Onika L. Dainty

In this article, we’ll explore the difference between burnout and regular fatigue, signs of physical, mental and emotional burnout, practical ways to deal with the complex condition, focusing on self-care, boundary setting and time management. Discover how to navigate stress while maintaining  balance in your mental health and Bipolar disorder management.  

Understanding Burnout in Women with Bipolar Disorder

Burnout for women with Bipolar disorder can manifest in various symptoms including extreme exhaustion, emotional and mental depletion, diminished sense of purpose, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, sleep deprivation, feelings of inadequacy, decline in work performance or in their personal life. Physically burnout symptoms include extreme weight loss or over-eating, headaches, dissociation or disorientation due to heightened stress levels. Constant fatigue often occurs when even after an adequate amount of sleep you experience persistent tiredness, low energy levels and diminished motivation. Feelings of ineffectiveness can also occur where women feel they are not meeting their own expectations or those of others, leading to discouragement, disillusionment, frustration and self-criticism.  

Focus and concentration can also be symptoms of burnout making it difficult to remember things and negatively affects your decision making abilities. Insomnia and other sleep disturbances can further exacerbate the physical and mental symptoms that are associated with burnout like physical pain and emotional dysregulation. There is also an increased risk of illness when experiencing burnout as your body’s immune system may be weakened which can lead to colds, flus and other illnesses. When experiencing burnout you may also notice behavioural changes like physical and emotional isolation from others, irritability and frustration as well as increase or decrease in appetite. 

It’s important to note that burnout is significantly different from regular fatigue. Fatigue is a temporary state of tiredness as a result of either physical or mental over-exersion. While burnout is a chronic state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and persistent stress often experienced at work or in your personal life. Fatigue can usually be resolved with rest, where burnout is a more complex condition that usually requires comprehensive interventions like addressing the stressors that are at the root of the condition. If left untreated, burnout can worsen over time. 

When you are living with Bipolar disorder and dealing with burnout you can experience intensified symptoms especially if burnout occurs during a manic or depressive episode. You may experience mood swings, sleep disturbances and increased stress levels due to high demand in your professional or personal life. Manic episodes are often characterized by phases of overactivity and insomnia leading to physical exhaustion. When experiencing Mania which includes racing thoughts and overwhelming restlessness, it can be mentally draining and affect your focus leading to disorganized thinking. Impulsive behaviours can also occur during the burnout phase causing risk behaviors such as excessive spending as a coping mechanism. 

Depressive episodes have symptoms of extreme fatigue and loss of motivation which can both aggravate burnout. The inability to sleep or oversleeping experienced during depression can exacerbate burnout causing an individual to be in a chronic state of fatigue. The cognitive distortions that are a symptom of depression such as low self-worth and negative thought patterns can lead to emotional instability further contributing to the cycle of burnout. Bipolar disorder symptoms both in Mania and depression have a significant effect on activities of daily living so, when you are also experiencing burnout it is difficult to plan, organize and manage tasks like hygiene, nutrition, self-care or medication management. 

Recognizing the Signs of Burnout

Burnout can become easily recognizable in a variety of ways including emotional, mental and physical symptoms. Below is a breakdown of the signs that you may be experiencing burnout. 

Emotional Signs:

• Exhaustion: feeling drained or lacking energy for both physical tasks and emotionally depleting interactions.

• Cynicism: Developing a pessimistic regard toward people in your life or places you frequent like the organization where you work.

• Detachment: feeling disconnected from people in your life like a spouse or your daily responsibilities in your professional or personal life.

• Heightened Irritability/Sensitivity: experiencing anger and/or frustration toward minor issues that you perceive as major indiscretions.

• Extreme Sadness: feeling a sense of hopelessness or low self-worth which are both symptoms of depression. Crying uncontrollably without an identifiable reason. 

• Anxiety: experiencing excessive worry, constant tension and unexplainable nervousness. Feeling of anxiety can also manifest as racing thoughts which is also a symptom experienced with Bipolar disorder. 

Physical Signs:

• Chronic or Persistent Fatigue: feeling tired and depleted of energy even when you have had sufficient rest. 

