Another Bipolar2 Update and Thoughts on Mental Health Awareness Month Conversations
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ต.ค. 2024
- This is kind of a stream of consciousness video, but I was finally feeling like I had more to my share in my series of Bipolar2 videos.
I talk about having my first low in a while, tangible self-care tips, experiences I have had recently to be an advocate and the best ways I have found (so far) to have "the mental health discussion." Regarding that last part, I am sharing what I have learned so far after consulting my therapist and psychiatrist and practicing these conversations. I am always looking to learn more. If you have different opinions on the subject, PLEASE continue the conversation in the comments.
As promised, a quickly researched list of mental health resources:
NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness
Your local Community Development Corporation or community nonprofit. They may not have resources but they will likely be able to help you find them.
If you are in school, then your school! High School guidance counselors are not as scary as they seem and I was honest with min about my mental health back in the day. It really helped.
Therapy apps like TalkSpace. I think there are some where you can even text with a therapist which could be incredibly helpful with the lack of private space because of COVID.
That's all I got, but please comment more below!
Also, a wonderful research group that studies Bipolar Depression and has a wealth of free resources on their website:
www.crestbd.ca/
#mentalhealthawarenessmonth #mentalillnessrecovery #nostigma
Hi Sophie from NZ. Im 60 with BP2 and we never give up listening and learning from eachother. After going to the pub with my husband for a social catch up the other day and just wanting to lie down I suddenty felt so low, I did a quick mental check list and realised that I had skipped my meds and not eaten well. So its just that constant self awareness that we need and surrounding ourselves with love and things that fill us up, it makes it all worthwhile
Oh my God your smile is so AWESOME! I suffer from depression and get enough courage by watching your videos! I have cought myself smiling while watching you smiling four times in the past two days! Thats huge progress for me! Smiling is contagious! And I think that even smiling for a little bit every now and then makes a big difference. Also the realization that I can smile even when suffering from depression gives me courage to continue. THANK YOU SO MUCH! PS: lovely dimples! ❤️❤️❣️
I have deep dimples as well but it’s a curse because it makes us look even more godly without us wanting . It’s a curse really plus bp2
Having a few meals in the freezer helps me for days when it’s hard to get up and when you have the brain fog. I call it “taking care of future me”. I find being prepared in little ways helps me to not worry about how I will cope the next time a low hits.
I’m so glad you asked for help. We all need help sometimes 😊
The fact that you are quite aware of the way certain habits effect your brain is a great sign that you will learn how to coexist with this.
I’m 31 now and I promise that with age and awareness you will slowly train your brain to stabilise.
Having different morning routines makes so much sense!! That’s brilliant 😁
If you’re interested, there’s a book by Dr Norman Doidge called ‘The brain that changes itself’. Absolutely changed my life!! It’s not your typical self-help book filled with endless “just love yourself” quotes 😂😂 it’s a collection of stories about people who used science to change their nervous system. I’ve read that book 6 times in the last 10 years and I swear it gave me so much hope for what can be done to train our neural networks towards stability and peace. 😊
Our brains are flexible and you are clearly very intelligent. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be a certain way. Just enjoy the process of finding out what works for you. I like to build sandcastles and do sewing 🧵
Yesss I need to start learning to make my own frozen meals. I love thinking about it in that way, as "taking care of future me," thats really lovely.
Just added this book to my Amazon cart. Thank you for the suggestion, sounds very interesting. I am also an avid sewer 😊
@@SophieMurrayVideos let me know what you think after reading it 😁
@@SophieMurrayVideos I am learning to treat myself the way I would treat a much loved friend if they had the same symptoms. I’d run them a hot bath with candles and some Debussy or Bach playing in the background. Maybe a nice scalp massage. Make sure they drink enough water, eat something wholesome. And lots of rest. Cease all non-essential activities during the rest phase. And don’t feel guilty about it 😊
You are valuable and important.
