I have to make myself get out and do things that I used to enjoy. It's really difficult at first, but I begin to enjoy myself pretty quickly

Listening to smooth jazz before bedtime, along with reading and meditate on Gods word the bible

Get a dog. That was my psychologist advice to me for 5 years. i was willing to take it, but afraid of the vet bills.
Before covid ever locked us up tight in our houses, my bipolar down phases would do that to me, whenever they chose to visit. I would cancel a whole week at the time and stayed in bed. I wouldn't even go down to the mailbox.
Now that i have a service dog, i feel 50% better, i ngo our three times a day. During the frozen winter weather, and during my bipolar down phases, my dog and I, run out, and he pees and poops in a matter of ten minutes, and we run back home.

It might work for you too, and i'll be glad to answer any questions. I have had my dog for about 4 years. Finances have not been a problem. i take him to the Banfield Clinics, that are all over the States; for $38 a month all is wellness is covered. if i want his teeth done, I'll pay $55 a month instead and his teeth cleaning is done! Voila'! If they pull any teeth, it is $100 per tooth, so i go prepared.

In case he broke a leg, I have him insured with Nationwide Pet Insurance, about $56 dollars monthly.

So far we haven't needed Nationwide to help us!!!!

But I'm a new woman. he goes everywhere I go -- that makes it easier for me to leave the house, that used to be such a major problem. And i'll go to a museum, i wouldn't go to before, without a friend, and the latter are scares. So when i got my dog i went to mour local underground railroad, which i had wanted to go for 15 years, but couldn't find a friend to go with me!

When I'm with my dog Bello, i don't feel alone.
When I'm with Bello, I am NOT ALONE, nor LONELY.

Dogs are also being used with soldiers returning from war.

Like my sister Sarah once said, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE DOGS!

They give you so much LOVE!!!

Best of luck to Crystalsphinx and to EVERYONE!!!!!

All my love,

Francesca

Actually, I adopted a dog from our local human society and got a letter from my psychiatrist which made my dog a treatment pet. I also workout a lot at the YMCA and that's paid thru my Medicare thru a program called Silver Sneakers I also keep busy with volunteering at local homeless shelters, soup kitchens and pantries in my area churches and non profits. I see my therapist 2xmonth and phychatrist once every 3 months for medicine management..

One thing that helped me, was to try and find something in life to get excited about.