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Manic , is there a way to stop and think first
Is there a way to calm your manic down before you explode??? I have tried many things to think of but they don't help at all. I have an anger mania and get this real f-you attitude and it takes me a while to come down again.
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the best thing i have found for myself that helps big time is to pull myself away from the situation. just go to my room/restroom, sit there, vent, calm down and then come out. also, just let your loved ones know that from time to time you might go through an irritable phase that is not under your control so if you go quiet and need alone time to settle down with those emotions, they'll understand and it will work out for the best. rather than lashing out at loved ones (which I have done with my parents recently), it's best to remove yourself from that stressful situation, calm yourself through isolation, exercise, or listening to music (whatever works for you). this is better than being an angry person and then feeling guilty and having regret later. that will only stress you out more and trigger depression for no good reason.
I live with both parents who have Alzheimer's and they send me into mania all the time. They don't understand my moods and I tell them they forget it. All I can do is go to my room and shut the door. I usually start writing down what I'm feeling at that moment. I have a lot of journals. My other way out is going to the book store and reading on topics about bipolar. I take lorespam and that helps me.
Exercise is of course helpful for everyone's body and mind. I have found that it takes me away from the drama (sometimes self caused) of everyday life. The focus required helps to clear the mind of negative thinking. I just wish my gym didn't have a dozen TVs with CNN on all the time. The news seems more to be a tool to rile people up than to inform them.
Anyway, conversely, I've noticed that when my exercise routine becomes a bit...um...maniacal that I'm...well...you know. Once I was working out so intensely that I injured my rotator cuff. Two months of physical therapy and a year of babying it, and I'm good to go again.
Besides lifting weights, I do yoga, martial arts, and am a serious cyclist.
Anyway, conversely, I've noticed that when my exercise routine becomes a bit...um...maniacal that I'm...well...you know. Once I was working out so intensely that I injured my rotator cuff. Two months of physical therapy and a year of babying it, and I'm good to go again.
Besides lifting weights, I do yoga, martial arts, and am a serious cyclist.
I avoided a manic episode a couple of months ago by riding my bike on a wind trainer for about 3 hours but at a really low heart rate about 120bpm to just burn of the energy. I also listened to spa music while I was riding.
Made a point of using the wind trainer as I was having a hard time concentrating due to flights of ideas so it was important for me to not be on the road, trying to negotiate cars.
My next step up on this would be to take some medication as well if need be. I take a Xanax if it all gets to much, but I'm thinking of maybe tinkering with something more natural like melatonin, to see how that works, curious to know what else others have done on the exercise front to avoid mania.
Made a point of using the wind trainer as I was having a hard time concentrating due to flights of ideas so it was important for me to not be on the road, trying to negotiate cars.
My next step up on this would be to take some medication as well if need be. I take a Xanax if it all gets to much, but I'm thinking of maybe tinkering with something more natural like melatonin, to see how that works, curious to know what else others have done on the exercise front to avoid mania.
I have the same type of Mania, which is usually escalated by alcohol. My husband takes the brunt of my abuse mostly verbal sometimes physical. I have found when i'm revved up there are things i need to cut out of my life for awhile. First is coffee or anything with caffeine.Then i do try to excersise but sometimes i find it gets me revved up too. When all else has failed i take my self out of situations, stay away from my kids and hubby.
Its good to have people you know who you can talk things over before you make any decisions or judgments while you are manic. Also to develop a better understanding of what's going on. Sometimes extreme anger and irritability can occur in mixed states but you could talk this over with your psychiatrist. Keeping a mood tracker here can be helpful as well so you can see what's going on. As well there are some websites with helpful information on the welcome page. Its also good to know the signs of when you are starting to become manic and what are the emotional trigger points for it as well.
I suppose there could be a way. Some sort of cognitive behavioral technique or other spiritual type mindfulness exercise. But it would take continual practice for I think a few years to see any real benefit. I cannot stress the word continual enough.
When I get into one of those moods you describe, the only thing I can do is give myself a time out...take a walk slowly, sit in a park with mind slowly, observe and enjoy slowly, etc...and not to obsess about it while in the time out.
The best thing of course to avoid the mixed/hypo/mania in the first place that triggers it. The problem with that for me it I don't know I'm there until I'm already there. This makes medication the prophylaxis.
Even with medication or bipolar disorder, it doesn't hurt anyone to get to know their own mind...motivations, subtle cues, thoughts, feelings, outcomes, etc.
If you're interested in Buddhism at all, there is a good (and very easy to read) book called Anger by Thich Nhat Hahn. If not talk to a psychologist about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
When I get into one of those moods you describe, the only thing I can do is give myself a time out...take a walk slowly, sit in a park with mind slowly, observe and enjoy slowly, etc...and not to obsess about it while in the time out.
The best thing of course to avoid the mixed/hypo/mania in the first place that triggers it. The problem with that for me it I don't know I'm there until I'm already there. This makes medication the prophylaxis.
Even with medication or bipolar disorder, it doesn't hurt anyone to get to know their own mind...motivations, subtle cues, thoughts, feelings, outcomes, etc.
If you're interested in Buddhism at all, there is a good (and very easy to read) book called Anger by Thich Nhat Hahn. If not talk to a psychologist about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
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