Predicting the Weather: Learning from the Past
Track your moods to protect your peace. | Bipolar Storm Watch Week (7 of 7)
Hi there, friend.
Have you ever wondered how meteorologists know how to predict the weather? It often comes down to examining what happened in the past.
For example, when a hurricane is heading for land, a weatherman can predict where it’s going to go based on where prior storms went when similar wind patterns were in place. It’s not a 100% foolproof method, but it’s often good enough to warn people before it’s too late.
This week, you learned how to be your own Bipolar Weather Forecaster.
That knowledge is most useful if you put it into action. The first step is tracking what happens. You’re off to a great start if you did the exercises this week. You already know what signs to look for; now it’s time to pay attention to what happens next.
The more you track, the better you can see how your bipolar cycles run. With bipolar disorder, knowledge really is power. The more you know, the better you can maintain your stability.
How Can You Track the Signs?
There are lots of good ways to track your bipolar signals, including:
Journaling
Bullet journaling
Using a mood tracking app
Using a worksheet
It’s up to you to figure out which one works for you. Just remember, it’s okay to switch around. If bullet journaling works for a while and then suddenly seems too boring, try something else. Tracking anything can be a mundane task, but that doesn’t mean you have to be bored by it.
You could track your signals by painting pictures, drawing stick people, using stickers, or even cave painting. You do you.
Experiment and see which is the best way for you to track your moods and symptoms. The most important thing is that you do track them, because that knowledge will help you to face the storms to come. You want to spot the storm before the Weather Channel shows up in your front yard with Jim Cantore wearing a windbreaker. By then, the storm is already too close.
What is your favorite way to track? Are you Team App 📱 or Team Notebook 📓? Vote in the comments.
Journal Prompt
What is your resistance to tracking your mood? Do you find it boring or scary? How can you make it easier?
Until next time, keep fighting.
Scott Ninneman
This week’s theme post:
Scott Ninneman is the author of Speaking Bipolar’s 30 Days of Positivity and the writer behind SpeakingBipolar.com. Living in the mountains of southeast Tennessee, he spends his days crunching numbers as a tax preparer and his nights caring for his mother and writing stories about bipolar life. (And he loves pandas.)
Disclaimer:
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My "weather patterns" that are a clue to my changing moods: excessive fatigue (extreme tiredness during the day; long naps) or being extra "awake" (doing several things at the same time and at a faster rate; talking more and faster; volunteering for groups; reckless behavior like spending a lot of money quickly).
I normally tend to be on the hypomanic side so I'm usually upbeat, have a lot of energy and motivation. I've been up since 3:30 a.m. and my mind and body feel like they are "sizzling."
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