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Take your meds. The best way to improve the course of the illness is to prevent mood episodes, and the most effective means for doing so is medication. The urge to stop taking bipolar meds is common and understandable, but it significantly increases the chances of a future mood episode, and every mood episode you have is likely to worsen the course of the illness.
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Identify your triggers. Certain situations, seasons, people, or activities may trigger mood instability. Try to identify patterns in your life that match up with your shifting moods. These patterns may help you pin down triggers and open your eyes to creative solutions for dealing with them. For example, some people who tend to have mood episodes around the holidays scale back their traditional holiday activities.
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Establish healthy routines. Many people with bipolar disorder discover that a well-regulated life helps to regulate their mood. Routines may cover sleep/wake times, meal times, a regular work schedule, and even social engagements.
- Monitor your moods. Keeping track of your ups and downs can help you identify what works to help you stay within a comfortable range and what doesn't. It can also reduce the chances that you'll experience a major mood episode. If you know you're starting to cycle into mania or depression, your doctor may be able to adjust your medications to help you avoid hospitalization.
How to chart your moods, sleep, and energy levels
When you have bipolar disorder, you're encouraged to chart your moods, sleep, and energy levels daily to record patterns that may help you spot the early warning signs of a developing mood episode (mania or depression). In addition, this log provides valuable information to guide your doctor and therapist in their treatment decisions.Print this version of the mood chart and make as many copies as you need — or feel free to make your own, if you're spreadsheet-savvy.
In the column for each day, record the following:
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Mood level: Place a check mark in the box that represents your overall mood for that day, which ranges from –5 (Depressed) to +5 (Manic).
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Hours sleep: Record the total number of hours you slept. Assigning sleep hours for a day can get tricky, because you're likely to fall asleep late one day and wake up early the next day. Consider assigning sleep hours to the night before. For example, if you slept from 10 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday, assign those hours to Sunday (add in any nap time from during the day on Sunday).
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Energy level: Write a number from 0 (no energy) to 5 (supercharged) in the Energy level box.
You're already engaged in one of the most important self-help activities — psychoeducation. Finding out more about bipolar disorder and how to successfully live with it empowers you to make well-informed decisions about the various treatment options available. Psychoeducation also helps your friends and family develop the empathy they need to accept your illness and support you.
