6 Ways How To Prevent A Manic Episode
If you live with bipolar disorder, you undoubtedly understand how it feels when a manic episode (referred to as a “hypomanic episode” in type 2) sneaks up on you.
- Your thoughts race, and your anxiety increases.
- Your speech flows quickly when you speak your ideas.
- Your senses are on high alert.
Those are some symptoms you may feel when mania seizes your thoughts. Your individual symptomology may be different, but you get the idea.
With a manic episode, many believe that you have no control. During any mood episode, that is absolutely accurate – you are literally operating in “survival mode.”
To keep yourself safe, you will probably need to seek professional medical assistance.
However, one can take certain preventative measures to fend off a manic episode in the first place – or at least reduce its severity.
The best coping mechanism against any mood episode is prevention, and if you can prevent a mood episode from even happening, there will be no issue.
Read on to discover some steps I have taken in my life to prevent a manic episode. The most important thing is to take an active role in your own bipolar disorder treatment, as some options are more effective than others.
Only you can decide to be proactive and take action. I hope you make a worthy choice for you and your journey.
Once you are in a full-blown manic episode, it is almost a certainty that you will require professional help. Use the following tips how to prevent a manic episode from happening.
1) Get Enough Sleep.
Proper sleep hygiene is crucial for our mental and physical health, whether or not you have bipolar disorder. Go to sleep and wake up at the same times every morning and night to enhance your sleep hygiene. Make it a point to sleep for eight hours every night, as well.
For some of us, falling asleep is not an easy task. For instance, you might have trouble falling asleep, or you might deal with insomnia. Maybe you’re nervous or upset. It’s possible that your mind is spinning so quickly that you are unable to keep your eyes closed.
The only person who can accurately diagnose you with a sleeping disorder or other sleeping difficulty is your doctor. If you have any trouble with sleep, I advise you to consult him or her.
2) Prioritize Your Time.
Mania is like a fire. When you feed mania with extra stimuli and activity, it will grow. Reduce the extra stimuli in your life, and this will help to slow its spread. Mania will grow if you give it more stimulus and action. It will spread more slowly if you lessen the additional stimulation in your life.
It is counterintuitive to follow this approach. Taking it easy during a manic episode is the last thing you want to do. However, lowering activity and external stressors will aid in alleviating some of your symptoms.
When things are stable, enjoy your downtime and limit outside influences. For instance, restrict the volume of the music, drive at the posted speed limit, watch a comedy rather than an action or horror movie, and avoid physical altercations and yelling matches.
3) Utilize Your Emergency Medication.
It is important that you speak with your doctor about your treatment well before a mood episode. Make sure you follow your prescribing doctor’s orders and never change your medication without consulting them first.
The purpose of emergency medication is to be used in case a manic episode starts to develop. However, this is typically not the ideal guidance for someone newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
You need to become more conscious of your triggers and how your bipolar symptoms manifest. Keeping a journal about your thoughts, feelings, moods, anxieties, sadness, and triggers is the best method to develop self-awareness.
Before deciding on any medications, see your doctor, who can advise you on the best type of medication to take and the best time to take it.
I’ll use one of my own experiences as an example.
I’ve had bipolar disorder for years, and I know what my triggers are. Additionally, I am aware of my own symptoms when a manic episode is about to start.
My symptoms may look different from yours, which is why it is crucial you are aware of what your own symptoms are.
Some of my own symptoms of an oncoming manic episode include:
- My thoughts begin to race.
- I require less sleep but feel rested and energized.
- My libido skyrockets.
I take a strong antipsychotic when I see some of these symptoms to help slow me down. I was able to locate a medicine that worked for me with the support of my doctor, and we agreed that I would take it whenever I sensed a manic episode was about to start. When this occurs, I instantly get in touch with my doctor. It was a condition of our agreement.
I can usually fall asleep because this drug slows me down. My thoughts slow down, and my brain is able to recharge, thanks to the medication and the additional sleep. I frequently need to take the antipsychotic for a few days in order to experience its benefits.
4) Ask For Assistance From Your Support System.
When you are struggling, use the help and support of your family and friends. Reach out to your physician and therapist. As medical professionals, they can help guide you in the right direction.
Everyone haves their own unique needs. Advocate for yourself by telling your support team exactly what you need. This is especially true when you are not doing well.
If you do not have a large support network, reach out to your healthcare provider, who is providing your treatment, as they can provide recommendations and even be support for you, too.
5) Reach Out To Your Doctor And Therapist.
You need a therapist and a prescribing medical professional on your treatment team in order to effectively manage bipolar disorder. Find a therapist and doctor you get along with.
It’s crucial that you feel at ease to speak freely and be transparent with them.
If you work closely with the medical specialists on your treatment team, your bipolar treatment will go more smoothly.
If you notice any changes in your mood, thinking, level of energy, and/or level of activity, do not hesitate to notify your doctor.
Call your doctor and therapist as soon as you see the first signs of a manic episode. They are members of your team of expert advisers and can help you choose the best course of action.
6) Stop Deceiving Yourself.
Do not be one of those people who sensationalizes a manic episode. For most of us living with bipolar disorder, mania is not all “fun and games.” Its repercussions affect you, as well as others around you. The fallout and recovery are simply not worth it.
Do not allow any potential short-term gains of a manic episode outweigh the long-term negative consequences.
As my original doctor once eloquently stated, “The farther up you go, the deeper you come down.” Unfortunately, that is just how our biology works.
Last Thoughts
In contemporary pop culture, bipolar disorder is occasionally portrayed as the “cool thing” to have. Mania is seen as a seductive, thrilling, and excessively energizing mental illness. As someone who has bipolar disorder, I find it difficult to comprehend how anyone could sensationalize it.
Many people living with bipolar disorder, including myself, initially go through what is referred to as “euphoric mania.” But it only lasts a short while before turning into what doctors refer to as “dysphoric mania.” The “euphoric mania” lasts a few days, occasionally even a week or longer. Then it rapidly shifts to dysphoria.
“Euphoric mania” feels wonderful. My creative energy flows. I feel like I am wrapped up in a blanket of joy, and my senses are in hyperdrive.
However, during “dysphoric mania,” I hallucinate. I experience delusions, and I see everything with evil and dark undertones. But when I have “dysphoric mania,” I have hallucinations. I have delusions, and everything has a gloomy, horrible undertone in my eyes.
My hope for sharing these thoughts with you is that you take action now, before a manic episode happens, in order to prevent one from happening. By sharing these ideas with you, I’m hoping that you will take action now to stop a manic episode from occurring in the future.
