This suits my lifestyle and my working commitments. I work from mid afternoon till 11pm so enjoy watching the night sky, moon and stars… I love to read which relaxes me after a day at work. Its important to be able to slow the thought processes in a busy mind and unwind before bedtime.
Act immediately if you feel yourself sliding out of control. Seek medical help from your local GP or psychiatrist, they are there to assist you. Sometimes you just need to be led in the right direction to alleviate any anxiety you may be having, or not sure what medications to adjust. It is definitely a constant learning curve and I am still learning 26 years later from my onset of this disorder.
A cool dark room is a must to getting a good nights rest. Most medications that are taken at night also assist in knocking you down, relaxing the mind to ensure a restful sleep. Just ONE night with a disturbed sleep can have you spiralling out of control. You may need to increase meds to alleviate this issue. I find either reading or watching television in a lounge room with dimmed lights or even candles assist to wind down an overactive mind and prepare myself for a night of blissful slumber.
This particular seasonal shift can be catastrophic for those who are not proficient in managing there medication. As the days draw longer, more sunlight…can all play havoc for those with this disorder. Be aware, be informed, be proactive…and you can enjoy the new season with warmer weather, gorgeous changes to the natural environment and breeze through what can be a difficult period.
So does someone’s mood with bipolar disorder. It’s a forever changing mind cycle that requires constant monitoring and maintenance with medications. Spring is the danger period for those manic of “highs”. Autumn / Winter is the time when possible depression can rear its ugly head.
They both have a lot in common actually. As the moon the stars the ever changing ocean…the moon phases has a lot of input to the bipolar mind. During a full moon it affects bipolar disorder quite dramatically. More light in the sky might make you have trouble sleeping, and that can spiral your mind out of control if your not careful and push you towards a dangerous high. It can come on ever so quickly and medication adjustments will be required to maintain a healthy and balanced mind.
As stated before it is imperative to continue on your prescribed course of medications each and everyday for the rest of your life. Those medications may comprise of mood stabilisers, antipsychotic medications and for me also antidepressants. I have Bipolar 1 disorder and my medications are as follows:
Epilum, Seroquel, Zoloft and my emergency medication…. Zyprexa (which is a antipsychotic medication and THE most powerful mood stabiliser). If I feel like I am on a sliding scale to being depressed, or perhaps being over stimulated and heading towards a high…..I hit my Zyprexa heavily for several days to a week – which balances back to normal.
Moon Mind Balance