Sensing the onset of a major bipolar episode is crucial to the care of a person suffering with bipolar disorder. Experiencing a bipolar episode can be exhausting and stressful to the person diagnosed and their family. Every person with bipolar have their own unique signs and triggers along with the classic signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder. I went on for years never noticing when my son was about to have a bipolar episode, until one day during a manic depressive state I realized the signs was right in my face the whole time.
Instead of having these unexpected interruptions, you can learn how to foresee the bipolar episode that is to come and be prepared to treat it appropriately in addition to the medication that should already be prescribed. I did not become aware until my son’s adolescence years on how to sense an episode coming, I believe I learned a little too late because some incidents and hospitalizations may have been prevented, also by him now being 18, his abnormal behaviors are well established and cannot be corrected unless he wants them too.
Commonly high and low manic depression states are mistaken for typical adolescence behavior or simply go unnoticed until an all out explosive tantrum happens. After discovering there is a stage prior to a bipolar episode, I learned to respond quickly before his behavior got out of control and taught my bipolar teenager who was in extreme denial that he has a problem at all to finally recognize his own onset of a bipolar episode.
Following my tips on how to sense a bipolar episode will help you be aware of the triggers, help the person with the disorder acknowledge the onset of a manic depressive episode and help you come up with a plan on what to do when it occurs.
Behaviors
Be aware of your bipolar child’s abnormal behaviors and symptoms in addition to the classic symptoms of bipolar, for instance doing weird things like refusing to stop wearing the same pants after having them on for 3 weeks, the need to talk to complete strangers, or being repetitive in body motions or phrases. One of the most apparent signs I saw in my son just minutes prior to a bipolar episode is constant licking of his lips and rapidly glancing of the eyes, this behavior would continue for days until the actual episode was over.
Document
Documenting is the most important step in sensing and treating a bipolar episode because although it may take a while to find the connection, if you document on a big calendar each time behavioral incidents occur or the bipolar episode itself, you will begin to see a pattern. When you believe you are on to something, that is when you need to be more detailed in you documentation. What I mean by that is start documenting little minor behaviors you noticed prior to bigger issues for example “he did not shower today”, “he ate 3 servings of dinner” or “refused to stop talking to a person who was not interested”.
I documented when my son refused to bathe, change clothes, talked inappropriately, got into fights, ate too much, ate too less, when he was crying, when he slept in class, when he slept more than 10 hours, when he slept less than 4 hours and when he claimed another one of his friends were dead. By being observant and consistent with my documentation, it allowed me to foresee my son’s bipolar episode by 2 to 3 weeks. When that pattern is consistent for 2 to 3 weeks the major bipolar episode appeared like clockwork.
Put your documentation in plain view
One of the most stressful things a parent can go through is when a teenager is in complete denial that they have bipolar disorder or any problem at all. It was not till my son was 17 when he finally acknowledged that he do have issues with bipolar. How he became accepting of having bipolar is when the big desk calendar tacked on the wall listed every abnormal behavior noticeable. What was more interesting is when my son seen I was not the only one documenting, other family members documented also. So when he saw minor incidents clustered together 2 to 3 weeks prior to previous bipolar episodes, though he was extremely quiet, I could see the shock in his face. Expressing this kind of tough love to make your child aware of his disorder seems to have a positive effect. I noticed after this in-your-face approach, my teenager no longer refused to take his bipolar medications and was open more when discussing behavior issues with the doctor, case manager or therapists.
When you know it is coming
When prior bipolar episodes immediately followed the patterns noted on the calendar, you can now sense when one is coming. You may not be able to stop it from happening, but you can make it less dramatic and not last as long by preparing for it.
When you have accomplished the tedious task of getting your teenager to sense his own episode coming about, he or she is more likely to put effort in trying to control the manic behaviors of bipolar. When a child does not have the mental capacity to know the onset, you can simply explain how mommy knows that their bipolar is flaring up. Whether you are dealing with a child or teenager, they cannot completely control their bipolar disorder even we they are taught to sense a bipolar episode. This is where planning and adjusting medications come in.
If you clearly see a consistent pattern that will eventually turn into a bipolar episode you will need to keep a tighter leash on your child. I would not allow my teenager to be gone more than 3 hours at a time and I furnished him with a cell phone so I can constantly call to check for changes in his talking style or wanted to know his whereabouts. I would not allow him to sleep over any friends houses because it can be so embarrassing for me and traumatic for them if he were to have an episode while visiting.
The most effective way to prepare for a bipolar episode is medication in addition to the medicine he or she is currently taking. The doctor suggested that I up the dose on his Depakote by 500-1000 mg and his Haloperidol by 1 or 2mg when the bipolar episode first come on and lower the dose back down to his usual when I see signs of it going away. Never up the dose on a medication without the doctor’s permission, furthermore you must consult the doctor first, because the doctor may prescribe a different medication specifically for an episode anyway.
Knowing how to sense a bipolar episode will help you learn how to better approach it. Not knowing what to do when you are suddenly confronted with a teenager having a major bipolar episode can cause you to panic or have the teenager emergency admitted to a mental health facility when it was not necessary. Even though a person with bipolar disorder behaviors can seem so purposeful, violent and flat out annoying, they do not want to be that way no more than you want them to.
