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How to Recover from a Hypomanic Episode

Hypomania is a milder form of bipolar mania, in which the person does not experience a full mania and may or may not experience a subsequent depression.

The definition of hypomania is: "A distinct period of persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting throughout at least 4 days, that is clearly different from the usual non-depressed mood. "

How to Recover from a Hypomanic Episode:

• Stay on your medication, even if you think you feel better without it. Your medication needs time to develop to a level in your bloodstream.
• Go to all your appointments as scheduled.
• Be totally honest with your doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist.
• Tell your doctor, psychiatrist, and therapist everything that is happening with you – they are not mindreaders.
• Especially tell your doctor and psychiatrist if you are having side effects with your medications -- they can help you with that, and it is important for you to stay on your medications, and not to go off them just because you don't like or can't handle the side effects.
• Don't dwell on the things you did while you were in the hypomanic episode. Whatever you did was when you were ill, and not yourself.
• Forgive yourself for the things you did while in your episode. Remember, that was not the "real" you.
• Give yourself TIME and a chance to recover from your episode.
• Stay close to your supporter.
• De-stress your life as much as possible.
• Learn to relax – learn some relaxation exercises and/or meditation.
• Try to get back to a "normal" life, as much as you can, and in your own timing.
• Exercise regularly, as this releases endorphins in your body that make you feel good.
• Keep regular sleep habits (8-9 uninterrupted hours of sleep per night).
• Don't be too proud to ask for help if you need it.
• Do not make any major decisions yet.
• Keep your thoughts focused on positive things.
• Watch how you spend your money (be conservative in your spending).
• Engage in relatively calming activities (not too much excitement or overactivity).
• Avoid drama and crisis (stress).
• Watch your sugar and caffeine consumption.
• Do not drink alcohol (it will adversely affect your medication).
• Eat a healthy, nutritious, balanced diet.
• BE HAPPY! The future is only as good as you make it!

About the Author

David Oliver is the founder of FreeBipolarCourse.com, a one-stop source of information on how to cope and deal with bipolar disorder. Sign up for one of his FREE Mini Courses on bipolar by visiting FreeBipolarCourse.com

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This Week's Bipolar News

U.S. Kids Take More Psychotropic Drugs Than Europeans
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Featured Article:

Sleep Disturbances Cause Major Problems for People

Most of us have normal sleep patterns, with no complaints; however, many people have a hard time getting to sleep (insomnia). Others are able to get to sleep at first, but have a hard time sleeping through the night (sleep disruption). In fact, many people have been diagnosed with actual sleep disorders, such as Sleep Apnea, where they stop breathing in their sleep. Sleep disturbances cause major problems for many people.

The advent of the diagnoses of sleep disorders brought with it the development of medications to combat these sleep disorders. Unfortunately, many of these medications are either habit-forming, or even addictive.

If you choose to take a sleep aid (whether prescribed or over-the-counter), you must do three things:

Click here to read the entire aritcle

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