Bipolar disorder causes severe mood shifts, with a person typically experiencing episodes of both depression and mania. Although it can be challenging to live with this mental health condition, certain lifestyle adjustments may help a person feel more in control.
The early diagnosis of bipolar disorder can help a person live a more fulfilling life, as they can start treatment sooner. The medical community divides bipolar disorder into three main categories, with a fourth for unspecified diagnoses. The categories are:
Bipolar I disorder: This involves shifts from manic episodes that last a few days to depression that can last for a few weeks.
Bipolar II disorder: This involves periods of depression and periods of mania that do not get as extreme as in bipolar I.
Cyclothymic disorder: A person with this disorder will experience both manic and depressive episodes, but neither type is severe enough to justify a diagnosis of bipolar I or II.
Other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders: Doctors use this diagnosis when a person presents symptoms of mania or depression that do not fully fit the defined categories.
Alongside their medical treatment, a person can make some lifestyle adjustments to help them cope with their symptoms.
A person living with bipolar disorder will need continual, lifelong care, but effective symptom management is possible.
What are lifestyle changes for bipolar disorder?
People can take certain steps to help improve their overall health and reduce the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder or other comorbid conditions. These steps include:
eating a nutritious diet
exercising regularly
getting regular sleep
setting and keeping a structured schedule for daily activities
avoiding drug and alcohol use
learning personal triggers and developing a plan to avoid them
keeping track of all appointments by using notebooks, calendars, or personal devices such as cell phones to remember to attend each one
developing healthy, stable relationships with friends and family and asking them for help
taking treatment according to the prescription and sticking with it
allowing time for treatment to work
talking with a doctor if treatment proves ineffective or unwanted side effects occur
People living with bipolar disorder will respond to lifestyle changes differently. What works for one person may not be effective for another. It is important for a person to find what works best for them.
It is also important to take medication exactly as the prescription specifies. A person should not stop taking medication if they start feeling better. This is just an indication that the treatment is working well for them.
Can a person living with bipolar disorder live a ‘normal’ life?
Once treatment begins, many people living with bipolar disorder find that they can effectively manage their symptoms with a combination of therapies and lifestyle adjustments.
However, bipolar disorder can be a challenging condition to diagnose. Healthcare professionals misdiagnose about 7 in 10 people living with bipolar disorder at least once.
Misdiagnosis can be problematic. Experts point outTrusted Source that doctors need to identify the disorder and a person’s mood state accurately to establish a suitable treatment plan. The treatment approach varies greatly depending on whether a person is experiencing hypomania, mania, depression, or mood disturbances, known as euthymia.
Can a person with bipolar disorder live a happy life?
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), the short answer is “yes” — a person living with bipolar disorder can find happiness in life.
However, the long answer is more complicated, and there is a reason why this question comes up.
A person who has experienced a disruptive mania episode may become concerned when they feel happy, worrying that happiness could lead to a manic episode. Due to this, they may feel as though they cannot let themselves be happy.
The DBSA recommends that instead of focusing on happiness as a warning, a person should figure out their own personal triggers for a manic episode. That way, they can feel safer when experiencing happiness and watch for more specific signs, such as racing thoughts, that may indicate mania.
Finally, bipolar disorder medication can make a person feel flat or dull. The goal of treatment is not to make a person feel nothing. If this occurs, a person should let the prescribing doctor know so that they can make treatment adjustments.
What things make bipolar disorder worse?
People living with bipolar disorder should try to avoid stress as much as possible. A person may find that certain stressful events trigger their mania or depression. Possible triggers include:
the death of a loved one
divorce
financial issues
illness
issues in a relationship
trouble at work
A person should also try to identify other triggers, which they can do by using a life log or chart to record their:
mood
life events
sleep patterns
treatments
Once they have determined factors that trigger episodes of mania or depression, they can discuss these with a healthcare professional. The healthcare professional can work with the person to create a plan to avoid these triggers.
You must be logged in to post a comment.