• Insomnia: the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep causing restlessness and disturbances in your sleep-wake cycle.

• Headaches and Body Aches: feelings of constant pain in your body or muscles and persistent headaches.

• Frequent Illness: increased susceptibility to colds, flus and other illnesses due to weakened immune system.

• Change in Appetite and Weight Fluctuation: loss of appetite, over eating or changes in eating habits like types of foods or time you eat. These changes in appetite can lead to either rapid weight loss or extreme weight gain.      

Mental Signs:

• Diminished Concentration: having difficulty focusing, paying attention, completing tasks or staying on task.

• Memory Issues: experiencing forgetfulness or lapses in memory. Difficulty recalling information.

• Diminished Performance: decreased in daily productivity leading to feelings of inadequacy.

• Loss of Creativity: feeling unable to find inspiration, come up with new ideas or motivation for being creative.

• Feeling Overwhelmed: feeling a sense of being burdened by responsibilities or tasks

When it comes to burnout it is important to be proactive by identifying the warning signs to prevent further symptoms from occurring. Essentially when you are on the precipice of experiencing full blown burnout it is critical that you “know thy self.” Having a level of self-awareness regarding how your body and mind operate under stress is key. Being aware of your emotions, thoughts and feelings related to what you can tolerate in both your personal and professional life can help you decipher whether burnout is on the horizon or if self-care, self-compassion and a good night's sleep can stop burnout in its tracks. Developing practical coping strategies for managing the symptoms of burnout can be the difference between a temporary state and a long-term, complex condition that will have a detrimental effect on your mental health and Bipolar disorder management.   

Practical Coping Strategies for Managing Burnout

Self-Care Practices: 

Building uncompromising structure, routine and good habits around sleep hygiene is important. Your Circadian Rhythm, or your sleep-wake cycle will oftentimes take a backseat to tasks and responsibilities you feel obligated to complete. You may convince yourself that you can “catch-up” on sleep but once your cycle is disrupted it takes serious and long-term effort to get your equilibrium back. Remember, sleep is essential to the restoration of the body and mind and when you deprive your nervous system you risk burnout. Prioritize your sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday as tasks and responsibilities will be there to complete when you rise. 

Incorporating healthy nutritional habits and exercise in your daily routine can boost energy and release those feel good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine which are the best way to fight fatigue, irritability, reduce stress and keep symptoms of depression at bay. Minimizing the amount of processed food you consume has been shown to promote weight loss, lower blood sugar and blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Filling your diet with whole-foods rich in nutrients the body needs to function can reduce the physical, mental and emotional effects of burnout. 

Incorporating meditation or mindfulness practices in your day life like breathing exercises or grounding/earthing techniques can promote relaxation and calm in the mind and body. These practices can curb anxious thoughts, enhance sleep, create feelings of positivity and gratitude and reduce stress levels.     

Setting Boundaries:

One of the most beneficial and practical coping strategies for managing burnout is boundary setting. In my previous article How to Set Boundaries in Friendships for Women with Bipolar Disorder, I outline the importance of setting boundaries for your mental health and what it looks like when your boundaries are crossed. The key to setting boundaries is to remember that once they are created there should always be a consequence if they are ignored. Setting boundaries in any relationship, professional and personal will not be easy but the consequence of allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by others is burnout. Remember ‘No’ is a complete sentence and it's okay to use this two-letter word with anyone who can’t appreciate your need to prioritize your mental health and wellness. 

Building a Support System:

Having a strong support system of family, friends and your mental healthcare team can be key to managing burnout. The individuals in these circles know you best and may be able to help you recognize symptoms of burnout before you are aware. They are also usually aware of the triggers that can spark a Bipolar disorder episode so it’s important that when you are feeling overwhelmed either personally or professionally you lean on your team rather than isolate yourself. There is a likely chance that members of your support team have experienced burnout therefore they can be a valuable resource when figuring out how to deal with symptoms while also managing your Bipolar disorder. Incorporating peer supporters and groups into your support system can give you a new perspective on burnout and Bipolar disorder management when people share their lived experience in an empathetic, non-judgemental and understanding way.   

