I Have Bipolar 2, and This Is How I'm Managing My Mental Health During the Pandemic in NYC

Updated on 5/26/2020 at 11:35 AM

Living in the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic has thrown my mental health into a tailspin. To manage the symptoms of bipolar 2 — depression, hypomania, and anxiety — I thrive on routine. Before the pandemic hit, that meant getting up early, going to the gym or a fitness class, making a protein shake, getting ready, and taking the subway into the office. As my schedule and daily life changed completely, it really took a toll on my mental health.

It took a while for me to get into a set routine; the first couple weeks of our stay-at-home orders, I was routinely staying up until 3 a.m. watching Netflix, sleeping until 9 a.m., and drinking a little too much each night. I was so consumed by anxiety, I could barely eat. When I did manage to choke something down, it was usually calorie-dense comfort food that was easy to make, like chips and salsa or boxed mac and cheese. I wasn't working out, and I was too scared to leave the apartment. Needless to say, my mental health suffered.

More than two months later, I've finally settled into a set routine. With the help of live Zoom fitness classes, some meal prep, and outdoor walks in sunny, warmer weather (with a mask on, of course), I feel like I've gotten a better handle on my mental health. Of course, some days are better than others, and I'm by no means saying what works for me will work for everyone. This is just what I'm doing during these stay-at-home orders to keep my mental health in check.

I Get 7-8 Hours of Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of your overall health and well-being, especially if you have a mental illness. The first few weeks of stay-at-home orders, my sleep schedule was all over the place. Now, I've finally settled into a set nighttime routine (winding down in the evening, taking a warm bath, drinking tea, and reading in bed), and I'm usually asleep before midnight. Not as early as my previous 10:30 p.m. bedtime, but much better than staying up all hours of the night. Now, I wake up around 7:30 a.m. and feel refreshed after a full night's sleep.

I get that it's hard to sleep when you're feeling incredibly anxious, so check out these tips on how to fall asleep and stay asleep even when you're extremely stressed out.

I Do Live Workout Classes on Zoom

I signed up for the Peloton app and have been doing streamed video workouts from other places like Orangetheory and Class FitSugar, but there's something about logging into a live Zoom workout that makes me feel accountable. Even though I usually leave my camera off during these workouts (no one needs to see me sweaty or my husband working on his laptop on the couch!), it is the closest thing to in-person boutique fitness classes that I so desperately miss. Signing up for a class around 7:30 or 8 a.m. ensures that I can get in a good sweat before I log on for work.

I even rented an indoor Spin bike from one of my favorite local cycling studios, Monster Cycle, and have been doing the Monster Live cycling classes, which are free on Zoom (just be sure to tip your instructor!). I also have been staying accountable with Barry's Live classes, and I completed the Barry's Social Fitnessing Challenge, which was 20 classes in 30 days. Barry's also has live Barry's Ride classes, and since I loved the Barry's Ride in studio so much, it's been great to bring that experience home.

I Plan My Meals

Right before things got bad here in NYC, I stocked up at the grocery store, which meant a lot of frozen chicken breasts, pasta, brown rice, and bags of frozen veggies. And while I was able to put together meals for a couple weeks with all these ingredients (when I had an appetite to eat), it wasn't that well planned out. Now, I am more on schedule with planning my meals and prepping a big batch of food on Sundays. I need to be more strategic during my trips to the grocery store since I only go about once a week or so, but I make sure I have meals prepped or at least planned out for the upcoming week. Not only does this set me up to eat healthy, but it also streamlines my trips to the grocery store.

I Stay Connected With Friends and Family

Although I have several group text threads going with my groups of friends and my family, there's nothing like hanging out in person and laughing IRL. This is also the longest I've gone without seeing in person my immediate family, who all live in St. Louis, and I miss them desperately! But since I can't visit with people now, this time of social distancing has forced us to get creative while still staying in touch. I do regular Zoom chats with various groups of loved ones, many of whom live out of town, and it's something I look forward to every week. I've even reconnected with some of my cousins after doing our weekly Zoom chats where we play games online. The hours fly by!

I Go For Walks

As the weather warms up here, I've been fortunate enough to take breaks throughout the day and go for walks. I don't always get to step away from my computer, but I try to at least walk around the block during my lunch break to get some sun and fresh air. Since I live close to Central Park, when I have time, I love going for longer walks in the park (with my mask on and staying at least six feet away from other people) to look at all the trees and flowers blooming. Getting outside, while still being safe, has done wonders for my mental health.

I Take My Medication

I'm on a combination of mood stabilizers to manage my bipolar 2 symptoms, and this medication is important for me to manage my moods and stay focused throughout the day. Self-care for some people might be face masks and bubble baths, but for me, it's taking my medication every night with food. I also supplement with vitamin D and a women's multivitamin, which I'm not sure has any impact on my overall health, but it makes me feel better to take them.