Hi, Autistic bipolar here. If you’re recently out of a psychosis/manic episode, your brain will be “squishy” for a while. It usually takes a few weeks/months at least in order to fully recover and...
Exemplary
Hi, Autistic bipolar here.
If you’re recently out of a psychosis/manic episode, your brain will be “squishy” for a while. It usually takes a few weeks/months at least in order to fully recover and return to baseline. So, tread cautiously for a while. (For me, it’s brain fog/almost like a slightly impaired brain feel. Not sure how else to describe it)
Getting officially diagnosed is a big part of figuring out “I’m not broken, I’m actually…” I find great satisfaction looking at autistic memes, and identifying with autistic and bipolar creators. It’s helped me unpack a lot of my childhood and teen years, as well as all of my relationships. It also helped be come to terms with my differences and strengths. So, watching movies or shows with autism or bipolar coded characters can be a little catharsis. (Examples: I’m a fan of Data from Star Trek, and recently watched “A Real Pain” which keyed into bipolar quite satisfyingly)
Always stick with your meds. Bipolar can go into remission with the right meds. The biggest setback for anyone with Bipolar is believing they no longer need the medication and sending themselves back into the depressive-manic loop. It’s a common trait shared by all with bipolar and medication avoidance is actually one of the symptoms.
After medication, the second most important factor is SLEEP. A good 8-9 hours of sleep can steer me clear anytime I’m falling into mania, hypomania, depression, etc. It’s like a magic “reset” button. Learn how to sleep really well.
For me, I take two magnesium capsules 2 hours before bed along with my nighttime medication. I wear an eye-mask. I have my ergonomic knee pillow. A special neck-supportive side sleeper pillow. Weighted blanket. I dim the lights and wear orange glasses before bed to get my brain prepped for sleep. I have a chillipad to crank the exact temperature needed (warm in winter, cooler in summer). Sleep becomes a little hobby.
Alcohol and drugs will absolutely trigger mania/depression. I’ve had to come to terms with this as I’m now in my 30’s and realized even two, three drinks can start to make things a bit hairy for my bipolar symptoms. Both alcohol and weed will interfere with your sleep as well, especially when taken within hours of bedtime. It is best to abstain as much as possible or limit to a very small amount occasionally, depending on your own limitations. Many with bipolar can’t tolerate it at all without compromising their symptoms, it’s best recommended to abstain completely. I’m a fan of non-alcoholic beers, the NA Guinness and NA blue moons. Lots of Non-alcoholic options out there these days that actually helps “scratch that itch” for me more than I thought they would.
Finally, for the autism. There isn’t much that helps my symptoms other than embracing them, if that makes sense? There’s truly no pill or “magic diet” that’s going to change autism. One way I’ve embraced it - I’ve learned to recognize that I do, in fact, stim. Basically I twirl my hair, it used to embarrass me, and I’ve tried substituting with fidget toys and soft textures, but I’ve realized that it may just be a part of me.
I’ve learned to be a bit more patient with myself. Now I buy the soft blankets and plushies, they bring me joy. I’ll go to bed when I feel like it even if I need to leave the party early. I bought noise-canceling Bose headphones to wear on planes and even in the car, which has helped me be less grumpy in general when traveling. I’ve also started buying more clothing with a focus on soft and comfy.
Other than these points, things that help - getting exercise every day (Even just 30 minutes of walking), drinking tons of water, eating more plants. But that’s advice for all humans.
Hi, Autistic bipolar here.
If you’re recently out of a psychosis/manic episode, your brain will be “squishy” for a while. It usually takes a few weeks/months at least in order to fully recover and return to baseline. So, tread cautiously for a while. (For me, it’s brain fog/almost like a slightly impaired brain feel. Not sure how else to describe it)
Getting officially diagnosed is a big part of figuring out “I’m not broken, I’m actually…” I find great satisfaction looking at autistic memes, and identifying with autistic and bipolar creators. It’s helped me unpack a lot of my childhood and teen years, as well as all of my relationships. It also helped be come to terms with my differences and strengths. So, watching movies or shows with autism or bipolar coded characters can be a little catharsis. (Examples: I’m a fan of Data from Star Trek, and recently watched “A Real Pain” which keyed into bipolar quite satisfyingly)
Always stick with your meds. Bipolar can go into remission with the right meds. The biggest setback for anyone with Bipolar is believing they no longer need the medication and sending themselves back into the depressive-manic loop. It’s a common trait shared by all with bipolar and medication avoidance is actually one of the symptoms.
After medication, the second most important factor is SLEEP. A good 8-9 hours of sleep can steer me clear anytime I’m falling into mania, hypomania, depression, etc. It’s like a magic “reset” button. Learn how to sleep really well.
For me, I take two magnesium capsules 2 hours before bed along with my nighttime medication. I wear an eye-mask. I have my ergonomic knee pillow. A special neck-supportive side sleeper pillow. Weighted blanket. I dim the lights and wear orange glasses before bed to get my brain prepped for sleep. I have a chillipad to crank the exact temperature needed (warm in winter, cooler in summer). Sleep becomes a little hobby.
Alcohol and drugs will absolutely trigger mania/depression. I’ve had to come to terms with this as I’m now in my 30’s and realized even two, three drinks can start to make things a bit hairy for my bipolar symptoms. Both alcohol and weed will interfere with your sleep as well, especially when taken within hours of bedtime. It is best to abstain as much as possible or limit to a very small amount occasionally, depending on your own limitations. Many with bipolar can’t tolerate it at all without compromising their symptoms, it’s best recommended to abstain completely. I’m a fan of non-alcoholic beers, the NA Guinness and NA blue moons. Lots of Non-alcoholic options out there these days that actually helps “scratch that itch” for me more than I thought they would.
Finally, for the autism. There isn’t much that helps my symptoms other than embracing them, if that makes sense? There’s truly no pill or “magic diet” that’s going to change autism. One way I’ve embraced it - I’ve learned to recognize that I do, in fact, stim. Basically I twirl my hair, it used to embarrass me, and I’ve tried substituting with fidget toys and soft textures, but I’ve realized that it may just be a part of me.
I’ve learned to be a bit more patient with myself. Now I buy the soft blankets and plushies, they bring me joy. I’ll go to bed when I feel like it even if I need to leave the party early. I bought noise-canceling Bose headphones to wear on planes and even in the car, which has helped me be less grumpy in general when traveling. I’ve also started buying more clothing with a focus on soft and comfy.
Other than these points, things that help - getting exercise every day (Even just 30 minutes of walking), drinking tons of water, eating more plants. But that’s advice for all humans.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ask specifics.