Time Management:

It's important to manage your time well in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the activities, responsibilities and tasks of daily life. For many years I have used a planner and a daily organizer as tools for managing my activities, responsibilities and daily tasks. Every night before I go to bed I break down the following day’s tasks, goals and priorities into manageable steps by creating a list of the most to least important “To Dos.” This allows me to visualize my activities of daily living from waking up and taking my medication to when I go to the gym to when I write my articles for my blog. I even write down when I drink my morning coffee, shower, dress and brush my teeth. I have always been organized in this way because it's my greatest coping strategy for avoiding burnout. I have experienced the condition a few times in my life and during my mental illness, the comeback after extreme burnout took years, a lot of hard work, self-reflection, self-compassion, self-awareness  and rebuilding coping strategies that worked for me. 

I’ve learned that I’m a high-energy human that likes to be active from the moment I open my eyes in the morning to the moment I fall asleep at night. I like lists, I like being organized and I love checking off boxes. I also learned that I can overwhelm myself with activities for both myself and others so I schedule daily self-care and downtime. I also set boundaries for what I am willing to take on and what I don’t have the ban-width for. Finally, I learned to give myself grace and realize that there are only 24 hours in a day and I can’t possibly fill them all with tasks and responsibilities or I will burnout. These were all hard learned lessons but they help me avoid getting overwhelmed and to prioritize my mental health.     

Final Thoughts

Coping with burnout while living with Bipolar disorder requires patience, self-compassion, self-awareness and the right strategies. It may also require some lifestyle changes once you have a handle on your symptoms. This may mean reconsidering a personal relationship or scaling back in your professional life. When you experience burnout it is usually an indication that the life you are leading isn’t sustainable and may not include elements of relaxation, self-care or Bipolar disorder management that you need to thrive on your wellness journey. Remember burnout does not happen overnight. It's a complex and long-term condition that involves chronic stressors that cause the manifestation of debilitating symptoms.  

By recognizing the signs of burnout, implementing practical coping strategies, and building a solid support system, women with Bipolar disorder can reduce the impact of burnout on their daily lives. Remember, managing burnout is a continuous process, but with the right tools and support, it’s possible to overcome. If you think you are experiencing burnout do not ignore the signs, instead reach out to your mental healthcare team and discuss how to face the problem while still maintaining good mental health.

 In this article, I will uncover how women with Bipolar disorder can turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality, face challenges head-on and harness their unique strengths. Through insight into the benefits of entrepreneurship, lived experience stories and actionable strategies, I will show you how to thrive in the world of business while managing your mental health.

Entrepreneurship for Women with Bipolar Disorder: Challenges and Benefits

There is a school of thought that places a negative emphasis on the connection between entrepreneurship and mental health. The entrepreneurial journey is full of stressors that can have negative outcomes for an individual’s mental well-being. Although entrepreneurship can be rewarding in many ways like autonomy and sense of purpose, the intense pressure, heavy workload and potential for failure can lead to increased anxiety, stress and for some depression. Isolation when building a business can also be a challenge. The management of a new business, financial instability in the beginning phase and constant pressure to succeed can have a negative effect on your mental health. Burnout from long hours dedicated to getting your business off the ground is also a possibility as entrepreneurs do not necessarily have a 9am-5pm work schedule. These are some of the pitfalls that can have an impact on your mental health and the management of your Bipolar disorder.

However, there are some unique advantages of starting your own business when living with and managing Bipolar disorder. Research has shown that the same traits needed to be a successful entrepreneur are similar to the traits in a woman with Bipolar disorder, that of creativity, high-energy and motivation. Prioritizing your mental health by maintaining a strong support system, both personally and within your community, as well as having strong structure, routine and good habits around self-care, nutrition and medication management can be a natural transition to using your developmental tools and leveraging your creativity to build a successful and sustainable business. Essentially, when you take the time to build your mental health and manage your Bipolar disorder these same practices can be beneficial in your entrepreneurial journey. 

