Thinking / Attention Issues

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When intrusive negative thoughts get stuck on replay, it can feel like an unrelenting hamster wheel. Learn ways to stop the spinning and free your mind. An incessant stream of repetitive thoughts typically badgers Christine E. when she’s alone, or at night—when she doesn’t have someone or something to distract her. The rumination happens most...

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Bipolar depression can fuel negative thought loops, and hypo/mania can flood your mind with rapid flights of ideas. Find relief from rumination with these strategies. Rumination can make you feel like a prisoner, trapped in a tiring cycle of negative thoughts. Breaking the cycle of rumination takes some practice, but learning to manage your mind...

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Bipolar is part of my life, but it doesn’t ruin my life. In terms of personal relationships, things are good! I’d like the same for my work. Working Through & With Bipolar Disorder My message is one of hope and renewal: Bipolar may be part of your life, but it does not have to ruin...

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When my memory lapses or my attention is scattered, I worry that a mood episode is on the horizon. Here’s how I’m learning to let go of excess fear over momentary forgetfulness. Last week, something alarming happened to me. I was talking to a friend about Downton Abbey—a TV show we both love—when I couldn’t...

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Experience has shown me that mania compels rash decision-making and bipolar depression can cloud my perspective. Knowing when to trust myself has been an up-and-down undertaking. The Skewed Perspective of Depression Susan impresses me right away with her enveloping bear hug and easy manner. Too nice to diagnose me with depression, she tells me I...

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I’m confident—the most attractive person in the room. And I can “read” everyone. That’s what mania tells me. But I’ve lost touch with reality, and I’m taking big risks. From a Long Depression to Peak Mania A few years back, around the time that my daughter was graduating from college, I was struggling with a...

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With bipolar comes impulsivity and mood-based risk-taking. Here’s how I learned to take my time before moving forward with big commitments. Bipolar Disorder & Living in a State of Uncertainty Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety—unlike bipolar disorder—describe one state of being. By definition, the term “bipolar” indicates two states of being, and they’re...

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When I become obsessive about something, it’s like having an elephant in my mind. I cannot let go of or ignore my newest compulsion. Here’s how I am trying to sort out which interests deserve my attention and which are less helpful or possibly detrimental. One commonality I’ve noticed between myself and the bipolar community...

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When I find myself struggling with bipolar symptoms, I like to mix things up by experiencing opposite or conflicting sensations. Here are several ways I embrace seemingly “bipolar” activities to get out of a rut. Is It My Personality, Astrological Sign, or Bipolar? Whenever an acquaintance asks me what my zodiac sign is, I tell...

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When positive self-talk and empowering affirmations guide our actions, we can redirect our moods and shift our behaviors toward confidence and balance with bipolar. Words—whether spoken or thought—carry incredible weight. They are capable of healing or harming. The unkind phrases we tell ourselves so often can easily turn into beliefs, shaping an unfair and cruel...

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In managing my cognitive symptoms, I’ve found power in research and observation—even though self-monitoring can feel like taking a selfie in the dark! Taming the Dragon … with Science Since so much of my bipolar is outside my control, I’m always searching for new ways to tame the dragon. And in my journey, I’ve found...

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Recent medical tests gave me “answers” that left me second-guessing almost everything—even my bipolar diagnosis. I shifted my mind-set, learned some new words, and decided to reconsider therapy—something I’ve avoided for years! Blanking Out Ever since I was a child, I have been experiencing momentary lapses in consciousness, when I feel as though I lose...

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Sometimes I doubt my own judgment—“Do I really love this new thing, or is mania misleading me?” Understanding brain chemistry allows me to work with my bipolar, instead of against it. In my experience with bipolar disorder, it seems as though my brain’s “good judgment chemistry release valve” is faulty—it gets stuck closed sometimes! I...

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Depression is a thief of joy. It robs us of the activities we love. It tells us that what once gave us pleasure is now pointless. But depression is a liar, too. Embrace the Discomfort One of the best ways to help someone who is depressed move toward a place of wellness and peace is...

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“This is the WORST!” We’ve all said it & we’ve all thought it. And sometimes it is actually true. But consistently ruminating over how things can go badly does not protect us against negative experiences. It robs us of the ability to recognize those quiet, small joys—even in hard times. What Is Worst-Case-Scenario Thinking? Worst-case-scenario...

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If you lose yourself in obsessive thought spirals or cycles alongside your bipolar, you are not alone. I have come a long way with managing my obsessive thinking. Here is my process for dealing with those ideas, images, phrases, and worries that won’t go away. OCD and Hypomania I have found that bipolar disorder and...

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Distractability can be a major challenge, but there are many things you can do to maintain focus throughout the day when you find your mind wandering. If video is not showing, click here One thing we deal with a lot in the area of bipolar disorder is distractibility, which can be one of the symptoms...

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One of the challenges of living with bipolar disorder is the inability to remain focused. However, there are techniques to help stay on task.   By Karl Shallowhorn   One common symptom of bipolar disorder is distractibility. This sense of being unable to focus is something that can be very annoying, if not downright frustrating....

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Obsessive thoughts often revolve around irrational or exaggerated worries. The repetitive loops can make it difficult to focus on the tasks at hand, disrupt sleep, and affect daily behavior as you start to avoid certain activities or pursue others to an extreme. Psychologist Bruce Hubbard, PhD, offers these countermeasures: Switch your focus. In what Hubbard calls “the...

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Obsessive thinking is a fairly common but rarely discussed symptom of bipolar. We look at ways you can take charge when intrusive thoughts take hold. Getting something stuck in your head—the catchy chorus of a song, a gruesome image from the news—can be annoying for anyone. But annoying segues to alarming when intrusive thoughts, worries,...