It is very important to understand yourself when you have a mental health disorder. As I have been working very hard on balancing my moods for Bipolar I disorder, I have discovered how to get back to equilibrium to finding balance in my mood.
This morning I woke up very manic, I can generally tell when this is happening when I am going to the bathroom a lot, which is due to the high manic stress levels, and most importantly how sleep affects it. When I go to bed at 3 am and then wake up at 6 am while being completely wired, I know that the following steps are needed to be done by me in order to have a good day.
This is only effective if you know yourself well enough to foresee your manic cycle that is about to happen. If you follow these steps then you are taking the right procedures to stopping a manic episode from happening. Moreover, if you are not bipolar, everyone experiences manic symptoms so this can really help anyone in general.
First things first, I wake up and drink a big glass of water. Mania tends to make us forget to eat or drink. Eat the smallest breakfast possible so that you have something in your stomach. When you are manic, you want everything done right away so that is why it is hard to eat.
For me, it is peanut butter toast and one cup of coffee. Afterward, take your prescribed medication if you are prescribed anything.
Since your brain is spinning at an insurmountable rat, it is vital that you are able to slow it down. Reading and writing really help me heal, but a very simple thing that you can do is to read the newspaper or the news on the phone. Reading helps your mind slow down and since it keeps you at the moment, the delusions of mania will nullify itself.
Going to the bathroom often is a major thing with bipolar mania. Make sure to eat a lot of fiber and to eat foods with probiotics. Try to take probiotics at 50 billion strands because it helps settle your stomach, boosts your immune system, and severely lowers your manic stress level. Overall, it helps your mood a lot, making you feel better and in more control. If your stomach is controlled, so will your thoughts. If you have a rumbling stomach that is confused on what it is going, it will seriously induce mania. This is why it is so imperative to incorporate probiotics into your diet.
Contain yourself because if you stay within yourself, your mind will start to come down. There are two forms of containment. The first being physical containment, where you do not leave the house, drive your car or have any contact with anyone. Stay in your house and focus yourself or on something that you are passionate about. For me, I remodeled my kitchen and shot a feature-length film once. Then there is emotional containment where you are out in public and are interacting with people. These people should only be trusting people within your circles that understand you. This will bring you comfort and it is important to never talk about yourself. It is important to listen to others and how their day is going because no one cares about your manic self. This makes you stop and focus on one thing, and that is being in the moment with the other person, rather than being delusionally narcissistic about your manic plan to take over the world.
Containment is key. But, tread cautiously because if you overdo it then you can really go berzerk.
Last, put on your headphones and go for a walk while listening to your favorite artist. Sometimes I walk over five miles, and with that, there comes exercise. So, you can kill two birds with one stone. Exercise is vital, therapeutic, and very good for the chemical imbalances that are going on in your brain.
There you go! This is a quick fix in taking care of your subtle hypomanic episode to prevent a bigger manic episode. If you follow these small guidelines then you should be able to take on the world with a clear mind.
This right here is a small sample size of things that I do to combat mania. If you would like to learn more about dealing with Bipolar Disorder, I am willing to help you so feel free to email me at d.zosel27@gmail.com.
Be sure to checkout my book about my journey with prescription medication for Bipolar Disorder as well on Amazon. Click this link here to purchase.
“The Zos Knows”
-David Zosel
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