Entrepreneurship can be an empowering journey for women with Bipolar disorder. Oftentimes I’ve found it challenging to fit inside the corporate box of Monday to Friday 9am-5pm attempting to find a work-life balance that doesn’t exist for me in these spaces. Rather, on my journey to entrepreneurship I’ve discovered that I have a level of autonomy to set my own schedule and work at my own pace has been beneficial to my continued mental health stability and career success. With my Bipolar I disorder my baseline is more hypomanic than depressive and I have a lot of creative highs that I use to grow my business and increase my productivity. I’ve found purpose in turning what most would view as a negative into a business model that uses my lived experience to create a positive mental health space where I can have honest conversations that take my readers beyond the stigma.  

Embracing Your Bipolar Disorder: Strengths and Traits that Help You Succeed

I’ve always viewed Bipolar disorder as my superpower and regardless of the challenges that I have overcome, in the present day this is proving to be the truth. Women with Bipolar disorder have a unique set of strengths, traits and abilities that can help them advance in the world of entrepreneurship. Creativity, perseverance, confidence, heightened energy, ambition and risk-taking are all qualities that individuals with Bipolar disorder possess. In the world of mental healthcare they can be referred to as “hypomania”, “mania”, “grandiosity”, “persistent and risky behaviours”, “delusions” and "disorganized thinking” all seen through a problematic symptom lens. However, in the world of business, when applied correctly these traits become strengths and abilities that can lead to skyrocketing success on your entrepreneurial journey.  

It has been my experience Bipolar disorder and its negative effects can spark the development of resilience and adaptability within the constantly changing landscape of an unpredictable mood disorder. You develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills as you view the world in a different way after every episode experienced. Finally, you gain confidence and a higher level of self-awareness that comes from a journey of self-compassion, empathy and understanding that can be used in the challenging process of decision-making when building your business and harnessing your creativity.

Managing Bipolar Disorder: The Entrepreneur’s Structure, Routine and Habits

Now that you are on your journey to becoming an entrepreneur, it's important to make adjustments to your daily structure, routine and habits to ensure that you are maximizing your potential and using the strategies you have developed in Bipolar disorder management to gain a sense of balance while in pursuit of entrepreneurship. Here are some things to consider. 

Flexibility: Establish a flexible work schedule to accommodate your mental health needs. Ensure you are practicing good sleep hygiene, going to bed and waking up at the same time daily. Your circadian rhythm is very important to symptom management as once your sleep-wake cycle is disrupted this can cause the surface of negative symptoms or even an episode. 

Medication Management: If medication is a part of your daily regime make sure you are taking your prescription fully and on time. If you have any medication concerns consult your mental healthcare team right away to discuss how you can optimize the therapeutic benefits of your medication cocktail.

Self-Care: Remember to practice self-care regularly or daily if possible. Self-care routines are different for every individual and may change with the new demands of building your business but creating good habits around self-care can be the difference between continued productivity and potential burnout. 

Nutrition: Ensure you are eating a healthy and balanced meal daily. Avoid processed foods where you can as these will have a negative effect on blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and may lead to unwanted weight gain. Filling your plate and having regular snacks that are made from whole-foods can boost your energy and immunity.  

Seek Support: It's important to recognize the warning signs of symptoms, an impending episode or burnout on your entrepreneurial journey, and seek the help of your support circle, your mental healthcare team, therapist or counselors. There are others like you trying to find their way in the business world while managing a mental illness so look for local peer support groups or online forums that can listen and support. Remember, If you are feeling overwhelmed you are not alone.  

Fiascos, Flops and Finding My Foundation: A Woman’s Lived Experience Story of Inspiration and Entrepreneurship

When I was first diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder in 2006 I was a year out of university and I felt completely lost, believing I was un-hirable in the corporate world. I had tried to sustain several positions in the workforce, I even went back to school to acquire other designations but it seemed no matter what I did I didn’t feel like I fit anywhere. I was a square peg in a round hole. When Mania would inevitably appear I would develop grandiose business plans for companies that spoke to my creative energies. I have tried my hand at wedding/party planning, home organization, building a mental health non-profit, fundraising galas and even dog walking but none of these business ideas ever got beyond some hurried scribbles in a journal full of dreams and delusions. 

