Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.
Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. While most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any.
Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
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One of my early signs of bipolar disease was an exercise addiction. It destroyed my body: I developed osteoporosis and suffered joint damage. I realize now that I did that as a way to escape all the thoughts crowding my head. Today, I teach Nia, a fitness practice that is a blend of dance, martial arts, and healing arts. While before I used exercise to numb myself, this form of activity helps me feel more centered and alive.
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t’s important that you stay connected and don't isolate yourself. The more you withdraw and pull away from others, the more likely your mood changes will go unnoticed, which jeopardizes your health. Social connections help so much with bipolar because having empathy and understanding from others can make it easier to manage. Join a book or outdoor activity club. Or volunteer. Doing good for others can help alleviate depression
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Small rituals -- even just taking pills at a prescribed time and place -- can provide a sense of calm that helps lower anxiety. Around 8 each evening, for example, I sit in my favorite chair and sip a cup of chamomile tea. It’s a point of certainty in a very uncertain life. The more detailed the ritual, the better. This way, if a crisis happens, the rituals act as known spaces of safety to which the person can return.
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Sleep is key to managing bipolar disorder. In particular, it’s important to have a consistent sleep-wake schedule. People with bipolar disorder are very sensitive to changes in circadian rhythms, so just going to bed or waking up an hour or two later can exacerbate symptoms. We’ve all heard the stories about the college student with bipolar who pulled an all-nighter to finish a paper and ended up in the hospital 3 days later.
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Create a treatment plan that also includes daily, weekly, and monthly items for both managing your condition and self-care. Sometimes I can do it all, and everything feels under control. But other times, I can't even complete my daily requirements, like feeding myself or performing basic hygiene. This signals to my husband that I may need help picking up prescriptions or making doctor appointments.
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A lot of people who have bipolar disorder turn to marijuana to try to manage symptoms. That’s a big mistake. Here’s why: It contains THC, a psychoactive compound that makes you feel high. But the bipolar brain has a lot of trouble regulating chemicals such as dopamine or serotonin. Throw some THC into the mix, and you run a real risk of triggering a maniac or depressive episode. It’s better to create a natural high through activities like regular exercise.
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Oftentimes, when bipolar treatment works, patients let their guard down. They start to miss medication doses and don’t show up for therapy sessions. But consistency is key for the successful management of bipolar disorder. It only takes one or two skipped pills or therapy appointments to unravel all the progress you’ve made.
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