Tips for Travelling with Bipolar Disorder

I recently went on another cruise for a week and I thought I’d share some travelling tips for people with Bipolar Disorder.

Bring your medications in your carry-on

If you’re flying, make sure to bring your medications with you in your carry-on. If you have any liquid medications, as long as they are 3 ounces or less, you can take them with you on the airplane in your carry-on.

I always keep them with me in a clear plastic bag that way they are all in one place, and if security should need to look at them, I can easily take them all out without having to dig around in my bag. The bag I use is actually a cosmetic bag I got from target. You can find it here.

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If you get nauseous easily from flying (or being on a ship on a cruise) I found that Bonine worked much better for me than Dramamine. I hardly felt any drowsiness from Bonine, whereas Dramamine made me feel loopy and groggy. You can find the generic brand of Bonine called “Rugby Travel Sickness” which gives you 100 pills for only $7.50. These worked just as well as Bonine, and tasted pretty much the same. Also, it seemed to last 24 hours, so I only had to take it once a day. You can find it on amazon here.

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Bring snacks

Some airplanes give you as many snacks as you want on a 2 hour flight like Jet Blue. But most flights just give you cookies or peanuts, or nothing at all. I can start feeling gross if I don’t have enough to eat. I like to bring granola bars, or snack crackers. I always bring a pack of gum to help my ears pop from flying.

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Bring something to do on the plane and during your trip

I like to journal, so I always bring a notebook with me on trips, as well as my ipod so I can listen to some music. Music helps calm me down during plane rides, because I can sometimes get a little anxious during take offs and landings. Also, it’s nice to have something to do during downtime on your vacation. You can get one from Barnes and Noble here.

I recommend that you bring something to help you sleep, just in case you have trouble sleeping. You want to try and keep your sleep schedule consistent. My psychiatrist recently recommended something that she calls “a natural Xanax,” called GABA. It’s very mild, but it helps me relax and makes falling asleep easier. Another plus is I don’t feel groggy or tired the next morning. You can get this on amazon here.

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Know your Limits and Triggers

If you don’t like huge crowds and loud music let the people you’re travelling with know this. You can always skip the night that everyone goes out to a loud bar or club if that’s something that is going to make you anxious. It’s okay to take breaks, too. If you need to lie down for 20 minutes after lunch, do it! Better to be taking care of yourself rather than be cranky and exhausted the rest of the day.

And Finally: Have fun!

Enjoy your vacation, you deserve it.

Cruising the Caribbean: One of the Best Vacations

Hi everyone!

I just got back Saturday from a cruise with my boyfriend. It was amazing!

I was worried I might find it stressful, because sometimes travelling for me turns out to be a mess, especially when it involves a long amount of time away from home. That can mess up my routine, and in turn affect my mental health.

This vacation was definitely different from other vacations. It helped that the ship becomes your temporary "home." So I was able to go back to the room at anytime if I needed a break. Sleeping in the same bed for a week helped me be able to get good sleep the whole week, so my sleep schedule wasn't affected too much unless I decided to stay up later than I usually did. But then I was always able to go back to the room whenever I needed to to get a nap!

The food was good for the most part, and the service was excellent.

We were on Royal Caribbean, and they have freestyle machines, so we bought the drink package which included water bottles, so I didn't have to worry about not being able to stay hydrated.

I would say cruising was one the easiest and most relaxing vacations I ever been on. I took Bonine the first day for sea sickness, and whenever I felt like I needed it if the ship was extra rocky. I've tried Dramamine but I've found that makes me more sleepy, but Bonine didn't make me feel very drowsy at all.

It was very nice to see Haiti, Jamaica, and Cozumel, Mexico, without the trouble of long flights, and changing hotel rooms. Being able to be on a ship for the week with the same room and familiar places was much more relaxing for me.

What are some vacations that you would recommend for someone with Bipolar?