Taming Bipolar Disorder - Cyber Recovery Social Network Forums

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:34 AM

What You Can Do

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Getting the rhythm of your life in synch with the rhythms of your body is one of the foundations of treating bipolar disorder-and one of the things you can actually control. Unlike the chemicals in your brain, you can reset your biological clock and retrain your body by using some simple behavioral tricks and adhering to a strict schedule. Here are some things you can do to get time on your side.

1. Maintain a very strict sleep schedule, seven days a week. It's not as important to got to bed early as it is to go to bed at the same time each night. The same goes for waking up in the morning. To keep the lid on your bipolar symptons, you likely have to forego sleeping in on the weekends.

2. Try some of these tricks to help yourself get to sleep on time. Try carbo-loading in the later part of the day by having pasta for dinner rather than lunch. Try the time-worn "glass of warm milk"remedy. Avoid caffeine after noon, and preferably forego it altogether. Exercise in the morning rather than later in the day. Meditate. And if all else fails, just lie in bed with your eyes closed.

To be continued.......

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:38 AM

3. Although total sleep deprivation (TSD) does seem to work to counteract bipolar depression, its not something you should try to do on your own, especially because of its connection to the switch in mania. Talk to your psychiatrist or other mental health clinician if you think TSD might be something useful for you.

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:38 AM

4. Light therapy can be extremely useful for treating your bipolar depression, but doing phototherapy without a physician's oversight means risking a relapse into mania. Talk to your clinician if you think this is something that might benefit you

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:39 AM

5. Eat three meals a day, at a minimum, and eat them at the same time each and every day.

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:40 AM

If you don't work a 9-to-5 job-something that's common among creative, impulsive people-you should still set a strict work schedule and stick to it, even if that means scheduling two hours in the late evening to work on your latest graphic design or write another section of your book. It's not the when that's important; it's the regularity.

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:41 AM

Know the symptoms of both mania and depression, and see a physician if you're experiencing more than one or two of them or if they linger for some time. The sooner bipolar disorder is diagnosed, the easier it is to

*janbear* · 06-07-2006, 05:42 AM

-In the days or weeks before your appointment, keep an informal chart of your moods and symptoms and then offer the list to your physician

*janbear* · 06-12-2006, 08:41 PM

Be as truthful as possible when describing your symptoms. What you don't tell can hurt you

*janbear* · 06-12-2006, 08:41 PM

-Consider letting friends or family members talk to your clinician. Better yet, bring them along to your appointment. They may well have insights into your behavior that you couldn't possibly provide.

*janbear* · 06-14-2006, 05:26 PM

-Take notes when talking to your doctor so you can better recall what you were told later on, when the memory is less fresh. You can also use the pad and pencil to jot down questions as they occur to you during your appointment.

06-07-2006, 05:34 AM	#1
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	Taming Bipolar Disorder What You Can Do -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting the rhythm of your life in synch with the rhythms of your body is one of the foundations of treating bipolar disorder-and one of the things you can actually control. Unlike the chemicals in your brain, you can reset your biological clock and retrain your body by using some simple behavioral tricks and adhering to a strict schedule. Here are some things you can do to get time on your side. 1. Maintain a very strict sleep schedule, seven days a week. It's not as important to got to bed early as it is to go to bed at the same time each night. The same goes for waking up in the morning. To keep the lid on your bipolar symptons, you likely have to forego sleeping in on the weekends. 2. Try some of these tricks to help yourself get to sleep on time. Try carbo-loading in the later part of the day by having pasta for dinner rather than lunch. Try the time-worn "glass of warm milk"remedy. Avoid caffeine after noon, and preferably forego it altogether. Exercise in the morning rather than later in the day. Meditate. And if all else fails, just lie in bed with your eyes closed. To be continued....... __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-07-2006, 05:38 AM	#2
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	3. Although total sleep deprivation (TSD) does seem to work to counteract bipolar depression, its not something you should try to do on your own, especially because of its connection to the switch in mania. Talk to your psychiatrist or other mental health clinician if you think TSD might be something useful for you. __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-07-2006, 05:38 AM	#3
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	4. Light therapy can be extremely useful for treating your bipolar depression, but doing phototherapy without a physician's oversight means risking a relapse into mania. Talk to your clinician if you think this is something that might benefit you __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-07-2006, 05:39 AM	#4
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	5. Eat three meals a day, at a minimum, and eat them at the same time each and every day. __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-07-2006, 05:40 AM	#5
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	If you don't work a 9-to-5 job-something that's common among creative, impulsive people-you should still set a strict work schedule and stick to it, even if that means scheduling two hours in the late evening to work on your latest graphic design or write another section of your book. It's not the when that's important; it's the regularity. __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-07-2006, 05:41 AM	#6
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	Know the symptoms of both mania and depression, and see a physician if you're experiencing more than one or two of them or if they linger for some time. The sooner bipolar disorder is diagnosed, the easier it is to __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-07-2006, 05:42 AM	#7
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	-In the days or weeks before your appointment, keep an informal chart of your moods and symptoms and then offer the list to your physician __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-12-2006, 08:41 PM	#8
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	Be as truthful as possible when describing your symptoms. What you don't tell can hurt you __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

06-14-2006, 05:26 PM	#10
janbear willing servant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 14,210	-Take notes when talking to your doctor so you can better recall what you were told later on, when the memory is less fresh. You can also use the pad and pencil to jot down questions as they occur to you during your appointment. __________________ And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

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