“I fight for my health every day in a way most people don’t understand. I’m not lazy. I’m a warrior.” – HealthyPlace.com   

If you have bipolar disorder or any other affliction you can consider yourself a warrior.  Type in the Comments section the diagnosis of an ailment, physical or mental affliction that you battle every day. 

You might have a speech impediment, cancer, Tourettes Syndrome, anxiety, Lou Gehrig’s Disease or any of the numerous monsters I didn’t mention, you are a warrior.  You become a force to be reckoned with the moment you say “(insert your illness)” will not get the best of me”!  Of all the mental and physical ailments we have in this world, no matter your story, these monsters are extremely difficult to overcome.  And just getting out of bed, taking one step at a time, breathing in and out, YOU ARE A WARRIOR.

Preparing for Battle

Speaking as one of the brave Bipolar Disorder Warriors, I know if I go into battle, I must be prepared.  As a warrior, I need the right weapons in order to pull myself out of the pit of despair when I am depressed; keep the argument with my boss from growing into a full-blown manic episode; or letting my proper sleep hygiene disappear among the stars.

In this blog post, I am going to introduce the number one weapon I use as a Bipolar Disorder Warrior.  That weapon is prayer.

Bipolar Disorder Warriors and Prayer

The Power of Prayer

“Suffering provides the gym equipment on which my faith can be exercised.” – Joni Eareckson Tada

If you are a Christian, there are several weapons that you could use in the midst of the battle.  Remember the Armor of God?  My favorite weapon I like to go to, over and over and over again, is prayer.  Some of my most challenging fights have been won with the battle implement prayer.  Prayer taught me just how much I didn’t know about anything and especially just how much I am unfit for the battle.  Prayer directs me to the Source of Power.  That is why I pray to the One who knows everything and is Most Powerful, too.

I have been a Christian longer than I have had bipolar disorder.  When I received the bipolar diagnosis 11 years after the symptoms surfaced, I had no idea how to respond as a Christian.  Even though there is a history of mental illness on both sides of my family, that subject was never brought up at birthday parties or during the giving of gifts at Christmas.  But that didn’t matter due to the fact the Christian exposure I received at church as a child, once maybe three times or more a week, actually helped me when I was in compromising situations or when I have suicidal ideations.

Bipolar Disorder Warriors who Pray

Believing I am a Mental Health Warrior

I do not always believe I measure up as a Bipolar Disorder Warrior.  I bet some of you think that way, too.

In the midst of the roller coaster of moods, OCD, ADHD, and severe anxiety, I always expect for the warrior feeling to show up.  And of course I should expect to feel like a warrior.  God made me.  He knitted me together in my mother’s womb.  He knows the number of hairs on my head.  And those statements above are facts from the Bible, let yourself believe. 

Sometimes the belief in my prayers is likened to a direct line (without any busy signals) to the Creator of the Universe.  Other times, because I am human, I feel all I will get are busy signals or the voicemail.  I know from years of seeing God work that He will give me an answer in due time.  Whether it is yes, no, maybe, wait awhile, God will answer us in His perfect timing.

When God turns me around to stand in front of His holy mirror, I see myself as He sees me.  Standing in front of God’s mirror, I feel immersed in all of God’s power and strength. I also feel loved.  There are no personal judgements glaring at me.  I feel peace like none other before.  When I see myself the way God sees me, I become that warrior, yes, even the warrior with bipolar 1 including psychotic features, one who will walk tall and shout loudly to share God’s love for a mentally ill middle-aged woman.

At that point is when I know I am ready to face any problem inside my head or out.  The Bible says when I am weak, God is strong.  He will fight for me.  God will give me whatever signals I need to make prayer the first thing I reach for when the challenges begin!

What is the first thing you reach for when in the middle of a challenge mentally or physically?  Write your answers in the Comments section below.

Warriors Praying

Call to Action

Share about a time when you felt like a Warrior.  How does it feel to be a Warrior?  How do you conjure up those warrior feelings when the going gets tough?  Put your answers in the comment section below or email me at [email protected].

Going Furtherhttps://lifeconquering.org/anxiety-2/

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/faith-in-life/prayer/prayer

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/

My Anxiety diminished by Prayer

Life Conquering and Psych Central (Mental Health Discoveries)

The post Bipolar Disorder Warriors and the Weapons They Use in Battle appeared first on Life Conquering Blog.

1 in 5 Americans suffer from mental illness.  So what?

Do you want to be a part of something that will transform lives – even save lives?  Follow.

There are 18.5% of adults in the United States who have some type of mental illness.  That means 43.8 million adults suffer each year from anxiety or depression to name a few.  2.6% of adults in the U.S. are like me, living with bipolar.

Approximately 20% of our state prisoners and 21% of local jail prisoners have a “recent history” of a mental health condition.  The estimated economic impact to tax payers in 2016 for untreated mental illness in the U.S. was $193,200,000,000.

Adults living with a serious mental illness have increased odds of having chronic medical conditions.

Each day an estimated 18-22 veterans die by suicide.

Do I have your attention now?

Mental illness affects everybody.   So what?  “I’m not crazy,” you say.  You do not have to have a mental illness to care about the $193.2 BILLION that it cost American tax payers to fight against mental illness.  Something needs to be done.  We need to spread the word about mental illness and share information with our friends and family who suffer from it.  How can you help?  Read on.

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Reference

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