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Managing Bipolar Disorder

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This content is created or selected by the Healthgrades editorial team and is funded by an advertising sponsor. The content is subject to the Healthgrades medical review process for accuracy, balance and objectivity. The content is not edited or otherwise influenced by the advertisers appearing on this page except with the possible suggestion of the broad topic area. For more information, read the Healthgrades advertising policy.

PATIENT VOICES
I Am So Much More Than Bipolar Disorder

Doctor William C Lloyd Healthgrades Medical Reviewer
Medically Reviewed By William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS
Written By Cassia Gold on March 23, 2015
  • Cassia Gold
    Thriving with bipolar means finding your recipe for success.
    I am Cassia Gold. I am living with bipolar, but I am so much more than bipolar. I’m an artist, a designer, a poet, a daughter, a friend. And over the years, I’ve found that the trick to managing and thriving with bipolar is finding the recipe that works for me. Each day, I eat right. I exercise. I express myself creatively. And I cap it all off with a great night’s sleep. Let me show you a day in the life of … me!
  • Cassia Gold
    First, I eat breakfast: good food breeds good energy.
    First thing I do each morning? Eat breakfast. A healthy diet is clutch, and lucky for me I’ve realized I love fruits and veggies. In fact, my diet consists more of them than anything else. Fresh produce just gives me a real positive kind of energy. It nourishes me, doesn’t weigh me down, and makes me feel great on the inside. I try to stay away from caffeine and foods with added sugar since they tend to up my anxiety levels. (I do live in the South, though, and I still have to have my sweet tea now and then!)
  • Cassia Gold
    I speak my mantras and get centered for the day.
    I’ll admit that some days aren’t as easy as others. Sometimes, I’ll repeat mantras to myself in the mirror before leaving the house, reminders that I’m safe and I’m strong. And gosh darn it, I’ve got this! One of my favorite “mantras” is actually a poem by Marianne Williamson called “Our Deepest Fear.” It resonated with me the second I heard it. When I got my bipolar diagnosis, I went into a shell. I didn’t want to socialize. I felt shameful; I felt guilty. “Our Deepest Fear” talks about letting your light shine – about being and owning who you are – and about not dimming yourself for others. It reminds me not to fear the darkness but rather to be the light that penetrates it.
  • Cassia Gold
    I surround myself with reminders of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come.
    When I was in the psych ward, I met a woman whose son had passed away. Her incredible loss triggered a breakdown, and she ended up in the hospital with me. She’d always say that I reminded her of her son. And one day she took these bracelets off her arm, gave them to me, and told me she wanted me to have them. I keep them near me always, as a reminder of her and her son – and as a reminder of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come. Now, I see that bipolar is a gift. It broke me, but it fixed me, too. I mean, when I got my diagnosis, I thought my world was over. But as it turned out, it was only just beginning.
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  • Cassia Gold
    Sticking to a regimen helps keep me sane.
    By day, I’m a seamstress at an interior design firm. Having a regimen and a schedule helps me manage my bipolar. I’ve realized I need a tangible reason to get up each morning; I need something to keep me accountable. So my job not only pays the bills, but it really allows me to thrive with bipolar. I’m also incredibly fortunate to make a living doing something I love. Sewing calms and relaxes me. It takes me to this happy place where it’s just my fabric, my machine and me.
  • Cassia Gold
    Each day I live my passion.
    Speaking of sewing, fashion is my life. I’ve been designing since high school. In my 20s, I got my degree in fashion, and I’ve been doing it professionally ever since. Fashion allows me to express myself creatively, and it gives me the opportunity to help others find their light. Nothing makes me feel better than encouraging other individuals to feel good about themselves.
  • Cassia Gold
    Music is a solace and therapy for me. And it helps me face my fears.
    Music has always been a huge part of my life, but after getting my bipolar diagnosis, music became a solace and a therapy for me. I’ve actually recorded two albums myself as a spoken word artist, and I am so proud of them. While recording and performing music is cathartic, it also makes me extremely nervous! But it’s important to me that I face my fears and continue to perform and record. I’ve learned that fearlessness is not always about your fear; it’s about having courage even though you still have fear. Without that courage, these two albums would never exist.
  • Cassia Gold
    I make time in the evenings to practice yoga. A little bit goes a long way.
    Most evenings, I set aside time for some yoga. Before I took up the practice, I didn’t really understand why some people were so into it. But once I started, I totally got it! By encouraging you to focus on your breathing and your body, yoga is incredibly effective at relieving stress and anxiety. And that’s important to me because staying calm helps keep me stable. After a yoga session, I feel like a weight has been lifted off me. Sorry for the cliché, but it’s true! I urge anyone dealing with anxiety, bipolar or any mental health condition to try yoga.
  • Cassia Gold
    I take my meds. Creation and medication are not mutually exclusive.
    Taking my meds has become an easy part of my nighttime routine. A lot of people with bipolar shy away from medications at first. They’re scared they’ll lose that almost superhuman level of productivity and creativity. I get that; I’m a creative person, and when I’m in mania, my productivity kicks up by about 50 notches. The thing is, I am so much happier when I’m stable. And I’m driven enough to still make my dreams happen. My meds let me produce and create – but in a responsible way.
  • Cassia Gold
    To help me reflect and unwind, I journal before bed.
    Bipolar is a tough thing to live with – I’m not going to lie about that. The key to not only living but thriving with bipolar is to learn about yourself. What makes you tick? What triggers your mania? What do you like? What do you love? For me, journaling was the tool that helped me unlock those answers. So most nights, I take some time to journal before bed. Plus, writing is a fantastic coping tool. It’s calming and stress-relieving – which is major, since anxiety itself is a trigger for me. (See?! I learned that through journaling!)
  • Cassia Gold
    I get my beauty rest.
    Sleep is critical for me as it tends to be for many folks with bipolar. In mania, I don’t sleep. I’m going, doing, creating ... I’ll get a couple hours of shuteye if I’m lucky. But poor sleep is hugely damaging to both your physical and mental health. So sticking to a sleep schedule is really important to me. (I mean, a girl’s got to get her beauty rest!) Here’s the bottom line: my “recipe” works for me. The very best advice I have for someone who’s just gotten a bipolar diagnosis is to be patient with yourself, be patient with others, and find your recipe.
I Am So Much More Than Bipolar Disorder
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Last Review Date: 2015 Mar 20
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