How I'm Healing

As anyone with bipolar disorder knows, the healing journey between episodes can be difficult. While I pray for healing and stability, I know the reality is that another episode is always a possibility. But as I continue on this journey, I'm finding a few things that have been instrumental to my healing journey and that will hopefully prevent further episodes:

1) Medicine– Ever since dealing with being overly medicated with my autoimmune disease, I've been cautious about medication. But with the mental health battles I've faced, I've found medication to be extraordinarily helpful. The hard part is that finding the right combination and dosage is not easy. It's been challenging and frustrating over the last few months to adjust, deal with side effects, and deal with the mental ups and downs with each adjustment. All that is to say, I'm finally finding stability with very few side effects, and my mental health has improved significantly. Medication is not for everyone, but I've eliminated enough other factors to figure out that balancing my brain requires more than therapy, prayer, and self-care. 

2) Good Input– Something that I noticed during my two episodes was that the fears and confusion that became my false reality had to do with movies, stories, and other media I have consumed over the years. With that being said, it seems wise to consider what I am consuming. My focus is to make sure that the "input" coming into my mind is good and true and beautiful. The more my mind is focused on goodness, the better chance I have of maintaining mental stability and positive thinking. I am also focusing on limiting my input, choosing to read more, watching only a little bit of television, and staying off social media. I'm also being strict about how much time I spend on my computer/phone, especially avoiding being on it before bedtime. 

3) Exercise– Before my last episode, I had stopped working out due to lower back pain. I don't think it's a coincidence that an episode followed. Exercise obviously has so many benefits, especially giving a mental release that is critical to maintaining mental and physical stability. Getting back into a routine, I'm trying to work out for 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days a week. Growing stronger and being active is my goal. 

4) Surrender–Last, but certainly not least, is a prayer of surrender. As cliché as it sounds, I do not know what my future holds, but I do know who holds my future. The only natural response to the unknown is to lift up my heart in an act of surrender to the One who has promised to care for me always, no matter what. My prayer of surrender is simple—Jesus, take care of everything. I've written about the surrender novena here. But the other prayer is one that my husband and I pray together every night. I learned it from an inspiring couple who spoke at a retreat I attended when I was younger. It goes like this:

Father, I abandon myself into your hands.
Do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you.
I'm ready for all. I accept all. 
Let only Your Will be done in me and all of Your creatures. 
I wish no more than this, oh Lord. 
Into your hands, I commend my soul.
I offer it to you, Lord.
I strive to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands
without reserve and with boundless confidence 
for you are my Father. 

Amen.