Try Herbs And Supplements Which Can Boost Positive Emotion:
Some studies have conducted to prove the safety of herbs and supplements on how to treat bipolar disorder. There are a lot of evidences that herbs and supplement can ease depression and stabilize mood. So, I would like to introduce to you some natural remedies.
Fishing oil plays the important role in enhancing brain function and reducing depression because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The sufficient amount fishing oil you should take is from 1 to 9 grams.
Amino acids are thought to boost the production of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. You can find amino acids in some supplements such as taurine, phenylalanine and tyrosine. However, before taking these supplements, you should ask the doctors advice because certain supplements can have down side effects.
Valerian root is the best natural remedy on how to treat bipolar disorder because of its sedative property. It is also known to prevent anxiety, sleep deprivation and mood disorder. You can find this herb available in the market in forms of tea bags, capsules and dried valerian root.
The Three Symptoms Below Represent The Side Of Bipolar Disorder We All Know Is There But Rarely Want To Let The Public Know Exists
I know how important it is to protect the reputation of bipolar disorder in the general public. We dont want people thinking we are dangerous, scary, crazy people who cant be trusted. But I do feel we need to own up to the fact that certain mood swings DO cause the behaviors we want to sweep under the carpet. The three symptoms below represent the side of bipolar disorder we all know is there but rarely want to let the public know exists. This is only an opinion, of course, but Im truly interested to know if you feel the same.
Self Care In The Management Of Bipolar Disorder
As well as monitoring day-to-day behavior for signs of mood changes, the knowledge gained from such monitoring can be used to avoid triggering an episode of mania or depression.
It can help to have someone to confide in. Close relationships with people who understand the condition and the individualâs experience and trigger points, can be useful as a support network.
Too much activity can trigger a manic episode, so itâs helpful to maintain a balance between work and activity, and relaxation and fun.
Stress and bipolar disorder
Stress is a common trigger, and avoiding highly stressful situations is recommended. However, itâs not possible to avoid all stress, so a useful tool may be to learn relaxation techniques or take advice on handling stress from a qualified therapist.
Healthy lifestyle
There is no specific diet recommended for bipolar disorder. However, maintaining a healthy diet will help with overall wellness. This includes:
- Eating a balance of foods rich in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains, fish, eggs, low-fat meat, nuts and seeds
- Avoiding food that is high in saturated and trans fats, such as red meat, as well as simple carbohydrates such as refined sugar
Lithium can affect salt levels in the body, so care should be taken not to eat too much or too little.
Caffeine may contribute to a manic or hypomanic episode by disrupting normal sleep patterns.
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What Is Rapid Cycling
Some people with bipolar disorder develop rapid cycling where they experience four or more episodes of mania or depression within a 12-month period. Mood swings can occur very quickly, like a rollercoaster randomly moving from high to low and back again over a period of days or even hours. Rapid cycling can leave you feeling dangerously out of control and most commonly occurs if your bipolar disorder symptoms are not being adequately treated.
The different faces of bipolar disorder
Bipolar I Disorder This is the classic manic-depressive form of the illness, characterized by at least one manic episode or mixed episode. Usuallybut not alwaysBipolar I Disorder also involves at least one episode of depression.
Bipolar II Disorder In Bipolar II disorder, you dont experience full-blown manic episodes. Instead, the illness involves episodes of hypomania and severe depression.
Cyclothymia Cyclothymia is a milder form of bipolar disorder that consists of cyclical mood swings. However, the symptoms are less severe than full-blown mania or depression.
Changes In Thought Patterns
Changes in thought patterns are easily spotted by those with whom the person has regular interactions. They may manifest as a sudden burst of creative insight or appear fractured and nonsensical.
Examples include:
- An increased focus on religion or religious activity
- Disorientation or disjointed thinking
- Enhanced creativity or inventiveness
- Flight of ideas
- Racing thoughts
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Whats The Difference Between Feeling Good Vs Hypomania
It takes time to know the difference. Everyone enjoys being happy and feeling good. But feeling good doesnt always mean you are good. Over time, youll start to understand yourself and learn the warning signs that you may be starting to have an elevated mood that is different than just feeling good.
Ask family and close friends who you trust, and have frequent contact with, to give you feedback. Ask them to tell you when they see beyond normal changes in your mood or behaviors.
How Anger Affects Your Health
In addition to inflicting damage on relationships, rage may have devastating physiologic effects, explains Redford Williams, MD, director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Duke University School of Medicine.
Anger activates our bodys fight or flight response, which is the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, says Williams, whose books include Anger Kills: Seventeen Strategies for Controlling the Hostility That Can Harm Your Health.
