Psychoterapy for Bipolar Disorder?!


Question: I am recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started taking psychotherapy. My therapist is asking me to come up with 3 goals that I would like to achieve in therapy and can't come up with any. Can any of you help me?
I want to feel better, and there are only 10 sessions - so I want to use them as best I can - please help...what is achievable?


Answers: I am recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started taking psychotherapy. My therapist is asking me to come up with 3 goals that I would like to achieve in therapy and can't come up with any. Can any of you help me?
I want to feel better, and there are only 10 sessions - so I want to use them as best I can - please help...what is achievable?

1. To understand your illness (bipolar) and to learn how to live as normal a life as is possible; 2. to know the triggers that will set off an episode, lack of sleep, racing thoughts, etc. 3. the right mix of medications that will control the illness. Make sure the therapist explains to you the importance of taking ur meds. Good luck 2u. You didnt state your age but you are very mature to seek help for yourself any way u can. Keep up the good work. Email me if you need to know anything else

Bravo! I am glad that you are trying to make the most of your therapy. That is great. here are some common goals. If one of them is not suitable, maybe it will at least give you an idea of one that is....

Make it to all 10 sessions 5 minutes early.
Learn not to call self bad names when make mistake
Walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week
Clean out the basement/attic/closet - whatever is needed
Take an honest look at your current self
Believe that you can change for the better
Take an honest look at your past
Believe that while you cannot change the past, you can learn from it and not make the same mistakes
Learn to love yourself - just the way you are!

Good luck! I hope it all goes well for you.

I am not going to give you answers, because these really do have to be your own, and it's thinking about them that is the important and therapeutic part of this. But I'll just point out that you've made a start by saying you want to feel better. OK, so what would 'better' mean? Really think about that, what you would want to feel/not feel, what you'd like to feel able to do etc.

Be very realistic - not a huge amount is achievable in ten sessions (I'd usually suggest twenty before you really start to see the difference, and forty before you can really say - yes, I'm feeling in a completely different place). So think of small but important steps.

I'm really pleased you're going for psychotherapy as all too often people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are given the idea that only drugs are any help - but psychotherapy can be fantastic. Perhaps you'll want to do some more after these ten sessions are finished! Good luck, anyway.

Well, you already mentioned one.... you want to feel better, beyond that education on your condition and how to control it is good and so is learning better ways to cope with stressors and triggers. Good luck and good for you in getting help.

I can relate to what you're asking. I've been in therapy for bipolar 1 for over 20 years (medicated as well).

Since one of the ways Bipolar expresses in me is confusion, those kinds of questions always frustrated me. I asked my therapist for some help in coming up with how to express what I wanted for my goals to be. If you just come up with three things to be doing it, it may be of no value to you.

If your therapist can understand that you're having trouble formulating these goals, maybe he/she can help you better.

Good luck to you!





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories