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As you can see, I’m recording this video from my car today. Normally, I like to set up a location, make it beautiful, plan everything perfectly, with beautiful sunshine, etcetera.
It didn’t work out that way this week.
You’ll also notice that I’m going to trip over my words a little bit in this video. And that my eyes are a little bit puffy.
What could be happening? Well, I’ve had a lot of triggers in the last month that have led to me experiencing a lot of bipolar disorder mood swings.
This topic—triggers and bipolar disorder—is very applicable to my own life.
(Side Note: Of course, I managed to record this video just as trucks are going behind me and it seems to be rush hour on my street. But, you know what, with bipolar disorder, sometimes you just have to do your best, even when it’s not going to be as great as you’d like it to be. I need to get this video out, so I’m going to do it.)
Triggers are anything that causes bipolar disorder mood swings—it can’t be described much more simply than that.
A trigger can be positive. A trigger can be negative.
For example, my trigger was that I was living in France, where I was doing quite well and enjoying myself, and I decided to come back to the United States in order to work on two books. My bipolar disorder did not like this!
I didn’t have enough time to prepare for the travel back and forth, and I’ve had a month of mood swings. I had three weeks of dark depression and then I had a week of dysphoric interchanging with euphoric mania.
(Side Note: You can see how disjointed I am compared to my other videos.… I’m just going to let you see this.)
That’s what “big travel” can do to us. I tend to be relatively stable unless a trigger hits me. So it makes sense that trigger management is my number one tool to manage bipolar disorder.
Two main triggers that you always have to look out for are substance use and sleep changes.
Substance use is something I deal with. I have to learn to live with it. We all have to watch what we put in our bodies in order to feel better because often that substance can make our bipolar worse.
But sleep changes are something that we really can work on—and it’s free.
I have learned that I have to go to sleep at a similar time every night and wake up at a similar time every morning. That’s not easy to do! That’s what circadian rhythm management is about, and it makes all the difference in the world with your bipolar disorder.
So, look into your life and think: “What am I doing right now that increases my bipolar disorder symptoms?” Write it down. The next thing you can do is you can consider is, “What do people in my life tell me I’m doing that increases my bipolar disorder symptoms?” Write it down.
You have to be rigidly honest with yourself to manage this illness.
You’ve now got a trigger list. You can learn to manage triggers, as I discuss in my book Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder. Also, of course, the bphope has wonderful articles, blogs, and video blogs on managing bipolar disorder.
So, look over your life. What are you doing? Or, what is being done around you that triggers your bipolar disorder? Make a list and then change those triggers. Is it easy? No! But do you want to cut your symptoms in half? Trigger management is the way.
Thank you so much for your patience with my lovely location, with my stumbling over my words, and with my bipolar disorder mood swings. I have to be patient with myself as well.
Originally posted October 19, 2016
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I find that sugar and all sweets trigger my depression. I’ve also stopped eating dairy foods and all gluten containing foods. It helps me have milder episodes of depression. I don’t have manic episodes, just hypomanic as Bipolar ll has more depression and manic episodes are just good days, not really manic. As I get older, my symptoms are more often. The gluten and dairy restriction was more for my hypothyroidism than Bipolar, but I feel better by avoiding those as well as sugar. No alcohol for many years as this triggers anger and almost rage the next day. I am more calm now but less stress due to retirement is a good thing. Avoiding certain foods becomes easier because I don’t want them anymore since I don’t want episodes of depression.
Thank you, Julie
Thank you Julie! Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your video was just fine, you were real and honest and that’s what we need.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for the article! I have a major depression trigger right now. My husband of 10 years told me he isn’t sure that we should be together anymore. I’m devastated. He has been increasingly nasty by leaving for the weekend and not responding to calls or texts. And he says he can’t take my depressions anymore. I want to move back home, but I’m not sure what the move from Indiana to Pennsylvania will do to me bipolar. At least in Pennsylvania I have family and friends.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for the article! I have a major depression trigger right now. My husband of 10 years told me he isn’t sure that we should be together anymore. I’m devastated. He has been increasingly nasty by leaving for the weekend and not responding to calls or texts. And he says he can’t take my depressions anymore. I want to move back home, but I’m not sure what the move from Indiana to Pennsylvania will do to me bipolar. At least in Pennsylvania I have family and friends.
Dear Julie,
Last night I was not able to control a binge on sugar after months of taking good care of my body. I felt like a failure all night, and then this article popped up a few minutes ago from my email- newsletter from BP Mag.
Thank you so much for reminding me about the things I can do instead of hiding when I “fail”. I have 31 years clean of alchohol/drugs and 29 years clean of cigarettes. Also 19 years from horrible sex/love addiction.
It is so hard not to beat myself up for set backs, so I am so Grateful for you and proud of all of us who fight this good fight and not give up!
Thank u Julie, I have it all and more as I too have bp1, I appreciate your video and realize I am way too hard in myself. I will continue to live my life to the fullest and to know that I am not alone😎