Dr. Tracey Marks
How to manage bipolar disorder – 6 Strategies
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How to manage bipolar disorder. Even though medication is the mainstay of managing bipolar disorder, there are ways you can manage bipolar disorder naturally without medication (or independent of your medication). The first step is to identify what triggers you to get off your normal cycle. People with Bipolar Disorder are sensitive to even small disruptions in their equilibrium. Step two is to keep a mood diary. This can help you see how you are progressing or when you are moving from one episode to another. Step three is to establish a daily routine. Step five is to have an activity plan that you implement when you are oversleeping or withdrawing during your depressed phase. Step five is to implement dark therapy for the manic periods. Step six is to establish a relapse prevention plan.
References
Barbini B1, Benedetti F, Colombo C, Dotoli D, Bernasconi A, Cigala-Fulgosi M, Florita M, Smeraldi E. Dark therapy for mania: a pilot study.
Bipolar Disord. 2005 Feb;7(1):98-101.
Henriksen TE, Skrede S, Fasmer OB, et al. Blue‐blocking glasses as additive treatment for mania: a randomized placebo‐controlled trial. Bipolar Disorders. 2016;18(3):221-232.
Harvey AG: Sleep and circadian rhythms in bipolar disorder: seeking synchrony, harmony, and regulation. Am J Psychiatry 2008;
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How to manage bipolar disorder that's
what I'm talking about in this video today. I'm Dr. Tracey Marks, a psychiatrist
and on this channel I talk about mental health education and self-improvement so
in this episode I'm going to be talking about how to control your bipolar
disorder. Now the mainstay of treatment for
bipolar disorder is medication, but I'm going to be talking about things you can
do to help prevent or even manage symptoms in addition to taking
medication. So this is not instead of. Number one: identify things that trigger
an episode either an episode of depression or mania. Some examples of
this would be things like work stress arguments with family members and a huge
one is not getting enough sleep. And it's pretty common in the spring and the
summer for the longer days to trigger a manic or hypomanic episode it because
people will start sleeping less. So you want to write down these triggers and
we'll use them in step six. Number two: keep a record of your moods in the form
of a mood diary. And this doesn't have to be anything fancy you don't have to go
buy a book you could even use the download that I have for you. I'll have a
free download for you on the link will be in the description of a summary of
this video today as well as a few other forms that I'll be going over. But this
first one is the mood diary so you're going to use this diary to monitor your
progress or notice when your moods are coming on, That's essentially all it is.
Number three establish a daily routine and this is important for anyone because
we all need structure but people with bipolar disorder are particularly
sensitive to changes in structure and routine. So the triggers that we listed
in step 1 are some of the things that can destabilize or disrupt your routine.
So here's what a routine should consist of a few basic things at least so you'd
want to have a regular time that you wake up and a regular time that you go
to bed. You also want to have a regular time frame that you eat your meals.
And you should think of these points as anchor points throughout your day and
then all your other activities would be filled in around those anchor points. Now
I realize you're not going to always be able to control your work and your school
schedule but if you don't have these anchor points, then you never even think
about it and then you just have this kind of free-floating day that just kind
of comes and goes however it goes and that's the kind of thing that can really
lead to say sleep deprivation when you're in a manic episode or starting to
get there. And the sleep deprivation is really what can trigger another or a
manic or hypomanic episode. The opposite problem of an unstructured day is the
tendency to sleep all day when you're depressed. So what do we do to help
prevent that problem is number four have an activity plan that you implement when
you start over sleeping or withdrawing from people when you're in the depressed
phase. And it's kind of like having a disaster management plan in place before
the hurricane comes. So let's say your normal bedtime routine is sleeping from
11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. but when you're depressed you're going to bed around
9:00 and waking up around 9:00 in the morning. And this will be the for
the person who's got a flexible work schedule or maybe you work from home so
no one really knows when you're getting up. When this when you start doing this
that's when you pull out your activity plan which would have things on it like
walking the dog, taking a walk around the neighborhood, going to the library,
vacuuming the house. These are just a few examples, but they're activities that force
you to get your body moving even if you're just slogging through in your
depressed state. Because any amount of activity and movement is an improvement
and this is what we call behavioral activation therapy. It's a little more
complicated than this but this is just one example of it. When you become manic,
you'll start going to bed even later and waking up earlier and so instead of
sleeping from say 6 or 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. you start sleeping from 2 to 5 or 2 to 6
and you feel fine. You know… it's not like you wake up feeling sleep-deprived
but the sleep deprivation has the cumulative effect of churning up a manic
state and to combat this you can implement dark therapy and that's number
5. There's been more studies showing a connection between bipolar disorder and
your body clock and people with bipolar disorder can be particularly sensitive
to the light-dark schedule so an intervention to help with mania would be
– would be the dark therapy and what this means is keeping yourself in a dark
environment from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. for a total of 14 hours. Now that's what they
did in the studies. I know this is impractical for most people so a
substitute actually would be using blue light blocking glasses from 6:00 p.m. to
8:00 a.m. And this has the same effect because it's blocking the blue light
which is the light that really affects your body clock. It's a similar light as
sunlight and I have more videos about the body clock you can take a look there
in the upper corner. So in the study it's where the people use the blue light
blocking glasses they use them for seven days straight or seven nights straight
for the 14 hours a day. Now I wear these every evening not starting at 6:00 p.m.
