Bipolar

2022 - 8 - 25

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Image courtesy of "Los Angeles Times"

Op-Ed: I am California's surgeon general and I have bipolar disorder (Los Angeles Times)

By sharing my story, I hope to dispel stigma and internalized shame, and help anyone struggling know they are not alone.

I wish during my darkest moments I had known someone who had survived the worst of bipolar disorder. I was working at a public health job I loved and was pregnant with my first child. I would never have predicted this in the lowest points of my illness. Today, I live with bipolar disorder as a chronic and manageable health condition. For the first time I felt out of my depth in academics and thought maybe I didn’t have it in me to continue with medical school. There were certainly ups and downs that first year, but I was grateful to start parenthood as myself. I learned to minimize triggers, to recognize my red flag symptoms and double down on behavioral and medication management when I needed to. I learned to ask for and receive help when I needed it. It led to my receiving the right diagnosis of bipolar disorder, two and a half years after my symptoms began. It was terrifying to lose such fundamental parts of myself — the way I thought, how I related to others, even my baseline disposition. I never wanted anyone to diminish the doctor and colleague I could be with stereotypes like these. My mind kept going over and over the options without knowing what to put in my cart.

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Image courtesy of "Healthline"

Smoking is Common Among People with Bipolar Disorders, Here's ... (Healthline)

Smoking is common among people with bipolar disorders, but nicotine can have serious effects on the mind and body. Learn more about how quitting can help.

[balanced diet](/health/balanced-diet), sticking to a routine, and keeping a journal or mood chart can help you manage your symptoms. [types of therapy](/health/types-of-therapy)that can help with bipolar disorder. [This treatment](/health/electroconvulsive-therapy)sends electric currents through your brain and has been shown to help lessen mood episodes, but it’s not considered a first-line treatment for bipolar disorder. [physical activityTrusted Source](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity) In fact, prioritizing smoking cessation and the use of other substances is often a core part of any treatment plan for bipolar disorder. Picking a quit date can give you time and can help you set your first goal. [Lung cancer](/health/lung-cancer/smoking-lung-cancer) is the most common cancer associated with smoking. If you smoke, treatment for smoking cessation will likely be a part of your overall bipolar treatment plan. - Keep track of your triggers: Smoking triggers are the things and situations that make you crave a cigarette. - Make a list: Writing out a list of reasons you want to quit smoking can be very motivating. Nicotine is a substance that causes dependency (often called an addictive substance), meaning it actually changes chemical pathways in your brain. This is in addition to the other well-known health risks of smoking, including lung cancer.

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