If you have bipolar disorder, you’ve experienced mood episodes (sometimes called mood swings) — marked by shifts from a neutral mood to depression or mania.
Mood episodes can happen for many reasons. Sometimes there’s no clear trigger. Other times they can be easily traced to poor sleep or overuse of alcohol.
What mood episodes have in common is that they cause you to act in ways you ordinarily wouldn’t. And sometimes, if the mood episode is not managed quickly, it can damage relationships, cause problems at work, harm your physical health, drain your finances, or even lead to suicide, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Fortunately, mental health professionals have identified several steps you can take to have fewer mood episodes and help you cope if one occurs. Click here to learn the eight proven strategies to try.