but when I'm relaxing getting ready for bed, reading or my iPad or watching
YouTube videos and I use it to block the light to keep it or block the blue light
that's coming from the device to keep it from interfering with my sleep and I
fall asleep in them. They're not comfortable but nonetheless I fall
asleep in them. For the dark therapy I would recommend that you wear them for
the time that's recommended from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. so even if in it you know it
takes a little getting used to walking around in your house wearing sunglasses.
They even have ones that if you wear glasses that can fit over your glasses.
These are really inexpensive pair from Amazon. So going back to the 6 p.m. to 8
a.m. thing if you're driving home at 6 p.m. you're not even home yet
put them on in your car that's even better because when you're driving
you're being exposed to the sunlight particularly in the spring and the
summer time. So you need them even more in the car than you do in your house
with the tungsten lighting. So put them on you wear them all evening long. I
doubt that you really need to sleep in them, but when you wake up you put them
back on and keep them on until 8:00 a.m. and that would be how you could
implement dark therapy when you are in a manic phase or hypomanic phase and not
and only sleeping for 3 and 4 hours a nigh.t The last strategy to control your
bipolar disorder is to have a relapse prevention plan. And this is where you
would pull out the triggers that we discussed in step 1 and use them at this
point and you probably want to get the help of your therapist or doctor to help
you brainstorm through some strategies to help you either avoid the triggers
altogether or to help you be less reactive to them.
Now this is not a guarantee that you'll never ever have another episode but it
can make the difference in the severity of the episodes or even the timing of
the next episode because bipolar disorder is a biological illness that's
not solely dependent on your environmental stresses or triggers but
there is the potential to reduce the number of episodes that you have or the
severity of them by controlling your triggers. I hope this was helpful for you.
I have the package for you that you can download just click on the link in the
description and it includes a mood diary trigger worksheet an activity plan and a
relapse prevention worksheet. If you like this video, click like and leave me a
comment. Let me know what you think.
#manage #bipolar #disorder #Strategies
source
Click here to download the Manage Bipolar Packet http://markspsychiatry.com/manage-bipolar/
I’ve taken every single medication there was on the planet, everything they all make me sick and they just make the whole episodes more difficult exercise, exercise exercise with an understanding partner you can plow through this. Next time you have a manic episode, go out and clean and wax your car you think I’m kidding I’m dead serious
I’ve been aware of my bipolar situation since I was 25. What’s incredibly important is that you record energy ternal things you’re thinking things you want to do and your feelings in relationship to circumstances you’re going through you need to record them so you can review this later. Manic episodes it’s my favorite time I’ll go to the gym or work out. I’ll get things done. I’m not afraid of being manic, but I understand under zero circumstances. Can you drink or take any type of drug unless prescribed for you while you’re manic. Understand that your partner has to recognize your manic episode and to ride with it with you not try to stop your question you maybe have some to do list for you so when you’re manic, everybody wins. I also when I’m in that very very down terribly Moody Park. I got myself a dog and my dog is my best. Therapy is not a therapy dog. He gets me up. He needs to be walked. He hast to be friends. My wife will not do that for him because he’s my dog and my responsibility a dog in real life if your bipolar can change your entire outlook.
There's a great mood diary app in the Google play store.
