Beating Bipolar: Do What You Don't Want To Do

It is a sad reality that life is full of things we don’t want to do and mentally-different or no, this is something with which we have to deal.

And it’s even sadder to know that people with bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses have a much longer list of things they don’t want to do than the average person. And, of course, ironically, the mentally ill are typically the least-equipped to deal with such things.

But beating bipolar disorder, or any mental illness, means doing what you don’t want to do, pretty much all the time.

What Don’t You Want to Do?

Anything. Everything. Many people with a mental illness would prefer to do nothing most of the time. This is thanks to medication, apathy, depression, anhedonia and a series of other things.

But “nothing” isn’t a terribly productive state. “Nothing” doesn’t move you forward in life. “Nothing” doesn’t pay the bills.

So “nothing,” while alluring, isn’t really useful.

Do What You Don’t Want to Do

So here’s the thing, no matter how much you don’t want to do something, you have to do it anyway.

• Doctor’s appointment? Definitely don’t want to, but need to.
• Prescription refill? Hate standing around in drug stores but have to.
• Remembering to take meds? Hate side effects but need them.
• Work? I’d rather sleep but I need the money.
• Sleep schedule? Hate being so regimented but it keeps me sane.
• Socializing? Don’t want to but need to see my friends.

And so on and so forth. Days are filled from the time you don’t want to take your meds until the time you don’t want to go to bed with things you don’t want, and wish you didn’t have to do.

Why Bother?

I know that doing what you don’t want sounds like a really depressing message but really it’s just standing up to an illness that wants you to turn into a sick, crazy rock and saying, “no!” Really it’s just standing up to bipolar and saying that you won’t let it win. Really you’re just saying that you are more powerful than the mixed up messages coming from your brain.

So you bother because bothering means beating bipolar back. You bother because you’re better than the bipolar. You bother because you won’t let your life be dictated by chemicals that you can’t control.

You bother because by doing what you don’t want to do, you can turn your life into something that works. And one day you will want it again. Until then you just have to keep going until you do.