Bipolar Affective Disorder Guide

Coping with the detours on your journey
As you already know from reading Warning Signs of Bipolar severe mood swings of bipolar disorder can be profoundly destructive. A bipolar affective disorder depressive episode can make you withdraw from your friends, family and society. During this time, you may find it difficult to get out of bed, let alone get to work, take care of the kids, and home responsibilities.

During bipolar affective disorder manic episodes you find yourself in a whirlwind of activity. You may be reckless, volatile, and irresponsible.

Picking up the pieces after a crashing manic or depressive episode can be quite challenging. The people you need the most: your family, friends or co-workers may be quite angry with you and reluctant to understand such irrational behaviors. So you know how important it is to your family, career and social life to avoid these intense mood swings.

The best way avoid these intense mood swings is to determine YOU WILL REACH YOUR DESTINATION - Wellness; regardless of the detours, caution signs, warning signals, and roadblocks, you should face. Just like any winner, you inform yourself about bipolar. Then you prepare a plan and begin your journey to wellness.

As a winner, you also realize, success is most times three small steps forward and two steps back. One can not travel the whole distance in one giant step. So with this travel guide in hand, I hope to help you determine what route you want to take regarding your trip.

According to doctors, "periods of hypomania, mania, or depression aren't completely preventable. Even people who always take their medication/s and are careful with their health can still have mood swings from time to time." Has it ever occurred to anyone, the poor patients who may still be experiencing mood swings from time to time, that their medication isn't working? Wouldn't it be advisable to look at some other alternative treatment?

When I visited a bipolar-support group awhile back, that's when I learned the bipolar affective disorder medications may not be working as well as the doctors would have us believe. There were 12 patients, all on 6-12 drugs, all teary eyed or hysterical while at the support group.

I asked the facilitator why would one be on so many drugs and still be such a mess? He simply said, "if they weren't on the medications, they'd be worse off."

Maybe so, but that is not my way of thinking. You can read more about that incident here.

The point here today is, we need to get your mood swings stabilized. One way of doing that is to identify and heed the warning signals that are flashing on your life's highway. It's very important to catch these flashing warning signals early before your mood changes develop into something serious.

At first, mood swings may take you by surprise. But over time, you might start to see patterns or signs that you're entering a period of mania or depression. Aside from a shift in your mood, look for these flashing caution lights:

• Sleep patterns
• Energy level
• Alcohol or drug use
• Sex drive
• Self-esteem
• Concentration

Which time is most difficult for you? Watch for it, prepare for it, and pass over it, is the key to getting off the emotional up and down highway. Just like when your are driving, not all stop signs are anticipated. The same is so with bipolar affective disorder. Not all warning signs can be anticipated or avoided, like a serious illness or unexpected death in the family.

But life's winners (and you are one if you've read this far) have or start a "travel journal." They keep a daily record of major events, stresses, medication dosages, diet, sleep patterns, and the like. Overtime they are better able to see patterns emerge.

Do you have a journal where you can keep details of your trip toward wellness? Now is the time to get one. If you know where you have been then you will know better the next time where and what the warning signals are the next time around.

Next time you can prepare for a smoother, safer, more enjoyable journey toward wellness.(no more pot holes) If you see potential trouble ahead, get help. Don't wait for your mood swing to get into full swing. With quick intervention, you might be able to stop a minor mood swing from becoming a life threatening incident.

The Attraction of Mania
With bipolar affective disorder, when you are depressed you know it, your friends know it, and your family knows it. Almost everybody knows something is wrong when you are depressed. Nobody likes seeing you that way.

But when you're in a hypomania or manic episode, often your friends, family and yourself are not aware anything is wrong. As a matter of fact, all believe things are on the upswing and you're improving. You're more energized, more refreshed, creative, and happier. Ah, we thought we were going down the right road. So, what's the problem?

Manic phases can be very destructive to you and your family and friends. You can loose your bank account, have an affair which will destroy your marriage or you could loose your job. Most dangerous of all is you may ride right over the cliff because you did not heed the dead end sign. Bipolar affective disorder is a dead end road when not taken seriously. Heed the warning signs and live.

Although hypomania or mania can really feel good for the moment, in the long run, you'll be a happier, more content, healthier, productive and successful individual if you can keep your mood swings (engine) in check.

We have a plan to do that right here. Read, abosorb, and do the things you read here. Soon you will be on your journey toward WELLNESS, just like I did. Read more about it here.

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Bon Voyage,
Dr. Cares™

Catherine Sinclair, PhD., uses the trade name Dr. Cares™. She is a licensed pastoral counselor. The information contained in this website is not to be taken as a substitute for professional advice from your qualified medical "practitioner."

The author of this website is not an M.D. and therefore must post this required FDA disclaimer. None of the statements, self testing, nor recommended alternatives to overcoming bipolar symptoms have been evaluated by the FDA. Therefore, the tested and proven experiences, testimonies, supplements and alternative and natural therapies are for informational purposes only and does not purport to prescribe, diagnose or cure any mental or physical condition.

Though as a licensed counselor she does advise her clients to be informed and involved in the recovery of their physical, spiritual and mental health. The above information has transformed many lives and the same can happen for you, but you alone are responsible for the decisions you make concerning all aspects of your health.

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