It wasn’t that I wasn’t capable or even that I didn’t have the credentials to follow through rather it was that every business idea I ever had was based in Mania and once in recovery/remission I lost my confidence and motivation to make any of them happen. I realized instead of working on building a business I needed to work on building myself and developing a healthier foundation so that when the big idea came again I would be ready for it. 

In 2017 with the help of my little cousin (he’s in his 40’s) I started a mental health podcast called The DaintyDysh Podcast. Although I still had work to do on building myself up again I was experiencing a three year period of remission and mental wellness so I took the leap into the podcasting world. Alongside the weekly podcast I worked on a personal blog which wasn’t as successful but the fruits of my labour would pay off when I became a fulltime blogger .

The podcast received international recognition and it was well known in the GTA. I was hired for speaking opportunities and became the Face of Mental Illness for Bell Let’s Talk (2019-2020). I gained national recognition as a mental health ambassador and appeared in TV shows and print media. Overall I was on the road to entrepreneurial success. However in 2020 I could feel myself on the verge of illness. I was tired, overwhelmed and basically burnt out with all the other responsibilities I had taken on including a full-time job as a peer supporter. My passion project, my blogging and most importantly my mental health started taking a backseat so I made the decision to step away from the podcast with hopes of one day returning to it because it brought me so much joy.

With a lot of hard work and support from my family, friends and mental health team I am at present able to focus on the projects that fill my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual cup. I spent the last two years rebuilding a stronger foundation that is at the centre of my entrepreneurial success and I am on a journey to wellness that compliments the passion I have for being a mental health advocate, a lived experience blogger and a public speaker. The greatest lesson I have learned about myself and my past fiascos and flops is that there will always be a next great idea that I can build on, living with Bipolar disorder I have confidence in my creative abilities and I know that building a strong foundation will be the key to realizing my dreams.    

Final Thoughts

Women with Bipolar disorder are proof that mental health challenges don’t have to be barriers to entrepreneurial success. By recognizing your strengths, developing a solid foundation, and embracing strategies to manage your mental health, you can build a business that thrives. The entrepreneurial journey is not an easy one but because of your unique circumstance, traits and abilities you can translate the challenges you have experienced on your mental health journey and turn them into the driving force behind your business. Whether you are new to entrepreneurship or a seasoned veteran who has experienced some of the fiascos and flops I have my wish for you to to keep persevering and use the same resilient spirit to achieve your goals and ultimately realize your dreams. 

My father used to tell me “A dream is just a thought until you write it down, then it becomes a goal but when you make a solid plan your dreams will turn into reality.” The entrepreneurial and mental wellness journey is different for everyone but with the right strategies for building a strong foundation you can turn your goals into reality. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support, share your story, and keep moving forward. Remember, every day is an opportunity to do something you’ve never done before, so today reach for your journals, write down your dreams, develop a plan and take those first steps down the road to successful entrepreneurship.

Three years ago I experienced the very real and painful process of changing the direction of my life’s journey. I had been dealing with mental illness for many years and feeling stuck in it. I believed to that point I was doing everything I could to manage my illness, I was taking my medication, I participated in higher education in order to re-invent myself, I started and ended several careers, I filled my timetable with therapy and support groups, I became a mental health advocate speaking publicly about my experiences with Bipolar disorder, I started a podcast and I worked in mental health as a Peer Support Specialist. But the hidden reality of my life was that I was also addicted to marijuana, I suffered from severe anxiety that kept me up most nights and even with all I had accomplished over the years I was not truly taking care of my mental or physical health.  

I was like a pressure cooker ready to explode until one day I finally did. In the winter of 2022, I attempted to end my life in what would have been a spectacularly painful way. I will not go into details about the attempt but I will say it was the catalyst to change in my life. By the following year I was homeless and living in a women’s shelter. During my stay there my body exploded into so much physical pain I had to stretch multiple times daily just to climb up and down the stairs of the shelter and to get up and down the ladder of the top bunk of the bed I was assigned. Walking was painful, sleeping was uncomfortable and my appetite was non-existent. I continued to use, convincing myself that marijuana was giving me the only release I received in a day.  

