Sunday, March 17, 2024

How To Deal With A Bipolar Manic Episode

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Dealing With Risky Or Inappropriate Manic Or Hypomanic Behavior

How I Help My Bipolar Spouse Manage Mania

Risky or inappropriate behaviour is ;a common symptom of hypomania, mania or mixed states . When hypomanic or manic, the person;may sometimes be; irritable and critical. Physical aggression is occasionally linked to mania or mixed states. For suggestions about ways to deal with risky behavior and its consequences see:

Supporting A Loved One During Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Once your friend or family member agrees to see a doctor, you can help by being a partner in treatment. Your support can make a big difference in their treatment success, so offer to be involved in any way your loved one wants or needs.

Things you can do to support a loved ones bipolar disorder treatment:

  • Find qualified doctors and therapists.
  • Set up appointments and go along.
  • Offer your insights to the doctor.
  • Monitor your loved ones moods.
  • Learn about their medications.

The Stress Of A Bad Breakup Or Failed Marriage

A number of people with bipolar disorder especially those with a history of severe manic episodes have failed marriages. If youre going through a divorce, working with your therapist through what is often a drawn-out and extremely stressful process can help.

You might consider a durable power of attorney that allows someone else to make major decisions for you, such as financial ones, when you are going through an episode of depression or mania in relation to or during a breakup.

In fact, assigning a durable power of attorney could be useful for anyone who might be experiencing an episode of bipolar disorder.

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What To Do If They Need To Go To The Hospital

Some manic episodes are more serious than others and may require you to seek professional help right away.

Remember, your safety and well-being comes first. If you believe your loved one is a threat to themselves or others, get immediate medical help.

In a severe manic episode, a person may experience whats called an episode of bipolar disorder psychosis, where they have trouble deciphering what is reality and what isnt.

During an episode of psychosis, people may experience:

Beyond Treatment: Things You Can Do

Bipolar and emotional relationships

Regular Exercise: Regular aerobic exercise, such as jogging, brisk walking, swimming, or bicycling, helps with depression and anxiety, promotes better sleep, and is healthy for your heart and brain. There is also some evidence that anaerobic exercise such as weightlifting, yoga, and Pilates can be helpful. Check with your health care provider before you start a new exercise regimen.

Keeping a Life Chart: Even with proper treatment, mood changes can occur. Treatment is more effective when a patient and health care provider work together and talk openly about concerns and choices. Keeping a life chart that records daily mood symptoms, treatments, sleep patterns, and life events can help patients and health care providers track and treat bipolar disorder over time. Patients can easily share data collected via smartphone apps including self-reports, self- ratings, and activity data with their health care providers and therapists.

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Mania And Hypomania In Bipolar Disorder

Theres a common myth that mania is mostly positive, but it can be uniquely exhausting and is serious.

Manic episodes are primarily associated with bipolar I disorder, while hypomania and its symptoms are associated with bipolar II disorder and cyclothymia.

Heres a quick breakdown of the different types of bipolar disorder and their main characteristics for diagnosis:

Bipolar

Concerned About Bipolar Disorder

#2, Educate Yourself Education starts with learning the symptoms of manic and depressive episodes and getting up-to-date on research-driven treatment options for bipolar disorder. Share your questions and concerns with your doctor or psychiatrist, and ask them what resources they recommend for you to read or gather. Understanding the illness can help it feel more manageable and assist you in identifying symptoms before they get worse.

#3. Track Symptoms Many people with bipolar disorder find it useful to keep a daily log of their mood, thinking, and behaviors. If you are able to catch small changes in these arenas, then you may be able to stop or decrease the intensity of a mood episode before it worsens. You should can also track stressors or behaviors which may trigger a mood episode, such as lack of sleep, relationship conflict, school or work stress, substance use, or seasonal changes. The more accurately you can report these changes to yourself and your doctor, the greater chance of stabilizing your mood.

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Causes Of Manic Bipolar

While there is no full proof way of knowing why someone has Manic Bipolar Disorder, medical research has seen some traits and factors which may make one person more susceptible to the disorder than another.

Two factors that play a big role are:

  • Genetic Makeup

Mental disorders often have a familial link. Studies show that some people are genetically predisposed to mental illnesses, so people with a family history of depression, schizophrenia, or other mental disorders are at a higher risk of developing Manic Bipolar. But there is still a lot left to be understood about the whys and hows of the illness as simply having the gene does not guarantee the development of the disorder.

  • Biological Makeup

Manic Bipolar is a disorder of the brain, and studies show that people with Bipolar Disorder have irregularities in their brain chemicals or neurotransmitters. Unfortunately, there are no cures for this or any way of determining why these irregularities exist.

Additional factors such as substance abuse and addiction, going through trauma such as sexual or physical assault or ongoing abuse can worsen the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder or trigger the illness if the predisposition is already there.

Bipolar Disorder In Children And Teens Is Not Uncommon

bipolar episode caught on tape | manic night

Bipolar disorder is typically diagnosed during later teen years or early adulthood. However, symptoms of BD can often show up in young children.

