Bipolar Relapse: Is It Inevitable?
You have felt great over the last few months – your mental health has stayed in check without any episodes of mania or depression. It took a while for your therapist and psychiatrist to come up with the right treatment combination for your bipolar disorder, but now you feel your life is heading in the right direction.
But this past week, you feel like you are on edge. Every little thing is making you irritated, you can’t seem to sleep, and the thoughts don’t stop racing. This can’t be happening, you can’t be going into a manic episode. Everything was working, what changed?
Mood disorders are very common. In 2023, over 94,000 hospitalizations occurred due to mood and depressive disorders here in Florida. These can include psychotic states from mania to thoughts of suicide from depression.
Bipolar relapse occurs in many with the condition. Clean Recovery Centers understands the integral part that mental health plays in our lives, which is why we bring education to our communities. Let’s talk about bipolar relapse, why it occurs, and how you can manage episodes in the future.
What Is Bipolar Relapse: The Unpredictable Road
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that comes with states of mania and depression. Though the condition is life-long, it is manageable through therapies, coping skill development, lifestyle changes, and in some cases medication.
The way that bipolar disorder works is by altering mood into highs and lows. The highs come in the form of mania and hypomania, where the person has high energy levels, increased productivity, impulsivity, and an invincible attitude. The lows revolve around depression, where feelings of sadness, guilt, emptiness, and shame are common. The person will cycle through these episodes and may experience symptoms of both at the same time. Between episodes, the person may return to a baseline, where they are not feeling high or low, but this does not happen for everyone.
Bipolar disorder episodes can cease for a period of time, lasting weeks, months, or even years. However, they can resurface, even if a care team is helping you manage your bipolar disorder. This is what a bipolar relapse is, and it can cause added stress in your life.
Is It Common for a Bipolar Relapse to Occur?
Bipolar disorder is considered a serious mental health condition as it can affect the person’s livelihood and well-being. Because of this, it is common for bipolar disorder symptoms to return. One study examined participants in inpatient and outpatient programs who fit the criteria for bipolar disorder. After one year, researchers found that 21.7% experienced a relapse of symptoms. These included manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes.
What Triggers Are Linked to a Bipolar Disorder “Flare-Up?”
As with many mental health conditions, bipolar disorder can be triggered and lead to a flare-up of symptoms. Bipolar disorder medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers can help keep symptoms in check and help mood stay at a baseline. When these medications are stopped without a doctor’s order, mania and/or depression can occur. This can cause previously managed symptoms to flare, resulting in intense mood swings. Stopping medications abruptly can even lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation. It is never recommended to stop any medications without talking with your doctor.
Lifestyle can also cause a bipolar relapse even if the condition is well managed. Substance use can interact with medications and make them less effective. This includes drinking alcohol, taking illicit substances, or even ingesting too much caffeine. Lack of proper sleep is also a trigger of a mood episode. Poor diet can lead to depressive episodes and trigger mania.
Stressful life events can also cause your bipolar disorder to flare. Losing a job or relationship can cause depressive symptoms and also can trigger impulsivity. The death of a loved one can result in grief that brings bipolar depression. However, not all stressful events in life are negative. Even starting a new job or moving to a new house can trigger a bipolar relapse.
Recognizing the Returning of Bipolar Disorder Symptoms
For those living with bipolar disorder, it may be easy to know when your mood is shifting. However, if you haven’t experienced symptoms in a long time, they can be more difficult to spot. Let’s break down each type of episode and how you can recognize a return in symptoms.
About Manic, Hypomanic, and Depressive Episodes
Bipolar disorder involves mood changes that cycle through manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes. Each involves their own set of symptoms and their own signs of relapse:
| Episode Type | Symptoms | Signs of Relapse |
|---|---|---|
| Mania | Talking fast, feeling elated, feeling restless, taking excessive risks, having an excessive sense of knowledge or power, experiencing psychosis | Feeling more irritated than normal, needing less sleep, having difficulties concentrating, experiencing racing thoughts |
| Hypomania | Feeling happy or euphoric, impulsively spending or eating, increasing focus on goals and achievements, feelings of high self-esteem | Fidgeting more than usual, being aggressive, having lowered inhibitions, changing sleep patterns |
| Depressive | Feeling down or empty, increased tiredness, difficulty making decisions, feeling fatigued, losing interest in hobbies or activities | Withdrawing from social situations, feeling cranky without reason, sudden appetite changes such as eating too much or too little, feeling aches and pains with no known cause |
Bipolar disorder can cause mood changes rapidly, and it is possible to notice the signs of relapse as they change into an episode. If you feel like signs of a bipolar relapse are present, reach out to your care team. They will help you navigate what triggered the returning symptoms and how to manage them moving forward.
Tips to Manage and Prevent a Bipolar Relapse
Managing and preventing a bipolar relapse involves similar techniques. Here are 4 tips to help keep a bipolar relapse at bay:
- Adhere to your treatment plan: Your care team has created a plan to help you accomplish your goals and address your needs. Take all medications as prescribed, attend regular therapy appointments, and commit to working on yourself. This is the best way to prevent a bipolar relapse. Should one occur, your care team will be pivotal in deciding the next steps. You may need a medication change or a different type of therapy/support.
- Learn your triggers: Bipolar relapse is likely to occur from experiencing triggers. This can include added stress, meeting new people, or even certain places in your life. Though not all triggers can be avoided, learning what sets off a bipolar episode can help you develop coping skills to prevent a relapse.
- Develop a support system: Having a strong support system will give you a place to turn should you experience a bipolar relapse. By enlisting a trusted family member or friend, you will have a safe space to express your feelings.
- Practice self-care and routine: Practicing self-care and establishing a routine can keep your mood stable. Going to bed at the same time each night, having a regular shower schedule, eating healthy meals, and implementing time for yourself can prevent a bipolar relapse. Other self-care practices can include journalling, meditation, reading, and learning new hobbies.
Getting Treatment Bipolar Disorder in Hillsborough County, FL
Whether you are just learning about a bipolar disorder diagnosis or have experienced a relapse and are looking for support, help is available. Bipolar disorder treatment can meet you where you are with a compassionate and welcoming care team. They will listen to your needs and help develop an encompassing treatment course to accomplish your goals. Bipolar relapse happens, but it does not mean you have reached the end of the road. You are the priority, and your team will never give up on you.
Bipolar disorder is lifelong, and understanding your triggers and mood changes can help you learn to cope. Clean Recovery Centers utilizes a three-phase approach to mental health care that addresses the unique aspects of bipolar disorder. Call us today at (888) 330-2532 to learn more about our program offerings.
Get clean. Live clean. Stay clean.
