You asked so I'm giving...
The Answers on Travel & Bipolar
This used to make me nervous
and many of you shared it was something you wanted tips on so…
let’s get into it.
In case you missed it, I was offline for 2 months and came back to do what I do best…
Use what I lived through to turn it into an asset for you.
The thing I will be providing tips on is inside this poll I shared here last week…
I’ll be kicking things off w/ tips for traveling with bipolar…
without being overwhelmed or consumed by stress, worry, fears or doubts.
If you live with bipolar or love someone who does that you want to support better in this area …. I got you.
If you have fears, any stresses, worries or doubts surrounding traveling successfully with bipolar… I did too.
Here’s what I did and continue to do to ensure I have the best trip for business or fun…
Maintaining parts of my routine that I am able to. You will not be able to maintain your entire routine so I always pick parts that I can like … movement, journaling and reading/listening to podcasts. I did this on my honeymoon in Europe and it made such a difference just being able to start my day off like I do at home normally…
Sleep - depending on where you are traveling to and what you are going for… you need to focus on getting enough sleep. Don’t worry too much if you have a hard time with this because I definitely did as we traveled to Italy with the 8 hour time change. I would strongly encourage sleeping on the flight if you can or building in blocks in your calendar for “wake up” and “sleep” times. Listen to your body and give it a break when you need to because you deserve it.
Meal times - travel can complicate typical meal times but add bipolar to the mix and it can feel like an added layer of stress. Something I do to avoid running into huge gaps between meals is packing my own little snacks. I would also suggest eating your own meal at home before your flight (depending on the flight time). Give yourself grace in the process too because it can be upsetting when our schedules are thrown off but planning ahead can help alleviate this.
Drink ya water - this may seem like a no brainer but I bring it up because I have been guilty of being forgetful about this one. Travel can take a lot out of us so something that helps me with getting enough water is setting reminders in my phone calendar. I do this on my travel days to ensure I don’t get dehydrated.
Make a list - if you are anything like me… you thrive and operate off of organized lists. I would suggest making a list of all of your fears surrounding travel with bipolar. Also… make a list next to that one where you jot down all the things you look forward to. Doing this helps me address any and all fears that arise before my trips while also focusing on the good that is to come on the trip.
Bring your medication - if you take meds just make sure to pack them ASAP so you don’t forget or be like me and … make a packing list so you won’t forget them or anything else LOL
Chat w/ a loved one - if you are traveling alone, something that helps me is checking in with loved ones. It can be as simple as a text exchange back and forth, a quick facetime/call or an IG dm back and forth. When I travel alone for business, I always check in with my husband or a few friends. It helps me stay connected and get out of my head if I start to get anxious or uncomfortable.
I hope the above list was helpful for you. These are the main things I do personally whether traveling for business or fun.
As long as I remember to maintain the parts of my routine that I am able to …. it makes such a difference.
Travel & bipolar is no longer something that brings me fear or overwhelm or stress because I found a system that works.
Now… my system may not be the same system that will work for you but I hope some parts of mine can be useful for you.
If you have anymore questions or hesitations surrounding travel & bipolar… please don’t be afraid to ask me by sharing below or via private message here.
I am more than happy to provide more tips if I have them or direct you to resources that can help.
Love always,
Paris Scobie
So helpful and insightful! Thank you :)