It can be difficult to tell whether teens are experiencing normal mood swings or showing signs of a serious mental health condition.

Its important for parents, caregivers, friends, and family members to watch for mood swings that differ from typical behavior. Behavioral changes can be a sign of the onset of a mental health concern.

The most important thing to do if you are concerned is to ask for help. Even if the child is not diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there may be another mental health issue that needs to be addressed.

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Instill And Enforce Boundaries

Its essential for parents to establish boundaries and consequences for inappropriate behavior for these children and then stick to it. By letting the kids run the house or manipulate them, because at times its just easier to give in, is actually doing these kids a disservice as future adults, explains Lynn. Children with bipolar will benefit from strong, but loving parents who dont let the child spin free because there are no consistent consequences.

Tip : Keep Stress To A Minimum

Stress can trigger episodes of mania and depression in people with bipolar disorder, so keeping it under control is extremely important. Know your limits, both at home and at work or school. Dont take on more than you can handle and take time to yourself if youre feeling overwhelmed.

Learn how to relax.Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and guided imagery can be very effective at reducing stress and keeping you on an even keel. A daily relaxation practice can improve your mood and keep depression at bay.

Make leisure time a priority. Do things for no other reason than that it feels good to do them. Go to a funny movie, take a walk on the beach, listen to music, read a good book, or talk to a friend. Doing things just because they are fun is no indulgence. Play is an emotional and mental health necessity.

Appeal to your senses.Stay calm and energized by appealing to your senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Listen to music that lifts your mood, place flowers where you will see and smell them, massage your hands and feet, or sip a warm drink.

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Discovering Help For Bipolar Mediation

Moving toward a friend or family member with bipolar disorder during a mania episode can be overpowering.;A clinically trained therapist;with experience in treating individuals with this sort of dysfunctional behavior can help.;

Our support facilitators can help you track down an expert with the clinical mental health skill that can assist your family with treatment. Call our helpline 24 hours per day on manic episodes at;.

Handling A Manic Episode

How to stop being manic
  • 1Watch out for your personal warning signs that an episode is starting. You may be able to manage the intensity of a manic episode or cut it short if you’re aware of the early warning signs. Record your symptoms and mood to help you find your personal triggers. If you notice signs of mania, try to relax yourself and stick closely to your routine. Here are the common warning signs of a manic episode:XResearch source
  • Needing less sleep
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    Develop A Wellness Toolbox

    If you spot any warning signs of mania or depression, its important to act swiftly. In such times, its helpful to have a wellness toolbox to draw from. A wellness toolbox consists of coping skills and activities you can do to maintain a stable mood or to get better when youre feeling off.

    The coping techniques that work best will be unique to your situation, symptoms, and preferences. It takes experimentation and time to find a winning strategy. However, many people with bipolar disorder have found the following tools to be helpful in reducing symptoms and maintaining wellness:

    • Talk to a supportive person.
    • Get a full eight hours of sleep.
    • Cut back on your activities.
    • Attend a support group.
    • Call your doctor or therapist.
    • Do something fun or creative, or write in your journal.
    • Take time for yourself to relax and unwind.
    • Increase your exposure to light.
    • Ask for extra help from loved ones.
    • Cut back on sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.
    • Increase or decrease the stimulation in your environment.

    Monitor Meds And Chart The Moods

    Mood-stabilizing medications can restore the brain to a more normal level, reducing the likelihood of chemicals flooding in to cause the anger and fury. However, sometimes it takes some trial and error to find the precise dosage for success in stabilizing your child. In order to properly communicate the effects of the meds to your childs health professional, its important to keep an accurate and detailed mood and behavioral chart so you can monitor the effects.

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    Brain Structure And Function

    Researchers are learning that the brain structure and function of people with bipolar disorder may be different from the brain structure and function of people who do not have bipolar disorder or other psychiatric disorders. Learning about the nature of these brain changes helps doctors better understand bipolar disorder and may in the future help predict which types of treatment will work best for a person with bipolar disorder. At this time, diagnosis is based on symptoms rather than brain imaging or other diagnostic tests.

    How Bipolar Disorder Is Diagnosed And Treated

    bipolar episode caught on video – manic to depression

    Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness. While some people with BD may have a single episode of mania, often people experience more than one mood episode.

    If not treated, BD tends to get worse over time with more frequent, more intense episodes.

    The key is to treat the symptoms, so episodes can be managed. Between episodes, people with BD may be free from mood changes. Others may have lingering symptoms. By sticking to a well-rounded treatment plan, it is possible to manage symptoms effectively.

    To diagnose BD, a doctor may perform a physical exam and ask questions to rule out other illnesses that may resemble bipolar disorder. To be diagnosed, a person must have at least one episode of mania and one episode of depression. A mental health professional will assess symptoms, patterns in symptoms, and their severity to determine the type of bipolar disorder it may be.

