Outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, gardening, outdoor yoga, or walking can contribute positively to mood control and stress reduction. Eco-therapy activities also help minimize symptoms of depression.
Hobbies. Similar to work, individuals with bipolar disorder may take up a sudden interest in particular hobbies or activities during a manic episode and then just as quickly lose all interest with the onset of a depressive episode. Hobbies can provide a healthy outlet for someone to channel their manic energy.
Bipolar & Cravings
Pamela Peeks, “those with bipolar disorder are believed to have lower levels of the chemical messenger serotonin, which can spark a craving for carbs and sweets.” She further explains that bipolar disorder has a positive correlation to stress, which can cause an increase in the hormone cortisol.
You'll typically need mood-stabilizing medication to control manic or hypomanic episodes. Examples of mood stabilizers include lithium (Lithobid), valproic acid (Depakene), divalproex sodium (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro, others) and lamotrigine (Lamictal).
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs, he says, can worsen your bipolar mood swings and lead to an increase in suicidal thoughts or behaviors. As SAMHSA notes, substance use or withdrawal can cause symptoms attributed to bipolar disorder, including agitation, anxiety, paranoia, mania, or depression.
Outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, gardening, outdoor yoga, or walking can contribute positively to mood control and stress reduction. Eco-therapy activities also help minimize symptoms of depression.
Hypersexuality can exist as a sign of bipolar disorder or on its own. Also referred to as compulsive sexual behavior or sexual addiction, hypersexuality is described as a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that are difficult to control.
Routine Helps You Gain Control
Bipolar disorder can leave you feeling helpless as your mood shifts from one extreme to another. But a routine can help you counter that feeling. By stabilizing your daily schedule, you reduce some of the uncertainty that causes the pendulum swings in your mood, says Miklowitz.
“People with bipolar disorder often report that there's an obsession of the day or the week, and as one problem gets resolved, it can easily be replaced by another problem,” Hubbard says. “There's something in the brain that needs to ruminate and worry and obsess about different topics.
In a survey conducted by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, almost nine out of every 10 people with bipolar disorder said the illness had affected their job performance. More than half said they thought they had to change jobs or careers more often than others.
How many hours should someone with bipolar disorder sleep? People living with bipolar disorder should aim to get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends more than seven hours per night for adults.
The phrase “bipolar meltdown” could refer to a bipolar person having a manic episode or being in a depressed state. These conditions could cause them to lose control of their emotions and have trouble managing them.
Some people living with bipolar disorder may have difficulty completing tasks, including personal hygiene and chores. This could lead you to face cluttering, messiness, and disorganization during episodes of both mania or depression.
You may experience symptoms of depression, plus mania or hypomania at the same time. For example, you may feel very energised and impulsive, while feeling upset or tearful. Or you may feel very agitated or irritable. You may also experience highs and lows very quickly after the other, within the same day or hour.
People with bipolar experience both episodes of severe depression and episodes of mania – overwhelming joy, excitement or happiness, huge energy, a reduced need for sleep, and reduced inhibitions. The experience of bipolar is uniquely personal. No two people have exactly the same experience.
A person with bipolar disorder may lie, or appear to lie, about their condition. Doing so may be to avoid the stigma attached to mental illness, or someone may really believe there is nothing wrong with them. This denial can make treatment a challenge.
A bipolar person may avoid relationships because they don't feel good enough for other people. Sometimes these feelings come on quickly and cause those with mental health conditions to push away others in existing relationships. This can lead to social isolation.