Downswing: Tips to Manage Your Bipolar Disorder

Depression Downswing

Feeling sad and mildly depressed is a normal reaction to life difficulties, but a depression downswing is much more than just sadness. It is a serious illness that affects your physical and mental state. Depression makes it tough to function and hampers daily life. Just getting through the day be overwhelming. Some people describe depression as having a feeling of impending doom or living in a black hole. At the same time, some depressed people do not actually feel sad at all, but might feel empty, lifeless, and apathetic.

Depression is not a disease that a person either has or doesn’t have. It is an emotional state that exists on the continuum, swing from mild to severe.

Identifying whether you have bipolar depression or not - look for these signs.

• Feeling of hopelessness
• Uncontrolled negative thoughts
• Irritability, short-temperament, or aggression
• Substance abuse
• Reckless behavior
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigued, sluggish, or feeling physically drained
• Feeling of worthlessness or guilt
• Unexplained aches and pains

Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. Feelings of hopelessness and despair accompanies depression and can make suicide feel like the only way to escape the pain. If you have a loved one with depression, recognize the warning signs and reach out a professional counselor right away.

Tips for combating depression

1. Educate yourself – Education is always the starting point. Until a spouse, daughter, or a friend of a manic depressive understands the illness, it is nearly impossible for them to say or do the right thing. It is very important that the family and loved ones understand that it is an illness and not a weakness.
2. Talk – Talk to your loved one about his behavior, your concern, and what treatment is available. Starting off by telling your friend or family member that you care about him and that you have been concerned for a while.
3. Keep up with social activities – Often when a person is depressed, it feels more comfortable to isolate yourself, but being around other people and being socially involved will help them feeling a lot better.
4. Set goals for daily activities – Plan days with useful activities by making a list of the activities you are going to be involved in during the day. Try to stick to those plans as much as possible.
5. Reward yourself for your effort - Ask others around you to encourage and praise you when you take small steps. Recovering from depression can be like walking again after breaking your leg. You need to start slow and build yourself back up.
6. Join a support group – Supporting and talking to others who are dealing with depression can help you reduce your sense of isolation. In a support group, you will have opportunities to talk to people who are going through the same phase. Hopefully they will help you with a bit of encouragement and feeling that you’re not alone and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
7. Practice relaxation techniques – Practicing relaxation techniques or meditation daily can help you relieve symptoms of depression, reduce feelings of stress, and may help you feel good about yourself. Join a yoga class, or try deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation to start learning how.

The road to recovery

Symptoms and causes of depression are different in everyone and so are the ways to feel better. What works for you might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. If you find support from family and friends, lifestyle changes, and emotional skills building are not sufficient, seek help from a professional mental health expert.

Robert The author is a veteran from the field of Mental health, who works at BP Hope Magazine and is writing a lot of informative stuff since long.