how is bipolar treated
Ways To Treat Bipolar Type 2?
I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 bipolar, mainly sever depression with lack of sleep as the main side affect of my manias. Since I have just recently been diagnosed, they are still working on finding the right dose of medicines for me. I am currently on Abilify and Zoloft. What are nonmedicinal ways to make myself feel better while waiting for the medicines to take over and/or ways to enhance the affects of the medicines? Any advice on how to treat/beat/feel better with depression would also be helpful. Thanks.
Hang in there, getting the meds right can be tough.
Other suggestions:
1. stress – get your stress under control, meditation, relaxation exercises
2. exercise – I know when you are facing debilitating depression that exercise is the last thing on your mind, but there are studies that show that regular exercise can be morebeneficials than any medication and it has the added side-effect of staving off any weight gain because of the meds. Tai-Chi is great as is yoga.
3. eating right – avoid simple carbs (white bread, cookies, donuts) stick to complex carbs – brown bread, brown rice, yams; also, try to increase fruits and vegetables while decreasing high fat foods – this will help you avoid highs and lows associated with food
4. get a good counsellor – depression might be a chemical imbalance, but getting help on how to cope with everything is a good thing.
5. be a proactive partner with your doctor – keep a diary of moods and accomplishments, help the doctor make informed decisions about meds by being able to show empirically what is working and what is not
6. When you feel better, do not give in to the temptation to quit the meds. The number one indicator of whether or not someone is going to relapse is how quickly someone goes off the meds. Go off too soon and without the doctor’s help and a relapse is pretty much guaranteed.
Keep the faith. I was diagnosed with depression at 14 and bipolar at 28. I’m now on an antipsycholtic and antidepressant and things are better than they have been for a while.
Part 1 Truehope Bipolar Impossible Cures Discovery
