When Instability Attacks!

*****

I feel good, too good— and it concerns me. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve been down this road before. I guess this is my big issue with Bipolar Disorder; its unpredictability, it fluctuates. You get up in the morning and you immediately have to start analyzing your mood. “Am I more depressed than I was yesterday, or I am speeding up?” For BP persons we never can be too sure. We are always in a state of flux or movement. As BPs who are believers in Jesus, it seems like we have broke “every rule in the book.”

About 25 years ago, a visiting pastor to our church came up to me and prophesied. This was long before I was diagnosed with Bipolar. I can’t remember much, but I do recall him saying, “You are as unstable as water”. I tell you that I was quite concerned about this; and to make it worse I put a real negative spin on it. It was stability that we emulated, and water is not the best metaphor to describe your life. Rock, yes. Water, well, not so much.

But I can see now that instability has made me a deeper, more tolerant person. I give a lot of latitude to other’s shortcomings. I know how difficult it is to process life and to face issues. Because I do this “yo-yo” thing, I can accept inconsistency as a normal part of life. I realize that I’m not perfect, or is anyone else I know, but I’m learning to make allowances for it. Sometimes, just being aware is half the battle.

I’ve also determined that caffeine really can activate me. The anxiety and mania really intensifies when I load up on my ‘vanilla lattes.’ Coffee elevates me to the point of being superhuman, but I also get real flaky. I get very self-conscious and paranoid. It’s a real hoot! (Sorry, but man, I do love my coffee.)

Well, I’m running out of things to comment about, but I’m thinking that I’ve said enough. If you’re struggling today, please let me know. I will pray for you and connect back on some level. Whatever your issue, we are in this together. God answers all who call to Him.

Jul 12 2010

Becoming Manic: What You Can Do

Going Manic!

Becoming Manic

Top tips for coping

These are a list of things that people who have difficulties when they become high or manic have found helpful:

Try to get some sleep. Going without sleep has been shown to cause manic states and make them last longer.
Eat well. Don’t go without food or eat high energy food. Eat slowly.
Use relaxation techniques. Quiet prayer works well right now.
Stay in bed even though you feel compelled to do lots of things.
Don’t act on your ideas. In a few days time you may see things completely differently. Emailing friends now is dangerous. (I know).
Don’t buy anything expensive. Some people have found it helpful to give their credit cards/check book to friends. (I tried to buy a 7 foot potted tree in London, UK once, because it was lonely.)
Use medication, herbal remedies, or other things that slow you down and/or help you sleep. Think “speed bumps”.
Take relaxing (rather than high energy) exercise e.g. walking, swimming. This is a must-do.
Make a plan for each day and keep to it. Don’t plan to do too much.
Try to do things slowly rather than quickly. Talk and walk consciously slower than you feel driven to.
Challenge any grandiose ideas you might have about yourself. You must do this!
Reduce any pressures or stresses on you.
Cut out stimulants e.g. coffee, sugar, chocolate, fizzy drinks, alcohol. Some anti-depressants (e.g. the SSRIs like Prozac) can have stimulant-like effects – discuss this with your doctor and consider stopping them.

It may be helpful for you to make a plan about what to do before you get elevated. You know yourself best, so build as many things into the plan that you feel will help you not do things you may later regret. It may be helpful to draw up a plan, and a list of ‘warning signs’, with a trusted friend or mental health professional at a time when you are not ‘high’, but that can be put into place as you or others notice your warning signs.

Some people believe that ‘getting manic’ is a response to not thinking about or facing things that might be quite frightening or depressing. It might be helpful to ‘get connected’ to such things, by talking and thinking about your life and some of the root causes of some unhappiness in your life. You could do this with a trusted friend or mental health professional.