Teen Bipolar and the Holiday Season

By the end of “Light Fixtures”, Aurora, the novel’s protagonist, is just beginning to understand that she has teen bipolar. It’s the end of the summer, so the holiday season is nearly four months away. She has yet to walk (mania-dash) through the demands of the busy holiday time. But what will she find as teen bipolar catches up with her even more and how will she handle it?

The next installment will tap into that, but meanwhile, I’ve been thinking about this time of the year and some of the best ways for a teenager with manic depression, or teen bipolar, to be a part of these manic times without becoming manic him or herself. There are no sure solutions, but there are some methods that have worked for many:

(1.) Keep your shopping trips or visits to others to a minimum. All that speeded-up energy out there is mania itself.

(2.) No need to panic with manic thoughts or actions about getting that “perfect” gift. All gifts are perfect.

(3.) Give yourself some breathing room. Truly. Get away from the mall frenzy or even the family festivities. Go outside or even step into the bathroom/restroom for a bit of alone time to take those deep breaths.

Mr. Hematite, Aurora’s mystical guide in “Light Fixtures”, says it best in this excerpt from the book:

“What is of great relevance here is that the spiritual self be indeed connected to the other parts of you that make you human: the physical, mental, and emotional components. Together, the four shape the light emitting from your light fixture, for each one of us is a light fixture, with the potential to shine with authentic brilliance.”

“No disrespect, Mr. Hematite, even though I appreciated the schooling on the transformer and dragonflies, this is sounding a lot like a sermon of some kind.”

“Aurora, just like me and Mr. Dragonfly, you have a mission.”

Now just licking the rock salt, Aurora squinted at Mr. Hematite and asked, “And you know what my mission is?”

“Your mission is to know yourself. You must understand who you are and how you feel, the body that carries you, the mind that runs that body, and, above all, the importance of maintaining balance in all things.”

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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