So take care xx
Thank you so much for sharing this ☀️ I was diagnosed three months ago... Was luckily put on a medication that worked once we upped its doses about a month in. Graduated college last month... If you had told me before I sought help that I would be feeling the way I am now, I would have never believed you. I was at my lowest of lows, my schoolwork and relationships with my professors were suffering severely and I could barely drag myself out of bed for weeks until I hit hypos of 4-5 days of productivity and energy, only to hit a low and delve deeper into depression. Searching for a job currently but have found myself experiencing lows (not nearly as bad as before medication).
Your outlook on this has really helped a lot, I have a tendency to dwell and block the world out. You have quite honestly given me a lot of hope ❤️ Cheers!
Just found your content and wow. I’m still in the process of getting a diagnosis and it’s so hard not to feel like an imposter, especially since I have trouble remembering what it was like in the opposing mood I’m in. I love that you’re living proof and a “goal” in a way, I envy your stability at the moment and hope to recover in your footsteps. I think this TH-cam channel and these updates when there’s something worth updating us about is great and motivating so thank you.
I am so glad this is providing some motivation! I never feel like a "goal" but I guess that's proof that we are always making progress, even if we don't realize it. 😂 Thank you for your kind words and I wish you the best with your diagnosis.
GOD BLESS YOU! Or any "Entity" you wish to utilize as a spiritual guide! I am in my 50's and just NOW started to maybe accept that I am Bipolar! LIFE has always been VERY HARD for me. I just assumed it was supposed to be! Also the stigmatism of ME being THAT was TOO HARD to handle in a family that was VERY self involved individually. FOR ME to have any issue that required the "Village" so to say, was BAD! SO I never acknowledged IT! I never got help and have been down a VERY rough path. I know how strong and able I am and that I AM very smart and capable but DAMN to be ALONE and to suffer? It has been BRUTAL! You are a lucky girl.
You are so strong and capable to have lived with this thing for so long without a diagnosis AND to have done it largely on your own. My mom had a very similar experience to you. She didn't have much support in her family and didn't get diagnosed until her 50s. I like to think that it was her struggle and wish to do better for herself (and her transparency) that helped me get diagnosed so young. I hope maybe that gives you some solace that, even if you don't know for sure, you have probably made a difference in someone else's life by fighting the fight. I wish you all the best. 💕
Thank you for talking about this, normalizing the conversation around mental health, and sharing your own experience. I am at the point in my own journey where I am finally finding some answers and better understanding how this illness has impacted me for so many years without knowing that it had a name. I love the way you framed the conversation around recovery, and that this is only a piece of who we are as people. Thank you for instilling some hope in me today and reminding me that it will get better. 🤍 Best wishes to you.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am glad you found hope in this video, and when people like you comment it gives me some of that hope right back. Isn't it crazy when you suddenly have that diagnosis to understand things in hindsight? Best wishes right back!
I’m diagnosed bipolar 2 as well thank you for this video I feel less alone ❤
Your videos are helping me, really helping. Just to see you mention about you, existing apart from your diagnosis. I'm scared that this thing is whats going to define my life and me, and it's good to know and see that yes It Will be a part of my life, but not ALL of my life, or me. Thank you so much for sharing, and thank you for replying to my last coment.. I'm excited to discover the me that exist undernith the symptoms. Oh and being able to count on family and friends, or whatever kind of suport system, besids being a privilege, really does make a difference.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experience! I had the same fear so I am so happy that I can help calm that. I am excited for you!
Seriously, thank you so much for sharing your experiences and being honest and kind. I'm in my low currently and your videos have helped with some regrounding. I sincerely appreciate you!
I am so glad to hear that the video helped and hope you find the best life possible with this thing! Sending my thoughts
Thank you soooo much for making these videos!! Seriously, they give me so much hope. You're putting something really really valuable out there into the world for a lot of people to see, so thank you! It feels so comforting to see someone talking about this in a way that's so much more real and humanized than just trying to do research by googling
I am so glad you found the videos and that they gave you hope! That means the world to me and makes the vulnerability of putting them out there completely worth it.
Proud of you, Sophie! I believe in you and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do in life 💖
Yeah I totally get it. Even for getting up and feeding myself is hard.