    Similar to other mental health issues, bipolar disorder is treated through a combination of things, including medication, therapies, or a variety of other activities. In addition, developing healthy routines including regular sleep, exercise, and avoiding substance use are helpful for people with BD.

    The foundation of successful BD treatment involves prescription medications and therapy. The vast majority of people who seek appropriate medical care make some degree of meaningful recovery.

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    Ways To Support Someone During Mania

    Mania, whether it be a full-blown episode or a shorter period of hypomania, is at the very center of the bipolar disorder diagnosis. Both manic episodes and hypomania are characterized by increased amounts of self-esteem and grandiosity, racing thoughts, irritability, and goal-directed behaviors or activity. Given that mania or hypomania are shared experiences for all those living with bipolar disorder, we reached out to our Facebook audience and asked them for tips on how loved ones, friends, and others can help them during these manic times.

    Its important to remember that the following tips are not comprehensive and are not guaranteed to be what works best for you personally. Communication between friends/loved ones and those with manic symptoms is key. Before instituting some of the tips below , make sure you have permission to do such when a manic or hypomanic episode occurs.

    Which of these do you agree with? Which do you disagree with? Do you have anything else to add? Let us know in the comments below.

  • Avoid patronizing or combative words
  • Dont make presumptions and say off the cuff remarks like, are you drunk! Haze S.

    I mean, there are things to not do like dont tell me to calm down, dont tell me to relax. Joy P.

    Dont assume Im manic just because Im upbeat or exaggerated, I might just be in a great mood. Dont tell me to calm down or stop because its not something I can physically control. Crystal G.

  • Dont take things personally
  • Give them space
  • Convincing A Person With Bipolar Disorder To See A Doctor

    Aside from offering emotional support, the best way to help your loved one with bipolar disorder is by encouraging and supporting treatment. Often, that can be more of a challenge than it sounds. Since people with bipolar disorder tend to lack insight into their condition, its not always easy to get them to a doctor. When your loved one is manic, they feel great and dont realize theres a problem. When your loved one is depressed, they may recognize somethings wrong, but often lack the energy to seek help.

    If your loved one wont acknowledge the possibility of bipolar disorder, dont argue about it. The idea may be frightening to them, so be sensitive. Suggest a routine medical checkup instead, or a doctors visit for a specific symptom, such as insomnia, irritability, or fatiguethen privately call ahead to tell the doctor of your concerns about bipolar disorder.

    Things you can say that might help:

    • Bipolar disorder is a real illness, like diabetes. It requires medical treatment.
    • Youre not to blame for bipolar disorder. You didnt cause it. Its not your fault.
    • You can feel better. There are many treatments that can help.
    • When bipolar disorder isnt treated, it usually gets worse.

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    Bipolar Disorder And Other Conditions

    Some bipolar disorder symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses, which can make it challenging for a health care provider to make a diagnosis. In addition, many people may have bipolar disorder along with another mental disorder or condition, such as an anxiety disorder, substance use disorder, or an eating disorder. People with bipolar disorder have an increased chance of having thyroid disease, migraine headaches, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other physical illnesses.

    Psychosis: Sometimes, a person with severe episodes of mania or depression may experience psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions. The psychotic symptoms tend to match the persons extreme mood. For example:

    • People having psychotic symptoms during a manic episode may have the unrealistic belief that they are famous, have a lot of money, or have special powers.
    • People having psychotic symptoms during a depressive episode may falsely believe they are financially ruined and penniless, have committed a crime, or have an unrecognized serious illness.

    As a result, people with bipolar disorder who also have psychotic symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed with schizophrenia. When people have symptoms of bipolar disorder and also experience periods of psychosis that are separate from mood episodes, the appropriate diagnosis may be schizoaffective disorder.

    Anxiety: It is common for people with bipolar disorder to also have an anxiety disorder.

    Coping With Bipolar Mood Swings

    Coping With Mania in Bipolar Disorder

    Dramatic mood swings between the highs of mania and the lows of depression can be exhausting for the person with bipolar disorder. Here’s how to cope.

    Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings from mania to depression. The pattern of highs and lows varies for each person: For some people, episodes of mania or depression can last for weeks or months, while for others, mood swings are shorter and more frequent. Coping with bipolar disorder and the mood swings it brings can be difficult. But understanding what causes mood swings can be the first step in coping with the ups and downs of bipolar disorder.

    Bipolar Mood Swings: Causes and Triggers

    Bipolar disorder is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance that alters a person’s moods. This imbalance may be linked to irregular hormone production or a problem with chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters that act as messengers to nerve cells. Because bipolar disorder tends to run in families, genetics are also thought to play a role; in fact, researchers believe that the chemical changes leading to the disorder result from a combination of genes and environmental influences. Some brain scans have revealed actual physical changes in the brains of people with bipolar disorder.

    The best way to prevent mood swings is to get treatment for bipolar disorder. But it’s also possible to reduce the frequency and intensity of mood swings by being aware of situations or events that can trigger them.

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