One thing that helped me in that kind of situation was a suggestion from my T. She said when you're in good shape, write a page or two about what you think you should and/or shouldn't do when you're in worse shape. Advice to yourself from one mood to another. Then, when you feel yourself sliding into the bad situation, take out your essay and read it over.

I did that. It was quite strange. Really. While I was okay I wrote out these long instructions to myself about what to do (and not to do) when I'm sliding down the slope. A month later I started sliding. I took out the essay (it's just a computer file) and read it. You know, it was really strange. Without that essay, I would never have remembered to do or not do any of the things I had listed and discussed in the essay! Somehow, in that one month, on that slippery slope, I had forgotten all the stuff I'd written down!

Well, of course I told T and we discussed it. I did the things I had advised myself to do in the essay and managed to avoid most of the really stupid things I do when I'm messed up. It really came in handy. It's just amazing what you can forget!