When I was housed in the spring of that year another vicious cycle began– the cycle of hospitalization. I was admitted to two psychiatric wards eight times within a year where I was kept isolated and heavily medicated due to extreme psychosis. I experienced delusions and visual and auditory hallucinations that were treated with various medications but nothing seemed to help my broken mind and my hopeless spirit. During my last hospitalization in the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), I was transferred to a mental health hospital to receive more acute and critical observation and care. It was in this medical facility that I realized the pain of remaining the same was greater than the pain of change. 

Though the beginning of my sobriety journey was forced by my confinement, once again the pain I experienced dealing with withdrawal symptoms was not as great as the self-medicating addiction I had struggled with for over 15 years. The pain and uncertainty of when the next manic episode would appear became less and less as four months of residency in hospital became the time I needed to learn to manage my illness. Change was occurring daily within the walls of that psychiatric hospital, teaching me that though it can be painful change was necessary for personal growth. Remaining trapped in an endless cycle of chaos and pretending that I was making movements towards being better, I realize now was far more painful than actually working proactively toward making real and lasting change.  

Today, I am almost a year and a half sober, I have a beautiful home, I have stability in my mental health, I practice daily self-care, I have family and friends that support me and are proud of the progress I’ve made and I have a better understanding of the meaning and importance of embracing change. Change began with the pain of knowing and understanding that my life would remain paused unless I acknowledged the truth of my situation, the truth that was buried inside my deteriorating mind, body and soul. My physical, mental and emotional pain derived from inaction, fear and self-loathing so in order to move forward, to embrace change I had to address the most ugly parts of myself or I would remain stuck and as painful as that process was, as painful as the transition from immobility to change was I am now in a better and more peaceful place.

Now  I feel change is necessary for me to continue the forward movement into a brighter and healthy future. I embrace the process knowing it may be uncomfortable but the discomfort of remaining the same is no longer an option for me. Thank you Mr. Robbins, you taught me that “I will remain the same until the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change.”

I travelled to Guyana, South America, last December to visit family and I started learning about the benefits of consuming good food. I began to adjust my mindset around nutrition and the positive effects change was having on my mental health. I observed a transformation in my body and my mood which shifted my perspective on the food I was eating. Through making small changes to my diet I began to see a huge impact and I brought those newly formed habits home with me. In this article I will discuss what I discovered about how nutrition affects mood and energy levels in women with Bipolar disorder, how diet can help reduce symptoms of Mania and depression, the challenges we face when trying to maintain a balanced diet and the habit forming changes around my nutritional choices I  incorporated into my Bipolar disorder management.   

How Nutrition Affects Mood and Energy Levels in Bipolar Disorder

Nutrition can have a valuable and lasting impact on mood and energy levels in women with Bipolar disorder, potentially influencing both the frequency and severity of mood episodes. A poor diet that includes processed food, refined sugar and carbohydrates and unhealthy fats can contribute to symptom instability in Bipolar disorder. Alternatively, a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods especially omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. fatty fish, flaxseeds or walnuts) have been shown to benefit energy levels and stabilize mood. Placing a limit on sugar, caffeine and alcohol consumption can decrease the possibility of mood disturbances and have a positive effect on sleep which is a known trigger for mood swings in Bipolar disorder. 

Putting an emphasis on whole foods instead of processed foods can provide your body with the essential nutrients you need. When I returned from my trip one of the first things I did was delete all the take-out food apps from my phone and made a commitment to cook meals for myself daily. This was a huge change in my diet as previously I relied on those apps for both lunch and dinner meals. I am not the best cook but through trial and error and lots of family support I found myself making healthy and balanced meals that boosted my energy and gave me a constant sense of calm. I was rarely hungry and I always had whole foods or leftovers on hand so I would not revert back to old habits. I replaced juice with water and coconut water so I always felt hydrated rather than thirsty. I noticed that my mood and my sleep improved over the course of the weeks I tried this new-to-me method. 

