Lithium has held its own over the last five years. Many of the other medications that I’ve tried have come and gone leaving a trail of side effects in their wake. But not Lithium. It’s been a quiet workhorse relentlessly plodding away to keep my manic tendencies at bay. Lithium is in a class of medications called antimanics. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain.
Lithium is prescribed to treat and prevent episodes of mania. Mania is a frenzied, abnormally excited mood state that impacts people with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder formerly called manic-depressive disorder is a disease that may cause episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal mood states. When in a manic episode people often behave in ways that are very destructive and hurtful to themselves and those they love.
I’ve tried many other medications besides Lithium, but I always come back to the realization that for me Lithium works best and at a very low dose. I’m thankful that I’ve found a tool to help me manage my mood swings. People respond to medications very differently. What works for me may not work for you.You may have to try a few medications and change them around at different times depending on how your life is going – but hang in there - you will find a solution and you will get stable.
Every winter the ground freezes and the hummingbirds feed more avidly at our feeders. The coyotes come out of the wooded ravine searching for food. In spring, flowers blossom and the weather warms. Then comes summer. Summer inevitably brings the ever challenging chore of maintaining the lawn, but summer does have some major positives - sunshine. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love to watch the Northwest winds blow as the leaves fall off the trees and plumet to the ground. Fall’s turbulant temperament matches mine well.
There are a variety of things that I do to help my mood perk along during the different seasons. The summer’s sun provides warmth and produces vitamin D. That’s supposed to be good for you. Whether it really is doesn’t matter – the sun feels marvelous and is a natural mood lifter. I spend as much time as possible boating in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands. Being on the water creates a calm and balance in me that is unequalled on land.
As spring approaches, I get excited about digging in the yard and planting vegetables and flowers. When the budget allows, I hire a gardener to do the mowing and weeding so that I can enjoy the fun parts of dirt digging. Fall is a great time to relax and spend time outdoors observing nature. The birds are busy all year round, but in the fall they scurry about hunting for food and seem eager to feed from the feeders placed close to the house. In winter, I tend to hibernate and become dreary and depressed unless I find an activity to keep me focused and engaged. My winter mood lifters involve staying active with shopping, going to lunch with friends, and working on a hobby or two. I also find that mild exercise helps me weather the cold, dreary, gray days of winter.
So, enjoy the sun, shop and share time and food with friends, dig in the dirt, find a winter hobby, and stay in rhythm with yourself and the seasons.
I found an interesting study conducted by researchers Sarah J. Russell and Jan L. Browne. Results of the study were published in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 39:187–193. The research was funded by the beyondblue Victorian Centre of Excellence in Depression and Related Disorders Grants Program. The title of the research report is Staying Well with Bipolar Disorder.
The authors state: “Participants found that their wellness depended on a number of things that were within their control. However the data indicated that there was not a simple ‘one fix fixes all’ approach. In the “Stay Well” study, most participants:
- recognized the importance of taking their illness seriously
- demonstrated that staying well was within their control
- made changes in their lives to stay well
- learned to get on with their lives while remaining mindful of their illness.”
Some people with Bipolar Disorder have developed effective strategies to stay well and avoid relapses of mania and depression. These strategies enable people with bipolar disorder to identify early symptoms of relapse and take action to prevent an episode from becoming full blown. This study called upon the expertise of people who have successfully found strategies that work to help them stay well.
The goal of the research was to investigate and document how people with bipolar disorder avoid episodes of the illness and how they manage their bipolar disorder. The researchers also looked at the importance that personal, social and environmental factors played in helping people with bipolar disorder stay well.
To be included in the study, people diagnosed with bipolar disorder must have remained episode free for the past 2 years. The only concern I have with the participant’s being episode free and exhibiting wellness is the possibility that the people in the study may have very mild cases of bipolar disorder and that the techniques they use to stay well may not be effective for people with severe bipolar disorder. I’d like to know more about the participants’ previous episodes and the designation and severity their bipolar disorder.
The definition of the concept of “staying well” included the following: the acceptance of diagnosis, mindfulness, education, identify triggers, recognize warning signals, manage sleep and stress, make lifestyle changes, treatment, access support, and stay well plans.
According to the article, 100 people were included in the study. There were 63 women and 37 men. Ages ranged from 18 to 83 years, with 86% over the age of 30. Duration of time since last episode of illness ranged from 2 years to > 50 years. In the sample, 76% of participants were in paid employment. In addition, 36% of participants were parents.
The results showed that “Participants actively managed bipolar disorder by developing a range of strategies to stay well. These strategies were based on participants’ individual needs and social contexts. The strategies included acceptance of the diagnosis, education about bipolar disorder, identifying both triggers and warning signals, adequate amounts of sleep, managing stress, medication and support networks.”
One of the keys to staying well was the ability to be mindful of their illness. By being mindful, participants were more fully able to develop individual stay-well plans, including intervention strategies to prevent episodes of the illness. The full article shares specifics and it is well worth reading. http://researchmatters.net/publications/StayWell.pdf
Lithium has held its own over the last five years. Many of the other medications that I’ve tried have come and gone leaving a trail of side effects in their wake. But not Lithium. It’s been a quiet workhorse relentlessly plodding away to keep my manic tendencies at bay. Lithium is in a class of medications called antimanics. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain.
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