Personal Plan

Goal

To create a plan involving your social support system.

Creating a Plan (Otto et al., pp. 123-125)

Now that you have learned how to cope with depression, challenge your negative thoughts, and improve your emotional state, it is important to be proactive in creating a plan to involve your support system for both preventing mood episodes and the efficient treatment of the episodes should they occur. Follow these steps in creating your plan with your goal being to maximize your control by arranging for your support system to take care of you:

1. Select a support team. The team members should include people with whom you have regular contact, who can help you identify episodes should they occur, and who can help you put into practice some of the tools you have learned in this guide and from treatments you may have received.
2. Monitor your mood. Monitoring your mood represents a type of early intervention. Complete this table:

   I know from my own mood patterns that I should watch out for the following signs:
   Category	Examples
   Depressed Thoughts:
   Depressed Symptoms:
   Depressed Behavior:
   Manic/hypomanic Thoughts:
   Manic/hypomanic Symptoms:
   Manic/hypomanic Behaviors:

3. Take early action. If you notice signs of depression or mania, have a plan in place of who you can contact. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
   • Contact your psychiatrist at phone # _______________
   • Contact your therapist at phone # _______________
   • Contact your support person at phone # _______________
   • Maintain a regular schedule of sleep and activities
   • Maintain a regular schedule of pleasant events
   • Evaluate your thoughts for negative or hyperpositive thinking
   • Talk with your family about ways to cope
   • Limit your alcohol use and avoid all non-medication drugs
4. Keep your mood stabilized. Take active steps, such as the following, to keep your mood in the desired range:
   • Take all medications as prescribed by your doctor
   • Maintain regular appointments with your psychiatrist
   • Maintain regular appointments with your therapist
   • Keep a regular sleep schedule
   • Maintain a schedule including at least 3 valued activities each day as a buffer against stress
   • Avoid excessive use of alcohol
   • Avoid all use of illicit drugs
   • Use no alcohol for the next 30 days
   • Use no recreational drugs for the next 30 days
   • Keep a perspective on your thoughts, and evaluate your thoughts for accuracy
   • Share with your family information on communication styles that may reduce stress
5. Keep yourself safe. If you have suicidal thoughts, keep yourself safe until you can be seen or go to a local emergency room if you ever fear you may act on them.
6. Get support for depression. If you start to become depressed, know ahead of time what you would like your support system to do. Consider the following:
   • Who will you talk to about your symptoms? (______________)
   • Who can help you make plans for a pleasant event? (______________)
   • Who can you talk to about ways to reduce stress? (______________)
   • Who can help make sure you are taking your medication? (______________)
   • Who can call your doctor on your behalf if you’re unable to do so? ( ______________)
7. Get support for mania/hypomania. If you start to become manic, know ahead of time what you would like your support system to do. Consider the following:
   • Who will you talk to about your symptoms? (______________)
   • Who can you talk with about reducing activities? (______________)
   • Who will allow you to be alone if you are irritable? (______________)
   • Who can take care of your kids/pets/other? (______________)
   • Who can you trust to take away your credit cards/car keys/etc.? (______________)
   • Who can take you to the hospital? (______________)

Next Step

In need of support? Find a bipolar support group near you: http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=peer_support_group_locator