How to Recover From Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder (manic-depression illness) is a condition that affects the normal functioning of the brain and causes abnormal shifts in a person's mood swings. These mood swings can range from depression to mania. Bipolar disorder is treatable but there is no known cure. People with this illness can recover by learning to manage their symptoms and so reduce the risks of relapses but a plan is necessary.

Instructions

• 1

  Get an accurate diagnosis to ensure the proper course of treatment. Bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnose. When misdiagnosed as major depression and treated with anti-depressants without mood stabilizing medication, it may trigger a serious episode that can increase the risk of suicidal behavior in people.

• 2

  Take the medication prescribed by the doctors. Medication helps reduce and control the symptoms (mood swings and depression). The medication should have low side effects.

• 3

  Go for counseling or psychotherapy. These health providers can help you to identify stress factors in your life and to devise strategies to better cope with them to reduce the occurrence of a relapse. Depending on the severity of the symptoms of this illness, health providers may recommend more aggressive therapy like electroconvulsive therapy.

• 4

  Have a strong social network to support you. Family, friends, self help or peer support groups can offer emotional support, which is important. Peer support groups can also provide a safe environment in which people get together to deal with many of the same issues as well as network and share information.

• 5

  Live a balanced and healthy lifestyle by getting adequate exercise, sleep, nutrition, leisure time and abstaining from drugs and alcohol. Follow a schedule for daily activities and stick to it.

• 6

  Use stress management techniques to cope with daily stress. Stressful situations can trigger a relapse so using such techniques as mindfulness, yoga and meditation can help.

• 7

  Learn to understand and monitor the warning signs of a relapse. People with this illness have similar episodes or patterns of symptoms so recognizing the early phase of a relapse and getting medical attention may prevent a full-blown episode.