Over time, elevated levels of stress hormones cause wear and tear on all body systems. And when people who are irritable and easily frustrated by temperament go into anger mode, Williams says, all components of this response occur at higher levels.
We know that people with a hostile personality type develop hardening of their coronary arteries at an earlier age than their less hostile counterparts, Williams says, and that enhanced response may be why.
Whether or not people who have anger as a component of bipolar disorder show the same exaggerated fight-flight response is not known, but anger is certainly bad for the heart and a potential contributor to the development of heart disease and high blood pressure, he adds.
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Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified is a general category for a person who only has symptoms of bipolar disorder that dont match the three other categories. The symptoms are not enough to make a diagnosis of one of the other three types.
The signs of bipolar disorder can generally be divided into those for mania, and those for depression.
What Types Of Bipolar Are There
Depending on the way you experience different bipolar moods and symptoms, and how severely they affect you, your doctor my diagnose you with a particular type of bipolar disorder. These are some terms your doctor might use.
Bipolar I
- You may be told you have bipolar I if you have experienced at least one episode of mania which has lasted longer than a week.
- You might also have experienced depressive episodes, although not everyone does.
Bipolar II
- You may get a diagnosis of bipolar II if you have experienced both at least one episode of severe depression and symptoms of hypomania.
Cyclothymia
- You may get a diagnosis of cyclothymia if you have experienced both hypomanic and depressive mood states over the course of two years or more and your symptoms aren’t severe enough to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar I or bipolar II.
- This can be a difficult diagnosis to receive, because you may feel that you are being told your symptoms are ‘not serious enough’, but this is not the case. Mental health is a spectrum that encompasses lots of different experiences and cyclothymia can have a serious impact on your life.
Using these terms can help both you and health professionals discuss your diagnosis and treatment more specifically. If your doctor ever uses words or phrases you don’t understand, you can ask them to explain.
” cyclothymia. It can make you feel more like it must be all in your head as the symptoms are often not as extreme as bipolar.”
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Track Your Moods And Triggers
Keeping a journal helped Joyce of Sioux City, Iowa, figure out her typical triggers.
I write down how I am feeling so I can look back and reference other entries to look for common themes, she says.
Journaling helped her identify behaviors to address, such as waiting calmly at traffic lights, being patient with others, and handling comments that irk her whether aimed at me or not, she reports.
After three decades of living with bipolar, the 61-year-old has a handle on the emotional and physical signals that tell her its time to redirect her energy. When she feels her temper heat up, she gets down to her favorite music, including disco tunes like Chics 1978 hit Le Freak.
My therapist told me to put on my favorite music and dance when I am feeling rage. I had to laugh at the suggestion at first, but it works, and the only one who can see me is my cat.
What Triggers A Hypomanic Episode
Each persons triggers may be different. Some common triggers include:
- A highly stimulating situation or environment .
- A major life change .
- Lack of sleep.
- Substance use, such as recreational drugs or alcohol.
Its smart to develop a list of your triggers to know when a hypomanic episode may be starting. Since hypomania doesnt cause severe changes in your activity level, mood or behavior, it may be helpful to ask family and close friends who you trust and have close contact with to help identify your triggers. They may notice changes from your usual self more easily than you do. Share your trigger list with your close, trusted friends so they can tell when you might need help.
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How Are They Diagnosed
During your appointment, your doctor will likely take your medical history and do a physical exam. Its important that you tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you take, as well as any illicit drugs you may have taken.
Diagnosing mania and hypomania can be complicated. For instance, you may not be aware of some symptoms or how long youve been having them. Also, if you have depression but your doctor is unaware of manic or hypomanic behavior, they may diagnose you with depression instead of bipolar disorder.
In addition, other health conditions can cause mania and hypomania. Plus, an overactive thyroid gland can cause symptoms that mimic hypomania or mania.
Sudden Changes In Energy
It is one thing to have a sudden rush of energy it is an another when the energy is relentless, prolonged, and overwhelming. As with mood changes, the sudden upshot of energy would not be considered normal and can switch off as quickly as it was switched on.
Symptoms may include:
- A decreased need for sleep with little apparent fatigue
- A sudden increase in goal-oriented activities
- Persistent and often purposeless movement
- Restlessness and an inability to remain still
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Dangerous Aggressive And Violent Behavior In Bipolar Disorder
I work with parents and partners of those with bipolar disorder. In the majority of situations, people who are in a strong dysphoric manic episode can be dangerous, aggressive, and violent. Physical assault and weapons are not uncommon. Many men go to jail because of this behavior when they actually need psychiatric help. People who are mild-mannered and kind when well, both men and women, get superhuman strength along with the aggressionripping a sink out of the wall, punching through windows, throwing chairs, and other dangerous behaviors are not uncommon.