Thank you
After 45 years now collecting 2 union pensions… Ive been frozen in the living room for 5
Years… on an eight day vacation beach house in LA. I spent 4 days in bed!
I seriously need some tools to better cope. I can do a routine, must be an active member at the Y. I’ve isolated myself to where I am uncomfortable going to the store.
Send me the free download of the Mood Diary. Thank you.
Why not how to cure it totally! People have healed from the most incurable illness. Doctors are almost all the same!
If ita that easy then why relations are destroyed .
Thank you so much. It's been such a long time since I've had any concerns as I've been really regulated but feeling so overwhelmed with everything and recognizing the moods and lack of sleep and spending and (typing/ talking too much) fighting relapse.. so again, thank you 🙏passing these on to family
This sounds so crazy to know i need to know more
What a bunch of hooey. Walk the dog but that's too complicated for you to understand. Then get some 8$ placebo blue blockers. No mention of alcohol or stimulants. Sounds like job security for this gal. You can't medicate yourself out if this disorder..All you can do is back step the mistakes that made it worse and deal with what's left with your own resolve..
Trigger me alot ma'am I listen my brother sound suffering my boyfriend trigger me I cannot move on
Great Information…will Follw❤❤❤❤
Do you think hepatitis C has as something to do with manic bipolar schizophrenia
please stop flooding up your nonsensical so-called professional stuff. If you can't make a private practice get off YouTube please we don't wanna see youz
I have bipolar disorder, i tried so hard to face people even in public places but i cannot manage to do it😔
I do appreciate these few healthy tip's.
Really wasn't aware.
Thanks much 🙆💖🤲🏼
Not sure what happened last night but I woke up confused I couldn’t remember what I had or hadn’t done.
God damn bipolar sucks. Even with medicine i cant live a normal life…
Wow this is much better than what my therapist told me.
I tried to get help. They gave lamotrigine which made me a million times worse. I've been depressed for 73 of my 76 years with no help whatsoever.
thank you so much doc
I was feeling blues coming on, then started with migraines then I knew I was going zooming upwards fast. To me I take a lamictal low dose and a clonopin. I just don't understand how these two could coexist. I was dx with bipolar 2
I know a couple rape victims they were trying to blame for these kinds of things
I had an episode at work last night. I was so embarrassed
This was really helpful, thank you!
It is difficult for me to create a routine since I am college student with unstable schedule. I either have too early or too late at night free time. I love sleeping so much that I choose to sleep when I am emotionally and mentally overwhelmed. Before having bipolar I had a perfecr routine, had 8hrs of sleep everyday, stable class schedule, an academic achiever. When I got to college it's like I'm back to square ond I am flexible enough to adjust for my school organization responsibilities but not to my academic and personal. I don't know what to do, I feel lost.
I haven’t got diagnosed but I know for a fact I do I’m depressed at times and then I think to myself like ashamed that I was actually depressed I get really angry and can’t stop myself from being angry and then later on I’m not mad and I start thinking I had no reason to be mad really. I want to find natural ways to help myself for my relationship and for myself
I havnt been able to enjoy my life for 3 months…its heart breaking
This really helps thank you
Aaaaaaand now they know these glasses are pointless.
Thank you mam
I so appreciate this information. Is so helpful. I downloaded our helpful tools. Thank you so much, Dr. T 🤗
I used to think that bipolar meant that 2 polar bears were up in my head using my brain for a speed bag. 😂 Just a joke. 🙄 Thank you for the valuable information, Dr. Marks. 😎👍
Have some sense in what u speak!!Nonsense
My job requires that I have rotational shifts which rotate every week, so sleeping at a regular time and waking up at a regular time is off the table. It's either be homeless or work this job to take care of my wife and myself.
Thank you so much for this content. I d like to add some tips I use for myself since I have bipolar disorder : stop drinking alcohol, never take drugs, avoid jet lag, and use light therapy
I get the moving but I when in a low I just can’t
Clicked link. Followed instructions. Didn't get the things promised.
Psychiatrist today Tend to be bitter for the reimbursement rates they received from insurance, and would laugh at the idea of actually working with a patient on a relapse prevention plan. They just want to prescribe a pill and get them the hell out of their office
Who else is crying for no reason and is also diagnosed with BD?
Hi what can be done if physical illness is a trigger?