What You Can Do To Manage High Mood or ‘Mania’
By Space Coast Daily // October 8, 2023
Bipolar Disorder is a mental health disorder that causes a person to experience extremely high and extremely low mood swings. Episodes of extreme high mood are called mania, and episodes of extremely low mood are called depression. The frequency and severity of these mood episodes indicate the type of bipolar disorder that the person may have. We first need to know the difference between Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders so proper medical care can be given.
• Bipolar 1 disorder
It occurs when a person has at least one manic episode. They may or may not experience a major depressive episode before or after a manic episode. In addition, they may experience a hypomanic episode, which is less severe than mania.
• Bipolar 2 disorder
Is when a person has a major depressive episode that lasts at least two weeks and a hypomanic episode that lasts at least four days.
What is mania?
Mania is an episode of High mood swings. It is associated with a symptom of bipolar I disorder. During a manic episode, one may feel:
- persistently irritable mood
- unusually energetic mood
- abnormally elevated mood
According to experts, the symptoms of mania must persist for at least a week to be considered a manic episode. If a person is having a manic episode, their behavior is very different from normal behavior. While some people may be more energetic than others, those having a manic episode experience an abnormal level of irritability or energy.
Some of the other symptoms people may experience during a manic episode are:
- feelings of self-importance and inflated self-esteem
- not being able to sleep
- becoming more talkative
- being easily distracted with any thought
Mania causes a person to be psychotic. It means the patient loses touch with reality. They find it difficult to differentiate between real-life scenarios and imaginative scenarios. This delusion affects a person’s ability to perform even mundane daily tasks and makes it difficult to perform at work, school, or social events.
Tips for coping with a manic episode
Here are some steps you can take to prepare.
- Reach out to your healthcare provider
The first response to having a manic episode is you should immediately contact your therapist, doctor, or counselor. The people who you should contact first may also include a psychiatric nurse practitioner, social worker, psychiatrist, or any other mental health professional. If you have a family member or loved one close to you, you may also ask for their help and support.
- Identify medications that help
Mental healthcare providers treat acute manic episodes with prescription drugs known as antipsychotics. These medicines help reduce the symptoms of mania. You can look for Canadian online pharmacy online and get your prescribed drugs easily. Mood stabilizers also help prevent manic episodes in the long term.
Other helpful tips for managing mania include:
- Avoiding triggers that may worsen your mania
- Maintain a regular sleeping and eating schedule
- Watching your finances
- Setting up daily reminders