Families and partners suffer in silence because they are scared to tell anyone about what really goes on at home.
I have violent thoughts when dysphoric mania is raging. I used to chase down cars if the driver flipped me off or made a strange face. It is not my goal to scare anyone reading this. Its my goal that we are honest about these hidden and pushed-under-the-rug symptoms of bipolar disorder.
The solution is management. People with bipolar do not have these symptoms unless the mood swings are raging. Prevent the mood swings, and you can prevent the dangerous, aggressive, and violent behavior.
The Keys To Bipolar Disorder Self
Get educated. Learn as much as you can about bipolar disorder. The more you know, the better youll be at assisting your own recovery.
Get moving. Exercise has a beneficial impact on mood and may reduce the number of bipolar episodes you experience. Aerobic exercise that activates arm and leg movement such as running, walking, swimming, dancing, climbing or drumming may be especially beneficial to your brain and nervous system.
Keep stress in check. Avoid high-stress situations, maintain a healthy work-life balance, and try relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing.
Seek support. Its important to have people you can turn to for help and encouragement. Try joining a support group or talking to a trusted friend. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it wont mean youre a burden to others. In fact, most friends will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your relationship.
Stay closely connected to friends and family. Nothing is as calming to the nervous system as face-to-face contact with caring supportive people who can just listen to you talk about what youre experiencing.
Make healthy choices. Healthy sleeping and eating habits can help stabilize your moods. Keeping a regular sleep schedule is particularly important.
Monitor your moods. Keep track of your symptoms and watch for signs that your moods are swinging out of control so you can stop the problem before it starts.
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They Try Hard To Keep The Manic Energy In Check
You can sometimes see acquaintances with bipolar disorder struggling to keep their manic energy in check. They downplay the flight of ideas as just being creative and feeling free to explore a lot of different ideas. Or they may try and hide the mania while not around others, expending a lot of energy to keep a serene face on the outside while their thoughts race on the inside. Sometimes those with bipolar disorder doesnt realize theyre sick until it is too late and the symptoms have once again taken hold.
This could be a sign that the persons current treatment is not working as well as it could. It may be because the person is either not taking his or her usual medications, the medications need adjusting, or some other aspect of treatment is not working.
What Is Bipolar Ii Disorder
Bipolar II disorder is a type of bipolar disorder in which people experience depressive episodes as well as hypomanic episodes , but never mania. People with bipolar II disorder tend to have longer and more frequent depressed episodes than people with bipolar I disorder.
If the severity of your symptoms never rises to the level of mania, you have bipolar II disorder. If you have even a single episode of what is considered mania or one psychotic event during a hypomanic episode, your diagnosis would change to bipolar I disorder.
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Bipolar Disorder In Children And Teenagers
Usually, symptoms of bipolar disorder first appear in teens around the ages of 15 to 19, though signs can be seen in younger children.
The symptoms for mania, hypomania and depression in bipolar disorder are similar to those in adults, although children and teens may behave more erratically. Moods may change more rapidly than in adults, and children may express mania and hypomania as temper tantrums and physical aggression.
See our resource on signs of bipolar disorder for more information about bipolar disorder in children, teenagers and young adults.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry urges caution in looking for signs of bipolar disorder in toddlers and children under six years old.
If you think that a child in your care might have a health condition, try using the Ada app to find out more about their symptoms.
How To Diagnose Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose because an individuals mood swings can vary. And yet, the longer it goes untreated, the worse the disorder can get as episodes may happen more frequently or become more extreme.
As mentioned, a diagnosis of bipolar I requires a person to have either one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes. Bipolar II, on the other hand, involves one or more depressive episodes and at least one episode of hypomania.
If a person is experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder, it is important to see a licensed healthcare professional. Seeking professional help ensures that the person will get an accurate diagnosis and receive correct, individualized treatment. The right treatment for bipolar disorder can make it possible for a person to lead a healthy and productive life.
The evaluation for bipolar disorder is examined through several tests and exams and may include:
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Incidence Of Unipolar Mania
According to recent studies, we defined unipolar mania as the presence of three or more manic states without a depressive episode during the period of the study. Then, we calculated the incidence of unipolar mania. Since the criterion of judgment is recurrent in the disease, our study will take in consideration the prevalence of unipolar mania.