Stoked to see another upload from you. I’m sorry that you woke up feeling “under the weather”, but glad to see you’re doing well and able to keep talking about it. Thanks again for sharing. Really enjoy your openness. Such a rad, beautiful, lady. Keep well, healthy and safe your side 🖤
Thank you so much for watching and commenting this. Having this community has been really healing. ❤️
I don't know how I stumbled upon your videos but I wanted to say thank you. Someone close to me has the same diagnosis as you, and I find listening to you speaking helpful in understanding them and their experience.
I cant explain how much I relate to what you said in this video. Your courage inspires me, always share!, always.
I’m sorry you were feeling this way and your strength and honesty is fortifying and inspiring (I probably said this in my last comment too lol) but seriously! Also, I hope if/when you read this comment, that you’re doing well ♥️🙏🏾
I love what you said in this video! So wise! So comforting!
Hi Sophie. This is the second video I've watched of yours, last one was from a year ago and I'm so proud of the growth you've shown. I love your awareness and knowledge about how you're feeling and what you can realistically achieve during those moments to feel a bit better. We can all learn from this.
Thank you so much! Honestly, I'm still learning it. Some days I seem to know it, some days not. But we are working. Thank you for your kind words. 💕
Thank you for being so open and honest and I'm glad you are able to confide in family and have a community on TH-cam. Mental struggles are such an up and down rollercoaster. Just know your dips aren't a signal of you not doing well. They're just part of the recovery process.
That is such a wonderful point. Every time I hit a dip I think, "Oh no here it comes, all that work was for nothing." But the fact is, the medicine and techniques make it so I pull myself out of the dips significantly faster. Thanks for that reminder and thanks for watching.
@@SophieMurrayVideos Yes! And take the dips as reminders as to why you’re on this journey. Don’t take them as knock backs but as reminders for your growth! :)
That's a very important reminder! It's really easy, when on a dip, to think that all the effort and struggle you made was vain and a false hope. For me, to keep track of my progress, my high and lows and the colateral things that influence them like habits and happenings helps a lot to put things in perspective.
@@luciminho6000 Yes for sure! Keeping track of when I feel great are memories I can use to remind myself that the bad moments do pass, you’re so right.
I absolutely love this. I think I actually just got thankful for the algorithm :) and you of course!
You’re great.
I love that on a bad day you can put yourself up to come here and talk about it, even giving tips and trying to help, and be this amazing, thoughtful and caring person. Thanks for doing this, I want you to know that you really are helping some of us, like me, to feel less alone in this journey and to know that it is actually something manageable. You are hope. Best wishes, from Brazil (yep, this far)
Ahhh I have a good friend from Brazil! That's crazy that my video reached you all the way down there! I don't know why filming these videos has become my coping mechanism, and why can do them even on days where I can hardly feed myself, but I am so glad to hear that they are helping someone. Your words just made my day! If there is anything else could talk about/make a video about that would be helpful/supportive, please let me know!
I'm sure it's really hard to be verbal about this and even film yourself while doing it. All power to you for sharing this with us. I resonate with what you've been saying, it's been really bothering me lately so I'll try to get a diagnosis on if I have bipolarity (dad has some type of bipolarity, so it runs in the family), so thank you for talking to us. It's nice to hear that you welcome help around you too. Oh and I love your hair and your baggy shirt too:)
Your honesty is so uplifting and refreshing on TH-cam. I love that you give actual practical tips and don't believe that you should lower your standards of achievement and life just because of your diagnosis. That's a great mentality to have, keep making these videos as long as they make you happy because they're really lovely to watch!
Thank you so much for saying this! I will definitely continue creating when the urge comes 😊
Love listening to you ♥️ I feel so understood. Thank you 🙏🏼
You got this sophieee I believe in you it's okay if you fall you can get back up again its a lot having a lot of stuff to do take it one step at a time finishing one thing is still a mission accomplished hope your walk went well. With God it's possible with Jesus there is a way through.💕💕💕
Thank you so much for your kind thoughts 😭💕
Danke
Thank you so much for sharing this & being so honest. This has helped me so much - you are so strong and brave. Keep going and asking for help when you need it. Best of luck to you 💓
I'm so glad this helped you, thank you for your kind words! Sending the same support and well wishes right back to you!
