LIVING AND COPING WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER
1. Learn More
Learning more about bipolar disorder is the easiest thing a person can do to help themselves. There is a wealth of information online, but there are also some very good self-help books that provide an in-depth understanding of bipolar disorder and techniques that can be used to improve your daily life.
2. Get Support and Understanding
During a manic phase you may be quite unaware that your actions are distressing or damaging to other people. Later, you may feel guilty and ashamed. It can be especially difficult if those around you seem afraid or hostile. It helps if you provide people with information about bipolar disorder.
After going through a manic depressive episode you may find it difficult to trust others, and may want to cut yourself off. These feelings are to be expected after experiencing such difficulties, but it may be far more helpful to talk through your emotions and experiences with friends, family, careers or a counselor.
There are now many support groups — both in the real world and online — where people who have gone through similar problems can come together to support each other.
3. Manage Your Own Condition
Self-management involves finding out about bipolar disorder and developing the skills to recognize and control mood swings early, before they become full blown.
It can be very difficult at first to tell whether a bipolar “high” is really the beginning of a manic episode or whether you are just feeling more confident, creative and socially at ease. It can be a strain watching out for symptoms all the time, particularly when you are first learning about the effect bipolar disorder might have on your life.
The easiest thing you can do today to begin better managing your own condition is by keeping a daily journal of your moods in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Write it down on a piece of paper, day after day. There are even tools like depression quiz and mania quiz that can you track these moods online.
Common triggers for depressive episodes
Common triggers for depressive episodes include feeling anxious, hurt or stressed in the face of interpersonal situations and stressful life events. Possible early warning signs are feeling tearful, moody, withdrawn, snappy, slowed down, negative, stubborn, pessimistic, hopeless or excessively self-doubting.
Coping strategies can include the following1:
- Set a plan of graded activities for the day, including tasks that take some effort and others that are pleasurable
- Talk to someone about how you are feeling
- Distract yourself from negative thoughts, for example by listening to relaxing music
- Try self-soothing activities like having a bath
- Recognise unrealistic thoughts and evaluate if things are worth worrying about, for example how important will it seem in a year's time?
- Maintain a routine as much as possible
- Exercise regularly
- Try other mind-body therapies such as meditation, yoga or Tai Chi
- Avoid making important decisions about your life when you are unwell
- If your mood persists or worsens, see a doctor or health professional, particularly if you are becoming hopeless or considering plans for harming yourself or others
Common triggers for hypomania/mania episodes
Common triggers for hypomanic or manic episodes are changes to everyday rhythms such as sleep and eating, and stressful life events. Possible early warning signs include destructive or impulsive behaviour after being sleepless or irritable, looking haggard, speaking in a caustic manner, telephoning friends indiscriminately regardless of the time, stopping medications, and impulsive, self-destructive threats and gestures.
Strategies for managing early warning signs include the following2:
- Establish a regular routine for eating and sleeping
- Spend nights in your bedroom even if you are not sleeping - lie down and rest as much as you can
- Prioritise and reduce the number of tasks you are involved in
- Modify excessive behaviour - slow down
- Engage in calming activities and be aware of how you are thinking, feeling and behaving
- Carefully follow through the consequences of your actions - consider the costs and benefits
- Delay impulsive actions - if it is still a good idea in a few days time, it might really be a good idea
- Spend time on your own to reduce stimulation, for example by avoiding crowds, busy shops, intense movies and parties
- Find a quiet, restful place to spend your time
- Keep a diary of your moods and reactions
- Reframe your overly inflated thoughts as symptoms
- Recognise if you are getting into destructive situations
- Talk to someone you can trust
- Avoid drinking tea, coffee, cola or other drinks that contain caffeine
- Avoid alcohol, marihuana or other drugs
- See a doctor to review your medications and current state
4. Get Routine in Your Day-to-day Life
People sometimes underestimate the importance of a daily routine. They feel, “What’s the use?” The use is that it keeps your body active, which in turn helps you feel better emotionally. The mind and body are interconnected — ignoring one will have an effect on the other.
5. Keep Work Life at Bay
While work is important to many of us, if for no other reason than it helps to pay our rent and food bills, it also needs to be placed into proper perspective with regards to your health and well being. When we are emotionally out of balance, it can affect our work performance (as well as many other areas in our lives, such as relationships with our significant other, family and friends).
It’s important to take things slowly and avoid stressful situations. If you already have a job, you might want to find out if you can return on a part-time basis to start with. If you are a student, most colleges and universities will offer good support and advice. Give yourself time and space to get back into the full world of job
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