Alltop.com

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Dr. Liz Miller’s book, Mood Mapping, might be a great read for you.

Miller, herself, suffers from bipolar disorder, and after a long struggle with the disease, she began charting how she felt and why she felt the way she did at various times during the day. She noted what she had eaten, who she had spoken to, and what she had done or not done that day. Over time, she discovered that the two most important parts of how she felt were how much energy she had and how good or bad she felt. Once she recognized how she felt (and why), she could more easily figure out what she could do to feel better.

She eventually developed a mood map where energy is plotted on the vertical line and how positive or negative you feel is plotted on the horizontal line. These two lines give you four quadrants representing four basic human moods. You use the graph throughout the day to plot your mood, and then work your way out of it (if it’s negative). Since her breakthrough, Miller has written a book about the process that has helped her maintain a stable mood—without any medication—for eight years and counting.

Read on to learn more about mood mapping and how it can benefit those suffering from mental health afflictions.

More bipolar disorder resources.