Hi Sophie. I recently found your channel and really enjoy your transparency about your diagnosis. I am only a couple years older than you, and have the same thing going on. This video was so comforting to me as I’ve been in a low for a while. It’s amazing how well you’re able to articulate what you’re going through. I feel like I can see yourself using your accumulated knowledge of positive information to guide yourself through this low. You’ve really resonated with me, and I feel so inspired. I would love to know if you have any must read book recommendations that have helped stockpile your brain with ammunition against the lows. All the best on this journey. You’re not alone :)
Hi Renee, thank you for sharing. I never feel like I am making that much progress, so to hear you say that I am acting as a good guide for myself makes me feel so valid in all of the work I have done. I do! One great book is "A First-Rate Madness" by Nassir Ghaemi. My mom, with the same diagnosis, passed that on to me. I also bought a copy of "The brain that changes itself," by Norman Doidge. This was recommended by someone in the comments on my videos and I ran it by my therapist and she said it was a great book and a trustworthy author. I also really enjoy spoken word poetry on TH-cam. That has helped me significantly over the years. Maybe I will put together a TH-cam playlist with my favorites! Let me know if that would be of interest to you. Thank you for watching. :)
"should probably go to bed at 10pm tonight", me oh shit I should do that it's 9:58
hahaha happens every dang night
Thanks for what you are sharing with us. You are so brave, dude. Thanks a lot!
Trust me, it can be very scary and vulnerable, but it is people interacting (like you) that make it completely worth it!
Thanks for your insights. It seems you have a good support system. I'm hoping that your ideas and actions are a motivation to me (exercise) I'm bp2 and the issue is heightened by diabetes. Good luck and God bless you.
Wow, I am so sorry. I couldn't imagine facing that in addition. I hope they can be a motivation. Some days getting out and exercising is just walking around the block and some times my lows hit me so bad I haven't been able to go to the grocery store and so even my easy meals aren't possible. It's all a journey but I think, as a community, it can be great to cheer people on when we are feeling motivated so that comes back around when we aren't. Good luck to you as well, you got this!
saw both your videos today, just wanna say I really hope you learn to tackle this and keep talking about it here so it helps someone else in pain. sometimes its just nice to know you're not alone. Good Luck Sophie!
Thank you so much!
Hi, just wondering what medication you are on? I have been on lithium, and am going to talk to my doctor to try something else. Wondering what has worked for you?
Same problem here
I don't know how handle it
Find support wherever you can. A doctor if you have access!
I have a question: does your menstrul cycle affect your lows and highs?
I am sure it does, but I had such a heavy flow that I have been on the pill for 5ish years and haven't gotten a period for most of that time. So unfortunately, I don't really know how or if that correlates. There is a type of depression women can get that cycles with their menstrual cycle, so I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility!
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🙏🙏🙏
Is TalkSpace free? I can't afford a therapist
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/online-therapist-for-free#finding-free-online-therapy
I just commented an aritcle that has some suggestions for free therapy access. Here is another that compares TalkSpace to BetterHelp: blog.zencare.co/betterhelp-vs-talkspace/
TalkSpace is the less expensive but is still quite expensive. You may have to do some research specific to where you live and the types of things you have access to, but you should be able to find a way to get support. I know, research is the last thing anyone wants to do when they're already struggling. If you need further support, DM me on IG @murrayforlife. I am more responsive on there and will help you find a solution in any way I can.
@@SophieMurrayVideos Thank you, I have internet access, I live in Indonesia and I just need someone to listen to my struggles and really understand my psychology. I wish there's online therapy sessions (zoom sessions) for free
@@SophieMurrayVideos Thank you, I'll DM you on Instagram
Have you heard of Joe Dispenza?