Yes I have an illness. The question is: how do I minimize the effects of this illness and live a normal a life? Obviously the first thing is to stay on my medication, on the proper dose. Second is to see my doctor regularly. Those two are obvious. How about other things? Are there other things I can do to stabilize my mood? Meditation fosters peace of mind and stops us from being overly emotional. There is a lot of science that supports this. Yoga also stops “fluctuations of the mind.” So both of these things are a definite yes. Aerobic exercise is also very good, not only for the body, but for the mind. The endorphins that are produced when you do aerobic exercise are calming, uplifting and even pain relieving. So that is a definite yes. Psychotherapy also helps, talking about problems in your life and coming up with solutions, obviously would be a good thing.
Also, meaningful work and a routine really help. So it is important to have both of those in my life. Strong relationships, family and friends are also a plus to have in my life. Hobbies are good and I have plenty of those.
One of the most important things is a positive attitude. Even when something goes wrong, not ruminating about it, shaking it off, whenever possible, is good. Following the tenets of Buddhism, which teaches us freedom from craving and aversion would be good as well. And that is all I can think of right now. If I think of other things, I will post those too. Kind of a boring post, but I am tired…