I have been writing a lot about mental health lately. I feel that we need to do more about it in educating the people. I have seen family members suffer from it and how the whole family is affected. This is the reason I want to write more and do my part of educating everyone about it in my own way with whatever I know and have learned over time.

What is it?

It is a mental health condition that is rare but causes extreme mood swings of highs and lows. People with bipolar disorder experience extreme highs and extreme lows of mood. They will have extremely euphoric to manic episodes one minute and get depressed at the other. This affects their thinking, sleep, and behavior. The exact cause is not known why certain people are affected by it.

“Cure is not known but there are tools that help in dealing with it.”

It could be due to some genetic or other factors like some trauma, the use of some substance abuse, or some medical conditions due to brain injuries. I have seen some people who are affected by it and how difficult it is for them and everyone around them. Cure is not known but there are tools that help in dealing with it.

Types of bipolar disorder

There are three main types known. Type I, II, and the cyclothymic type. Type I, bipolar disorder I is the most severe of the three. People experience at least one manic episode, abnormal behavior, in their lives. They also suffer from depression; between these episodes, they live normal lives. The manic episodes will have increased energy, they will have difficulty concentrating on tasks. They may talk a lot and not be feeling tired or have a need for sleep at that time. The depression episodes will have the opposite effect where they will have decreased energy and a loss of interest in things. Increase in the need for sleep and feeling of extreme sadness. Type II disorder is similar to type I but the symptoms are less severe. The third type Cyclothymic disorder is similar to type I and II but is the least severe among the three.

Medication and therapy

There are many medicines that will help in managing the symptoms like mood stabilizers like lithium, Abilify, and antidepressants like Prozac, Lexapro, etc. The doctor can diagnose and prescribe the needed medication, so it is very important that the person talks and discusses this with their psychiatrist. Take the medicines regularly as prescribed by the doctor and don’t unilaterally stop taking them on your own. Therapy will help, CBT and IPSRT are two specific therapies for Type I.

“CBT techniques are Cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and exposure therapy. Interpersonal, and social rhythm therapy is the other type of psychotherapy.”

Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts our feelings and our behavior are all interconnected. Negative thoughts lead to negative behavior. CBT helps eliminate these negative thoughts. It is done for short-term therapy where short-term goals are set and progress tracked on it. Some specific CBT techniques are Cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and exposure therapy. Interpersonal, and social rhythm therapy is the other type of psychotherapy. It tries to improve the social and interpersonal skills. IPSRT is also a short-term therapy with specific goals. This is done through social rhythm education intervention and monitoring. Training is also provided for interpersonal skills like communication and problem-solving.

How to cope with it

It may also require some lifestyle changes, eating a healthy and balanced diet is very important. Ensuring and getting regular sleep. Managing stress levels as stress can be a huge trigger for those mood swings. So, try to relax and use meditation and deep breathing exercises. Avoid drugs and alcohol, regular exercises will help so see what works for you. Talk to your loved ones and take their help. Using your support system is one of the effective ways to manage it. I have seen people get much calmer after a talk with their parents, friends, or any other loved ones. Discussion is a very effective way to take your mind off that episode. Distracting your mind to think about positive things and doing a positive reinforcement of the brain is important.

“Concentrate on that moment on that smell, on that sound you want to hear. It will be a slow process where you will have to learn your way into it.”

Mindfulness helps take care of the high and low episodes. It helps the person to pay attention to the current moment by reducing their stress and becoming aware of their thoughts. I can help in improving the overall mood. The most common way to practice mindfulness is by focusing on the breath. Focus on the breathing that you do in and out of your system. As you inhale and as you exhale, focusing on the breath helps in distracting your mind. If you lose focus bring it back to your breathing. It can also be practiced through other means and other senses like the sense of smell. Focus on the smell that is around you in the environment maybe pick and flower or something else that you like and smell it. Concentrate on that moment on that smell, on that sound you want to hear. It will be a slow process where you will have to learn your way into it. The first day may not be easy but persistence will pay off and will help in the long run. Mindfulness is a technique a process that you will have to learn and practice regularly. Regularity is as important as the ability to do it.