Coping with Bipolar Disorder: Ideas, Recovery, and Prevention

Learning to cope up with bipolar disorder can be a lifelong process; after all, bipolar is a lifelong illness and every day is a new day. That being said, coping skills for bipolar disorder can be learned and have proven to be effective in improving one’s quality of life. 

Bipolar Coping Mechanism 
Coping skills or a coping mechanism is generally thought of as a method or methods a person can use to deal with stressful situations. People with bipolar disorder often have a special set of techniques that may help them in stress, designed specifically to work for bipolar disorder. 

Some general coping skills for bipolar management include:
- Relaxation and Meditation – These techniques are great for dealing with excessive energy in anxiety and bipolar disorder.
- Social relationships – Reaching out to people when things are turning out to be bad is very important to keep yourself out of social isolation. Don’t forget that it is also important to have fun with people during the good times, too.  
- Pets – Studies have shown that pets can be calming influence in people’s lives. You can easily distract yourself from stressful thoughts and difficult situations by taking care of and playing with your pets.
- Reach out to your Health care team – The most important thing to do if you think you are experiencing a manic episode is to reach out to your mental health provider. This could be your counselor, psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health expert.
- Avoid triggers that worsen your mania – Mood altering prescription drugs, Illegal drugs, and alcohol all contribute to manic episodes and affect the ability to recover. Avoiding these substances can help you maintain your emotional balance.
- Maintain an eating and sleeping schedule – Having bipolar disorder changes the structure of your life. It is important to maintain a routine that helps you avoid manic and depressive episodes as much as possible. Plan a routine that follows a healthy diet; avoid caffeine and sugary foods that affects your mood. 

Recovering from Bipolar Disorder Episodes

During the recovery period, start regaining control over your life and routine. Discuss with a health provider and loved one about what you have learned from the episode and if either had recognized the triggers. Start reestablishing your schedule by planning your sleeping, eating, and exercising routine. It is important to think about what you can learn from this episode and how you can help yourself in the future. These things will help you later in mania prevention. 

Prevention 

Following an episode, many people gain in-depth insight into what may have lead to their episode. Some of the common triggers might include –

  • Substance abuse
  • Skipping sleep
  • Being in unhealthy company
  • Going off your planned routine
  • Skipping medication
  • Skipping therapy

Prevention plan

There are certain kinds of preparation that you should include and be aware of to help prevent an episode.

- Create a Wellness Recovery Plan
A Wellness Recovery Plan can help you account for important people and decisions you might need in times of crisis. The National Alliance on Mental Illness suggests these plans as a means to avoid crisis or have an easy resource to reach out to.
- Psychiatric advance directive
This legal document authorizes a loved one to take action on your behalf when you are experiencing a depressive or manic episode. This ensures that your wishes to be taken if you need to be hospitalized.
- Seeking help
Nobody likes to think about manic episodes, but it is important to be aware of them and seek support in advance. There are several organizations that you can seek support from, such as National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

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