ issues on returning to civilian life and combat trauma counseling
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
For Additional Information
If you are interested in learning more about emotional resilience, we invite you to read our July 31, 2025, article entitled “How Teens and College Students Can Build Emotional Resilience.”
If the return to school and fall activities have you stressed, you may enjoy our August 21, 2025, article entitled “How to Create Emotional Anchors as Life Speeds Back Up.”
