Healthy Habits, monitor symptoms, coping with stress
Getting enough sleep and regular exercise are two things you can do to reduce your symptoms of mania and depression. You should try to get eight hours of sleep each night and exercise for about 30 minutes each day.
Find out the symptoms of bipolar disorder and see which symptoms relate to your case of bipolar disorder. Each morning and evening you should take note of how you're feeling, if your symptoms of mania or depression are increasing. If your symptoms are increasing, contact your therapist and doctor to discuss treatment options.
Make healthy coping mechanisms when you feel stressed or notice an increase in sadness, irritability or other symptoms of your disorder. Keep a list of things you can do to prevent and decrease stress, and use the list when you need it.
Look for the humorous. Anticipate the future. Set clear goals. Make plans for the future. Take charge. Keep order. Change perspectives. Focus on top priorities. Listen to your body. Exercise. Jog. Swim. Dance. Walk. Eat for health. Limit use of alcohol. Relax. Breathe deeply. Strive for self-improvement. Take up a cause. Invest yourself meaningfully. Find purpose and meaning. Trust God. Confess. Ask forgiveness. Pray for others. Give thanks. Let go of Problems. Learn to live with the situation. Set priorities. Be consistent. Spend time and energy wisely. Share beliefs with others. Put faith into action. Be prepared for the unexpected and strive to use your coping skills if needed.
One of the best coping strategies is using a mood chart to track your episodes and symptoms. A mood chart can help identify early warning signs for relapse, and a record for physicians and family to help assess the efficacy of different medications and treatments, and a daily routine and improve awareness of the illness.
The overall goal of the charts is to have a reliable and consistent record of how greatly your moods fluctuate over a period of time.
Another excellent coping strategy is learning how to manage your medications effectively. Know what you are taking and why, how long it might take to work, how much and how often you should take it, what you should do if you miss a dose, what side effects you might have and what you can do about them. Keep track of your medication information - names, dosages, how it makes you feel, what symptoms it makes better. Having this information will help both you and your doctor find the medication regimen that works the best for you.
It can be an extremely frustrating process to find a medication that works for you. It takes patience and determination. Give the medications adequate time to do their job. Most people won't feel better right away - it can take four to six weeks for a drug to get into your system. Work with your psychiatrist to switch medications if you are unhappy with your current one. However, what medications can and can't do is up to your body chemistry and what works for one may not for you.
Simplify your medications as much as possible, taking them at the same time each day. If you have a lot of trouble remembering, ask your doctor about the possibility of long-acting injections of the medications instead of pill.
Coping skills take time, medications and self help is the key to recovery. Follow your treatment team’s advice religiously and keep on top of your symptoms to help the treatment of your Bipolar disorder. Having Bipolar Disorder is a serious life experience but can be overcome and you can have a healthy lifestyle.
