Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder
    Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder
    Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder
    Ebook34 pages21 minutes

    Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder

    By Stephen Nawotniak

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    So I have a bipolar condition…now what?  If you are like me, simply coping with the symptoms of the condition gets old.  Living life in the paradigm of being sick gets old.  So since we have a condition that is going to be with us for life, how do we live life without thinking we are sick all the time?  The pursuit of that question led me to the following conclusion:  It is about building life skills, not coping with symptoms that lead to a fulfilling life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStephen Nawotniak
    Release dateDec 19, 2018
    ISBN9781386076254
    Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder
    Author

    Stephen Nawotniak

    Stephen Nawotniak OTR/L has a Self Designed Masters Degree from Buffalo State College and a Masters Degree  in Occupational Therapy from Utica College.  Steve is also an Eagle Scout. Starting in May of 2000, Steve completed an 8 month, non-motorized trek from Buffalo, NY to Key West, FL.  He canoed across NY on the Erie Canal, sailed the Hudson River into New York City, hiked the Appalachian Trail to Roanoke, VA and biked to Key West, FL.  Along the way he gave presentations to over 1000 youth on the values of volunteerism and education and completed over 230 hours of community service along the way.  He studied the geology of the Eastern United States as part of his Self Designed Masters Degree.  These studies complimented his Bachelors in Earth Science, Secondary Education. Two years later, in August 2002, Steve was hospitalized for a week with a major depressive episode and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  The next 8 years of his life was spent learning how to live with his condition on the journey from hospitalized patient to licensed healthcare professional.  Steve published the book Handbook for Healthy Living with a Mood Disorder sharing the skills and tools he uses daily to live, what he calls, a desired quality of life.  Steve has spoken at various events including the International Association of Peer Specialist, The Museum of disABILITY History and various high schools in the Western New York area to challenge the stigmas associated with mental health. His award winning children’s book series Mubu the Morph speaks to the inner journey we all face as we discover our purpose.  Mubu’s concept was generated from Steve’s personal experiences of his bipolar condition with his professional experiences as an Occupational Therapist. Stephen currently lives and practices Occupational Therapy in Buffalo, NY. 

    Related to Bipolar Life Hacks

    Related ebooks

    Psychology For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Highs And The Lows

      May 15, 2019

      The Highs And The Lows
      10 min read

    • Article

      The Highs And The Lows

      May 26, 2019

      The Highs And The Lows
      11 min read

    • Article

      Bipolar Disorder Has Many Causes, Not 1

      Dec 18, 2017

      No single genetic change, chemical imbalance, or life event lies at the heart of every case of bipolar disorder, once known as manic depression, researchers report. “There are many routes to this disease and many routes through it…” Rather, each pati

      2 min read

    • Article

      Oh, What A Lonely Boy

      Mar 12, 2021

      Oh, What A Lonely Boy
      8 min read

    • Article

      Holistic Helpers For Bipolar Disorder

      Nov 21, 2021

      Q My daughter has bipolar disorder and takes medication for it, but still suffers badly with symptoms. Can you recommend any holistic therapies? S.K., via email A Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder affects more than 1 percent of

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Vaccine for Depression?: Ketamine’s remarkable effect bolsters a new theory of mental illness.

      Dec 17, 2015

      One sunny day this fall, I caught a glimpse of the new psychiatry. At a mental hospital near Yale University, a depressed patient was being injected with ketamine. For 40 minutes, the drug flowed into her arm, bound for cells in her brain. If it acts

      16 min read

    • Article

      Soft In The Centre

      Feb 18, 2020

      Are your feelings easily hurt? Do you still carry cruel words that your friend blurted out years ago? Do people say you’re ‘over-sensitive’ and need to toughen up? Indeed, those commentators who chunter about the number of ‘snowflakes’ in today’s soc

      3 min read

    • Article

      How To Deal With A Panic Or Anxiety Attack

      Jan 5, 2020

      Both are extremely unpleasant experiences. In some cases, panic attacks can be so severe you may feel as if you are going to have a heart attack, or you could die. The important thing to remember is that this won’t happen, and the panicky feeling wil

      1 min read

    • Article

      Self-full

      Oct 10, 2018

      Words LINDSEY LEWIS I have worked in primary education since 2004. My teaching career has seen me become a mother (twice), a wife (twice) and a divorcee (once!). Since I was 15, I have had an inflammatory bowel disease called ulcerative colitis (UC).

      3 min read

    • Article

      Life Interrupted

      Apr 11, 2018

      Words TEISHA ROSE In 1997, my life changed forever. As a healthy 22-year-old, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition of the central nervous system affecting the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. According to the doctor there was no c

      3 min read

    • Article

      A New Direction

      Jul 6, 2022

      A New Direction
      3 min read

    • Article

      Finding Your Own Hope

      Apr 10, 2019

      Finding Your Own Hope
      3 min read

    • Article

      Mind Over Matter

      May 2, 2022

      Mind Over Matter
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Paradox Of Acceptance

      Mar 3, 2021

      The Paradox Of Acceptance
      7 min read

    • Article

      Find Your Ultimate Why

      Apr 3, 2022

      Find Your Ultimate Why
      5 min read

    • Article

      State of A nation

      Nov 4, 2022

      State of A nation
      6 min read

    • Article

      Journeys through MENOPAUSE

      Mar 2, 2022

      Journeys through MENOPAUSE
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Bipolar Life Hacks

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Bipolar Life Hacks - Stephen Nawotniak

      Also By Stephen Nawotniak

      Handbook for Healthy Living with a Mood Disorder

      Mubu the Morph Award Winning Children’s Book Series

      Mubu the Morph

      Mubu’s Christmas

      Blue Mubu

      Introduction

      So you have a bipolar condition...now what?  If you are like me, simply coping with the symptoms of the condition gets old.  Living life in the paradigm of always being sick gets old.  If this condition is going to be with me for life, how do I live without thinking I am sick all the time?  The pursuit of that question led me to the following conclusion:  Building new life skills, not just coping with symptoms, is what leads to a fulfilling life.

      Don’t get me wrong.  I know I have a medical condition that I need to take care of.  I also know that, if ignored, it will lead me into some pretty bad situations.  I’ve also been hospitalized...twice, so I know that in those acute times of distress, the illness model of focusing on stabilization through finding the right medication combination works well.  But there is a difference between being stable and being fulfilled.  There is a difference between focusing on symptoms and focusing on those things that bring a quality of life.  There is a difference between simply coping with a condition and living life to its fullest. 

      In this book I share what has helped me enjoy my life while accommodating the needs of my bipolar symptoms.  Some of the sections such as Gratitude and Financial Management provide specific exercises to work on, while sections like Stigma and Self Identity share reflective concepts that I have become aware of over the course of my recovery journey.

      This is not a book on symptom management.  This is about what

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1