My mania is pretty bad in the summer, and over the years has led to some pretty amazing times or horrendous depending on how far my manic state had gotten. In a full blown mania I experience hallucinations and dissociative fugue states. Dissociative fugue states occur when people have no memory of how they’ve ended up at a destination (think – at the beach, closet or in my case the neighborhood corner store), or even forgetting who they are. Even with these experiences, I still try to make the best out of the warmer months. However, there’s just one thing my bipolar disorder and anxiety won’t let me shake despite the medication – and that’s my fear of gatherings at people’s homes. 

For most people, summer is a time to relax and enjoy family and friends. My anxiety and past traumas keep me from being able to do this at the current moment, but I’m hopeful that will change one day. A couple of years ago, I was in a manic state that put me in a few dangerous situations that I will reflect on when I talk about dating while bipolar. Ever since then, I no longer enjoy being around large crowds for long periods of time. I’m learning to trust my body and instincts enough to leave when I start feeling super overwhelmed.  One thing I’m learning while being on medication and going to therapy is that for me to make the most of my experiences, I have got to honor my body and feelings. The anxiety medicine is great, but if Im still uncomfortable about a situation it’s ok to trust my gut. In the meantime I’m just working to keep my mood stable during all of this. Below are some tips to maintain sanity during the warmer months!

#1: Stick to your routine! — During the summer it’s easy to go into super relaxation mode, but your scheduled med times and bedtimes are your friend (as I’m learning) when going on the medication.

#2: Tell someone you trust about your issue. — Turns out I’m not fighting this alone, and my current girlfriend and friends were more than willing to help me notice any drastic changes in my behavior.

#3: HONOR YOUR BODY — I can’t stress this one enough! My anxiety can be super bad and it’s ok to turn down events that I know cause me more harm than good.