Bipolar disorder is still called bipolar disorder, but it was formerly known as manic depression or manic-depressive illness, a name change that occurred in the 1980s to reduce stigma and better reflect the condition's spectrum of mood swings (highs/mania and lows/depression). It describes extreme mood shifts, from manic/hypomanic (highs) to depressive episodes (lows) that significantly affect daily life, with types including Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymia.
Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. These include emotional highs, also known as mania or hypomania, and lows, also known as depression.
Medications are essential for managing bipolar disorder, but lifestyle changes can support your treatment. Activities like art therapy, journaling, and relaxation techniques can help manage bipolar symptoms. Stick to a routine, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly to help stabilize your mood.
Remember, bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness, but long-term, ongoing treatment can help manage symptoms and enable you to live a healthy life.
People with bipolar disorder should avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol, sugar, salt, and saturated fats. Caffeine can affect sleep, and poor sleep is a trigger for bipolar mood swings.
Mood stabilizers like lithium are often considered the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder, particularly Bipolar I. Lithium not only helps manage manic episodes but also significantly reduces the risk of suicide, a common concern with bipolar patients.
Common triggers the person may experience include:
Bipolar Disorder: Helping Someone During a Manic Episode
Symptoms of bipolar disorder
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According to psychology, there are specific personality types that are notoriously difficult to live with. These can include the passive-aggressive communicator, the relentless critic, or the energy-draining pessimist. However, recognizing these traits is the first step toward managing the stress they cause.
Watching someone you love struggle with Bipolar Disorder can be equally challenging and exhausting. Seeing your loved one experience hopelessness, frequent crying spells, social and career frustrations, and feelings of worthlessness can be heartbreaking.
Several mental health conditions share overlapping symptoms with bipolar disorder, making misdiagnosis relatively common. Disorders such as ADHD, major depressive disorder, and borderline personality disorder can all involve significant mood shifts, impulsivity, and emotional instability.
Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.
You can use a 48 hour rule where you wait at least 2 full days with 2 nights sleep before acting on risky decisions. Review your decision to avoid a tempting, but risky, behaviour.
A daily routine for sleep, diet and exercise may help people with bipolar disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy focuses on identifying unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replacing them with healthy, positive beliefs and behaviors. CBT can help find what triggers your bipolar episodes.
Foods to Avoid for Bipolar Disorder Patients
People with bipolar disorder often experience periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) and very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes).
From dealing with doctors and medication to relationships, here are things you shouldn't do if you or a friend have bipolar disorder.
A bipolar meltdown could look different depending on the symptoms you're currently experiencing. For example, you might: Go on a “binge,” or “bender,” of continuous reckless activities, like substance use, unsafe sex, or spending money. Become verbally aggressive with someone, even someone you love.
However, many people with bipolar disorder have found the following tools to be helpful in reducing symptoms and maintaining wellness:
Only a mental health professional like a psychiatrist can give you a bipolar disorder diagnosis – not your GP. However, if you're experiencing bipolar moods and symptoms, discussing it with your GP can be a good first step. They can refer you to a psychiatrist, who will be able to assess you.
Riskiest Drugs for Someone With Bipolar Disorder