Journaling

Does anyone find that writing in a journal about their feelings, experiences, and symptomatic episodes helps to cope with them at all?

If you can put your thoughts and feelings into words, it will often help you understand them better. At least I find that to be true in my case. That's not necessarily enough to help you overcome the troublesome thoughts and feelings. That may take the perspective of a therapist. Understanding how your feelings get started is just one tool in the toolbox. I've determined that my hypomanic and subdepressive phases truly happen without regard to what's going on in my life. The up time I'm having right now I'm sure is partly linked to some career exploration I've started and am getting good feedback on. The up time I had back in July or August wasn't connected to anything I could determine.

Wow, Ollie!! You're well on your way to applying the very strategies that my pdoc has insisted I employ throughout my journey and journaling has been KEY!!!! Everything from moods to charting behaviors, detecting symptoms ...reactions... TRIGGERS so that you begin to avoid those triggers and recognize when you're being triggered by them and how to avoid them. I would highly recommend that you get yourself a copy of The Cyclothymia Workbook... Super hands on practical applicable ways to journal and maintain all sorts of charts that will help you track things you never thought are connected to the disorder. But journal away!!!!! Writing is a strength of ours : ) and to be metacognitive about introspective is going to serve you well!!!! I am really impressed at how your mind is working!! You dive in and empower yourself!!!! Dark and I will be happy to assist in any way our limited life experiences can help. Nothing can replace the expertise of a professional, but we remember when we first wrapped our hearts and minds around this thing and other veterans reached out... This is our time to give back and pay it forward : ).

I did some research online about "mood charting," and couldn't find anything free and helpful. I'm just wondering what sorts of things I'm supposed to journal about, and how often. Lately it seems like I'm stuck in between the two sets of symptoms.

I remember looking up "how to do a mood journal" or something along those lines and finding some useful advice. Think about Fireandrain's reply. The Cyclothymia Workbook is really good. Make sure to set aside time every day to do it. What you write about today may not be the same kind of thing you write about in a few months as you get into it. That's okay. As you figure out what does and doesn't contribute to your moods, it'll get easier to know what to write.