Change did not come easy because I’m stubborn and set in my ways, but once I decided to try something new that would benefit my mental health management and I could feel the changes making a difference in my mind and body there was no turning back. I’m happy to report that 4 months into my nutritional journey I haven’t ordered take-out food and processed foods are a thing of the past.

Essential Nutrients for Women with Bipolar Disorder

Here’s a list of essential nutrients for women with Bipolar disorder and their health benefits. Remember, although vitamins and minerals are not always considered supplements, it's important to discuss taking any of the following with your mental healthcare team about how they will fit with your current medication regimen. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Research suggests omega-3s, found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna, may help stabilize mood and improve symptoms of Bipolar disorder. They may also help manage depression and reduce inflammation.

B Vitamins: B vitamins, especially vitamins B9 and B12, may help with brain function and mood regulation.Vitamin B9 (folate) has been shown to help with the management of Mania symptoms. 

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for overall health and has been linked to mood regulation. Low Vitamin D levels have been linked to mood disorders like Bipolar disorder. 

Magnesium: this essential mineral has been linked to mood regulation, improved sleep and reduced anxiety which are all possible symptoms of Bipolar disorder. 

It’s important to consider that Bipolar disorder presents in different ways for different people  therefore, the vitamins and minerals listed above should be tailored to the individual rather than taken without first consulting your physician and psychiatrist. Vitamins and minerals should also go hand-in-hand with a nutrient-rich and balanced diet. 

Challenges, Choices and Triumphs: A Bipolar Woman’s Journey to Nutrition and a Balanced Diet

One of the greatest challenges over the years while managing my Bipolar disorder has been the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness every time I stepped on the scale. Of the three medications that I currently take to manage my symptoms two of them cause weight gain and cravings for carbohydrates especially at bedtime. I always believed that I had zero good choices when it came to balancing my diet. It was either stop taking the medication cocktail that kept me stable, eat lettuce for the rest of my life or throw my hands up and succumb to the carbs I craved nightly. But just like the mind, the body can be a wondrous thing. When I went away and started eating fruits and vegetables and unprocessed foods, natural sugars and just a little carbohydrates my body readjusted and my mind got on board. 

I still had cravings at night but I chose to satiate them with cherries from my aunt’s cherry tree instead of chips or donuts or a half a loaf of bread. Not because I didn’t want those foods anymore but because they weren’t accessible to me. I realized I had lived a lifestyle back home of excess and accessibility. I could use one of those deleted apps to order the shawarma I craved at midnight, I could look in my fridge and find leftover pizza from the night before but in a foreign land surrounded by foreign foods I had to make different and better choices. And here is where the triumph comes in. 

As I stated earlier upon my return home I deleted my take-out food apps, I emptied every bad piece of processed food I had left waiting for me in my fridge, I made a grocery list full of what I had discovered was delicious whole foods and I filled my house with ingredients so if I wanted to eat it I had to cook it. At first it was misery but after a while I got used to food planning and preparation, taste testing, plating and portion control, one portion for my midnight snack and the bigger portion for lunch the following day. 

The triumph in nutrition is realizing we all have challenges. Some challenges are due to medication, others are due to life stages like pregnancy or menopause and for others its finances and lifestyle. But with every challenge comes a choice and making the best choices for your mind, mood, energy level and body will always lead to a triumph even if it starts as a small one. As your desire to eat a balanced and nutrient-rich diet grows with every win, you will start to see the effects these tiny changes have made on your overall mental well-being. 

Final Thoughts

Nutrition can be a complex web of good and bad decisions on the best and worst days. When you are managing Bipolar disorder things can get even more complicated. We live in a world of fast food, easy fixes and accessible choices that may not always be the right ones for our mental health and well-being. Women managing Bipolar disorder have to be especially mindful when making choices around a balanced diet and consuming nutrient-rich foods because they can make the difference with stabilizing mood, mental well-being and complementing other treatment regimens. There will always be challenges when it comes to eating healthy but it's important to make choices that put you in the best position mentally to manage your Bipolar symptoms. 

As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” so I challenge you to make the best choices for your mental health one step at a time and live in the triumphant moment those choices bring on your journey to better mental health and Bipolar management.