Bipolar Disorder - Dwelling with Mood Swings

It indicates the real meaning of the word; persons suffering from this disorder go / live through two extreme phases of emotional cluster. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy levels and concentration. It is known as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression. It causes a person’s mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. One phase is called depression with typical symptoms of a sad mood, low energy, loss of interest, self-doubt, lack of appetite, difficulty concentrating and remembering things, feelings of emptiness or worthlessness, guilt & despair. Another is called the mania phase with an elevated mood, high energy, easily agitated & irritated, less sleep, talking quickly - more talk, feeling self-important, making risky and harmful decisions, full of ideas, impulsive behaviour etc. 

Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80%of the cause of the condition. But it is a uniquely personal experience of bipolar. No two people have exactly the same experience of these episodes. People suffering with bipolar disorder many times may not have the insight how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Even though both episodes of severe depression and episodes of mania are so extreme that it makes it difficult to carry out day to day tasks for a person suffering from it.  

So, here our focus is to understand how two phases of this illness affect the people having it and what support should be given in each phase. Firstly, medication is one of the important necessary treatments along with counselling to get the symptoms under control. Psycho-education of a person suffering from bipolar disorder and their caregivers and routine strategies such as exercise, a healthy diet, opportunities of relaxation and restoration that promotes brain health are the main work of counselling.  

Persons feel more productive and in control over their depressive cycle in a euphoric i.e. manic cycle and that's why they may enjoy it. But it is always followed by an emotional crash that pushes you into depression. In manic episodes, there are energy blows with huge new ideas. It leads to impulsive behaviours and decisions. This is a very risky time to take important decisions but people tend to take rapid decisions or pending decisions hurriedly in this phase. Decisions taken impulsively with emotional push mostly turn into false / incorrect. It may leave you in financial, legal or relationship trouble. 

So, it should be avoided to take any major as well as important decisions in this phase. It is advisable to take any decisions with the choice and under guidance of caregivers. Because they know you better in terms of your background (physical, geographical, educational, financial etc.) your thinking style, attitude, capacities, dreams, relationships etc than any other person. 

For persons suffering from bipolar disorder, setting up a daily routine will help in both the cycles. In a depressive cycle, it motivates you to do some meaningful things throughout the day and in a manic cycle, it helps you to keep calm and avoid hasty and continuous activities. Overall, following a daily routine helps you to keep yourself more stable within these shifts in cycles. Daily routine includes your time to eat meals, time to go to bed, activities for brain health such as mindfulness, exercise, yoga, gym etc. and pursuing hobbies, organising social plans.  

Many therapies are useful in treating bipolar disorder. Mainly cognitive behaviour therapy makes you observe your feelings, thoughts and behaviour, how they interact with each other, what is the pattern that makes you go through these cycles. It teaches you coping skills that help you in dealing with your symptoms of both the phases. It helps you to replace self defeating patterns of thoughts and actions with more positive and self affirming coping strategies. 

Caregivers also have to go through different phases of strategies and coping skills with their loved one’s shifts in cycles. They can learn to recognize mood swings, warning signs of manic episodes, asking for help when observing reluctance to treatment from a person suffering from bipolar disorder. During depressive episodes caregivers may have to take a working load and responsibilities at home or at work of a person suffering from it. During manic episodes caregivers have to deal with careless acts, terrible demands, unstable explosions and even irresponsible decisions of loved ones. 

Treatment is very much useful and may not cover all the symptoms at all times. Setting up realistically balanced expectations from the person suffering from bipolar disorder is really needed for caregiver’s peace. Caregivers must have to keep balance in encouraging independence and providing support with compassion. Taking social support helps in retaining caregivers' energy and motivation in the whole process of handling bipolar mood disorder. 

Meenakshi 

9420880529

13-03-2024