1. Take Medications as Prescribed
One of the biggest challenges that caregivers and medical professionals face when helping someone with bipolar disorder is the lack of commitment to taking medication as it is prescribed. Symptoms of bipolar disorder quickly return when someone stops taking medication, making them less able to complete tasks related to daily living. Some individuals are not able to keep steady employment or stay in healthy relationships when they are not medicated.
Some of the reasons why individuals stop taking their bipolar medications are financial. These medications can be expensive if insurance is not available to help pay for it. It may be possible to have free or low-cost medications through pharmaceutical programs. Needymeds.com is one website that is dedicated to helping individuals apply for prescription assistance programs and receive assistance if they qualify.
Other reasons why medications are stopped can be due to the "drugged" feeling that some people experience while taking them. The medications make them feel uncomfortable or that they are not able to experience life as fully as when they were unmedicated. Others miss the "high" feeling of the manic phases and will stop taking medications to continue experiencing them.
2. Regular Sleeping and Eating Patterns
Establishing a regular sleep pattern can be a healthy start to staying on track with bipolar disorder. Too much sleep can mimic depression while too little sleep leads to deprivation, which can further exacerbate bipolar symptoms. Either situation can trigger a bipolar episode.
Good nutrition and diet can keep weight gain under control. Weight gain can be a side effect of some bipolar medications. This means that good nutrition is a must in staying healthy. In addition, a healthy diet can keep other health conditions under control, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and thyroid disease. Any one of these conditions can be a trigger for a bipolar episode.
3. Exercise Your Options
Many physicians and therapists recommend exercise as a healthy option to keep mental health issues under control. Walking, for example, can not only keep the body healthy, but it can also provide a therapeutic outlet during stressful situations. Regular exercise keeps the body in a healthy "rhythm" that can continue the positive work of nutrition, sleeping and taking bipolar medications.
4. Talk Therapy
Finally, a good therapist can help the person with bipolar disorder work through serious emotions and difficulties that can trigger a bipolar episode. Journaling is an excellent way to keep track of bipolar triggers, and many therapists encourage journaling as a positive way to release emotions. People who stay involved in traditional therapy in addition to medication have higher rates of success than persons who choose to treat bipolar disorder strictly with medication.
