By Friday, my executive function is usually fried. I don’t want to look at a stove, but I also don't want to spend $40 on food delivery.

I’m currently living off the Trader Joe’s Chana Masala and those frozen Vegetable Birriani rice dish. They’re literal lifesavers when I’m too low-energy to prep. What are your go-to "no-cook" meals for when the kitchen feels like too much? Bonus points for TJ’s recs! 🥟🥗

Today I'm listening to music and sharing the lyrics to songs that resonate with my bipolar. Songs that resonated before I was diagnosed with bipolar, that is.

By Friday, my executive function is usually fried. I don’t want to look at a stove, but I also don't want to spend $40 on food delivery.

I’m currently living off the Trader Joe’s Chana Masala and those frozen Vegetable Birriani rice dish. They’re literal lifesavers when I’m too low-energy to prep. What are your go-to "no-cook" meals for when the kitchen feels like too much? Bonus points for TJ’s recs! 🥟🥗

Living with Bipolar 2 means managing a brain that is hypersensitive to biological shifts. Social Rhythm Therapy—focusing on a strict circadian schedule—is one of the most effective ways to stabilize mood and prevent episodes.

Get 10–15 minutes of natural sunlight immediately after waking. This sets your internal clock and regulates cortisol production.

Minimize blue light exposure (get off the screens!) two hours before bed. Use red-shift filters or amber glasses to allow natural melatonin production.

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Sleep deprivation is a primary trigger for hypomania.

Eat meals and exercise at fixed times. These signal to your body that it is safe and regulated.

Restrict caffeine to the early morning. Caffeine consumed later in the day interferes with sleep architecture, which can destabilize Bipolar 2 rapidly.

By automating your physical routine, you reduce the physiological stress on your nervous system. Stability starts with a predictable biological clock.

Thoughts?

For the past 6 years I've been using meditation to help with my mental health and silent meditation doesn't seem to work when the racing thoughts kick in or the depression feels too heavy.

I wanted to share a few different styles that might be helpful depending on where your head is at:

If you’re feeling hypomanic, don't force yourself to sit. Try a walking meditation. Focus entirely on the sensation of your feet hitting the ground. It gives that energy a physical outlet while keeping you grounded.

When dealing with post-episode shame or low self-esteem, loving kindness meditations is huge. Repeat a phrase like "May I be at peace" to yourself. It feels cheesy at first, but it really helps quiet the self-stigma. A string of beads can help to keep you mind and body connected too if you roll a bead through your fingers for each recitation.

Mindful meditation is the classic "observer" mode. It helps me catch those tiny shifts in my mood before they turn into full-blown episodes. It’s like being a scientist watching your own brain.

Box breathing is for those anxious moments and although it's not strictly meditation, it's a total nervous system hack. Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 8. It’s the fastest way I’ve found to physically lower my heart rate during a mixed state.

When depression makes it hard to even move, the body scan meditation is the way to go. I just lie in bed and do a mental check-in from my toes to my head. It’s a low-effort way to stay connected to reality when everything feels numb.

If you're in a severe episode, sometimes deep silence can actually be a bit much. It’s okay to stick to 3-5 minute sessions or use guided apps if silence feels "too loud."

Does anyone else have a specific practice that helps them stay balanced? Would love to hear what’s working for you!

I am currently taking the following supplements at standard over-the-counter levels, not therapeutic levels, as I am still learning and trying to figure out what I want/need to do.

B Complex - 400mcg Folate and 15 mcg B12 (should be more like 15 mg L-methylfolate. These are for nerve health and cognitive function.

D3 - 125 mcg for my mood but should be more like 2000 IU.

Omega 3 - 180 mg EPA and 350 DHA but should be more like 1-2 g EPA for focus.

Magnesium - 200 mg to relax. Should be between 200 and 400 mg.

So, I'm going to update my pill box now so that I can run out of these that I have on hand and then add the correct serving sizes one at a time so that I can see if I can feel a difference with each supplement.

And I take my Abilify daily -- REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR MEDS!

"Your life will gain in joy by sharing the happiness of others as if it were yours." - Bhikkhu Bodhi

The work you do on yourself becomes your gift to everyone else.

"One won't get much enjoyment out of life at this rate, I know well, but that don't matter: I have no right to ask for it at all events - love and work, these two things only." - William Morris

Hi everyone,

I’ve been diving deep into the research on therapeutic amounts of supplements used as adjunct (add-on) therapy for Bipolar Disorder. There is a lot of "wellness" talk out there, but when you look at the clinical studies, the reality is a bit more complicated.

Here is a breakdown of what I’ve found regarding dosages, costs, and common misconceptions:

1. If you are taking the dosages used in clinical trials it is expensive. Between high-dose L-methylfolate, quality CoQ10, Magnesium, and high-EPA Omega-3s, you are looking at at least $3.00 a day. That’s ~$90+ a month on top of regular prescriptions.

$0.33 - Vitamin B
$0.24 - Vitamin D <<<Get this from the sun for FREE!!!
$1.83 - Fish Oil <<< Eat 4-6 oz Fatty Fish twice a week for far less $$$
$0.20 - Magnesium Glycinate <<< Eat you leafy greens instead!!!
$0.75 - CoQ10
$3.35 - TOTAL

2. For many of us, standard B9 (Folic Acid or Folate) doesn't cut it. Many people with mood disorders can't process regular folate. L-methylfolate is required because it can cross the blood-brain barrier. (Clinical doses are often as high as 15mg).

3. As a vegetarian, I’ve found that most Algae Oils are very high in DHA but almost non-existent in EPA. For Bipolar management, the research heavily favors EPA-rich oil. Unless you find a specific high-EPA Algae brand (which is pricey), eating fatty fish twice a week is honestly the most efficient way to get your EPA.

4. CoQ10 is often studied for mitochondrial dysfunction, which is the theory that our brain's aren't firing right. The research dose is usually 200mg/day, sometimes much higher.  It can cause insomnia, so it’s a morning only supplement.

5. While we can get "therapeutic" levels from sunshine, many of us are naturally deficient or have indoor lifestyles. Sunshine is free, but blood tests are the only way to know if you actually need a supplement.

6. 350mg–400mg of Magnesium Glycinate or Citrate seems to be the standard safe range for supporting sleep and anxiety. But it can cause diarhhea if too much is ingested.

7. While it’s true that supplements aren’t FDA-regulated (meaning you could be paying for expensive sawdust if you don't look for USP or NSF third-party testing)—the safety argument goes both ways. Supplements aren't a replacement for meds, but we shouldn't ignore that our regulated prescriptions often come with invisible, heavy costs to our kidneys and livers. One is a risk of the unknown, the other is a known risk of organ damage.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This is just a summary of clinical data I’ve gathered. Always run these dosages by your psychiatrist, especially because things like Folate or CoQ10 can occasionally cause over-stimulation or interact with meds like Lithium.