How to stop hypomania/mania escalating?

[Bumblebeedotty]

PRN taking edge off, but am most definitely going up

Do you have access to a psychiatrist or a MH nurse? Is your GP supportive? Are you taking a mood stabiliser and does the dose need reviewing? Keep nice and cool physically and keep away from anything that might elevate your mood - caffeine, alcohol, drugs. Can you focus enough to watch something calming on TV? Sorry for many questions.

Contact psychiatrist asap. I know the feeling. Xx

Thank you so much. No access to psychiatrist or CPN currently, GP not great. I’m trying to sort things so many things out but don’t know how many things are on the go, none being sorted. Distracted. Told 3 times I sound high. I missed my mood stabiliser one night cos I stayed up all night & the next day, I know this has probably done it, just need to bring it back down. Will try squash not caffeine thank you. Don’t drink or do drugs. Maybe a calming film like you say thank you.whats the being cool?

Thank you. Can’t talk to psychiatrist at the moment, but just phoned 111 to speak to one of their MH nurses

Being hot can cause you to go up. You're more likely to experience mania or hypomania in hot weather, for example. So keep nice and cool, loose, light clothing and try and do things that are gentle. A nice film is a great idea. Also soothing music or radio 4 burbling away in the background. Hopefully it's a blip, as you missed your meds. Hope it calms for you soon.

Didn’t know that about the hot weather! Thank you. Fruit tea it is for me with a film then. Thank you so much

I’m getting really irritable, I hate this

Just ride it out. You'll be okay. Have you found something good to watch?

Thank you kittybiscuits I watched a bit & then decided I’d distract myself with shopping, which just realised as I write this may not be a good idea! Thank you so much for your support

You're welcome. Glad you had that realisation 😊

Step away from the shopping!!! I know only too well how that can go. Do not buy anything right now.
I'm in same situation atm. Too much stress and I know I'm tipping. 8 nights of virtually zero sleep now.
I am fortunate that I have some diazepam. For me, that's vital.
Set reminders NOW for your mood stabilisers.
You're self aware, so that's really good.
My tips: cut our ANYTHING stressful unless it's absolutely essential.
Nothing noisy or social with lots of people.
Stay off caffeine, sugar, alcohol.
Rest when your body lets you, even if you can't fall asleep
Have a (non exciting) audio book going through the night. I also have a salt lamp and diffuser nightlight going so it's just a gentle light.
I find it gentle "company " as well as a slight distraction.
If you're jittery, adjust your temperature. Do you feel safer cocooned, or do you need light clothing and cool air?
Any plans/decisions you're thinking about- write them down. Do not do them.
Future you will probably thank you.
If you start to really struggle, call for help. Just do it.
I'm at irritability stage myself. Feeling stabby is how I term it.
Fucking, fucking hate this.
If you're like me, and have been here many times before, you know you've caught on to yourself and you can ride it, as you have before.
Remind yourself of that like a mantra.
And top tip: put yourself first atm. Its so important that you take care of yourself.

Oh, and P.S. don't paint your bedroom ballerina pink. You actually DON'T love it. That's why you never had this stroke of genius before.
I could write you a list of things I've done in mania, but that's a funny, harmless one for you.
I shall now also get off MN before I manically babble 20 posts of advice.
You'll soon get through the other side and feel better.

Sleep sleep and more sleep
Eat regularly and avoid sugar highs
Avoid caffeine and other stimulants
Slow mindful activities.
Avoid high tempo music and TV shows
Fight every fibre that makes you want to run and jump and dance.
Reach out for support

Thanks Notcopingbutstillstanding I do need to step away from the shopping but also need to buy Christmas presents! Not good lol. How much are you sleeping? I do have PRN but doesn’t work like used to so not sure what to do. I am ok taking my meds normally, it was only because I stayed up 36hours so I take them before I go to bed & I didn’t go to bed so I didn’t remember to take them. Salt lamp sounds really calming always fancied one of them. Have never considered this temperature aspect, will have to work out what works. You made me laugh re do not do the plans & decisions think that is very important advice! Thank you. Irritability is so hard. Thank you so so much. Hope things start to settle down for you too

That made me laugh so much, mine was lime green…. I don’t like lime green! Bet ballerina pink was umm interesting lol. Hope you feel better soon too. Thanks so much

Thank you so much superscientist that’s really helpful advice. So my coffee I really want to treat myself to, will be decaf! I keep going up, bring it back down with PRN but then the same thing keeps happening

It's dull and it's not what you want to do but it hopefully will help.
My high moods don't escalate as much since I could put in some normality right at the start. It's so easy to let sleep slide then meals then you are living on the frays of what the body needs. Anything that gives you a boost of energy puts rocket fuel on high moods.
I will want to dance it out but have learnt time and time again the more I do, the more energy I will have the higher I will go and it all snowballs. It simply isn't possible to burn off my energy in this situation. I remember once running around a soft play with my niece at toddler speed having been awake for 50+h seeing all the other adults tire and need a sit down. I could have kept it up for days.

It's good the prn is tempering the mood, do you have numbers in case do crisis over the weekend? Is it possible to get a medication review brought forward so you are less reliant on prn to temper the high mood?

Also whilst you have control have a look through your online banking and see if you can set some protections against manic spending. I can't remember all of the features but I can put blocks on where my cards can be used and put limits in place etc.

Definitely go for the decaf coffee! I'm not very good at mindfulness as it makes me feel very raw but drinking hot drinks is one of those times when I can manage a bit. Sit firmly in a chair and try to focus on the smell of the drink. The warmth of the cup in your hands. The taste and feel of the drink in your mouth. Just take a few minutes or a few seconds if that's all you can manage to slow down. Try and find a few opportunities each day to slow down and ground yourself in the moment. The manic brain is now now now and just brief pauses can offer chances to reset and take it back down a notch or two.

For me they aren't magic cures but they give me a bit of time to get a plan out in place before the escalation ramps up and that can stop an episode at hypomania and avoid mania and destruction

Thank you so much superscientist, that’s all really helpful, not in a place where I can coordinate all of it, but I really do appreciate everything you say. My PRN has been doubled so hopefully that’ll bring it down. Really need to sort meds out. So true about now now now. I did have decaf coffee & that helped slow down for a bit. Can’t answer all you said but I’m very grateful, I’ll look on my online banking. Thank you