[lunarpariah]

So for the past three weeks I have done amazingly well since they changed my antidepressant. I have been able to socialize, exercise, and even leave the house. Until this evening. I'm not sure what happened between this morning and evening but now I find myself wanting to throw the phone against the wall when it rings. I tried to take my dog for a walk to see if I could calm down but her bark made me wanna scream. So I ended up walking by myself. Didn't help sadly.

I do not want to lose all the headway that I've made the past few weeks by letting this mood get me down but I don't know how to calm down and not be so freakin emotional.

Anyone have any good relazation tips that they think could help? Any idea is welcome at this point.

[forever]

Lunar,

I didn't do so well when they started me on a new a/d. It did make me feel better but then I started having some rage issues, it was the oddest thing. I would be fine one moment and then wanting to throw dishes the next. I noticed the symptoms about ten days after starting it. I had to change medication, it was as simple as that, within days of stopping the irritability disappeared. I'm on a different a/d now that doesn't do that. Maybe this just isn't the right a/d for you.

[roads]

Are you on an anti-depressant alone? No mood stabilizer? Just wondering--I'm on both, as I thought most bipolars were these days. That's what keeps my irritability from skyrocketing.

[cocoabeans]

Could just be the day? I get like that sometimes. Doubt it is medication for me unless I'm groggy in the morning. Seroquel doesn't help me sleep but, if I do fall asleep, waking up is easy, going back to sleep is not and out of bed is awful.

I'd say give it a few days unless it is emergency room worthy.

[BuggsBunny]

Originally Posted by lunarpariah

Anyone have any good relazation tips that they think could help? Any idea is welcome at this point.

Try this. You might want to record it so you can play it back and work with it.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Sit in a comfortable chair--reclining arm chairs are ideal. Bed is okay too. Get as comfortable as possible--no tight clothes, no shoes, don't cross your legs. Take a deep breath; let it out slowly. Again. What you'll be doing is alternately tensing and relaxing specific groups of muscles. After tension, a muscle will be more relaxed than prior to the tensing. Concentrate on the feel of the muscles, specifically the contrast between tension and relaxation. In time, you will recognize tension in any specific muscle and be able to reduce that tension.

Don't tense muscles other than the specific group at each step. Don't hold your breath, grit your teeth, or squint! Breath slowly and evenly and think only about the tension-relaxation contrast. Each tensing is for 10 seconds; each relaxing is for 10 or 15 seconds. Count "1,000 2,000..." until you have a feel for the time span. Note that each step is really two steps--one cycle of tension-relaxation for each set of opposing muscles.

Do the entire sequence once a day if you can, until you feel you are able to control your muscle tensions. Be careful: If you have problems with pulled muscles, broken bones, or any medical contraindication for physical activities, consult your doctor first.

1. Hands. The fists are tensed; relaxed. The fingers are extended; relaxed.

2. Biceps and triceps. The biceps are tensed (make a muscle--but shake your hands to make sure not tensing them into a fist); relaxed (drop your arm to the chair--really drop them). The triceps are tensed (try to bend your arms the wrong way); relaxed (drop them).

3. Shoulders. Pull them back (careful with this one); relax them. Push the shoulders forward (hunch); relax.

4. Neck (lateral). With the shoulders straight and relaxed, the head is turned slowly to the right, as far as you can; relax. Turn to the left; relax.

5. Neck (forward). Dig your chin into your chest; relax. (bringing the head back is not recommended--you could break your neck).

6. Mouth. The mouth is opened as far as possible; relaxed. The lips are brought together or pursed as tightly as possible; relaxed.

7. Tongue (extended and retracted). With mouth open, extend the tongue as far as possible; relax (let it sit in the bottom of your mouth). Bring it back in your throat as far as possible; relax.

8. Tongue (roof and floor). Dig your tongue into the roof of your mouth; relax. Dig it into the bottom of your mouth; relax.

9. Eyes. Open them as wide as possible (furrow your brow); relax. Close your eyes tightly (squint); relax. Make sure you completely relax the eyes, forehead, and nose after each of the tensings--this is actually a toughy.

10. Breathing. Take as deep a breath as possible--and then take a little more; let it out and breathe normally for 15 seconds. Let all the breath in your lungs out--and then a little more; inhale and breathe normally for 15 seconds.

11. Back. With shoulders resting on the back of the chair, push your body forward so that your back is arched; relax. Be very careful with this one, or don't do it at all.

12. Butt. Tense the butt tightly and raise pelvis slightly off chair; relax. Dig buttocks into chair; relax.

13. Thighs. Extend legs and raise them about 6" off the floor or the foot rest--but don't tense the stomach' relax. Dig your feet (heels) into the floor or foot rest; relax.

14. Stomach. Pull in the stomach as far as possible; relax completely. Push out the stomach or tense it as if you were preparing for a punch in the gut; relax.

15. Calves and feet. Point the toes (without raising the legs); relax. Point the feet up as far as possible (beware of cramps-if you get them or feel them coming on, shake them loose); relax.

16. Toes. With legs relaxed, dig your toes into the floor; relax. Bend the toes up as far as possible; relax.

Now just relax for a while. As your days of practice progress, you may wish to skip the steps that do not appear to be a problem for you. After you've become an expert on your tension areas (after a few weeks), you can concern yourself only with those. These exercises will not eliminate tension, but when it arises, you will know it immediately, and you will be able to "tense-relax" it away or even simply wish it away.

Please note that an exercise program of any sort that stresses and stretches a full range of muscles can be used in this fashion if only you pay attention to the differences between tensions and relaxations of the muscles. Yoga is particularly good, but is very demanding at first. Tai chi is highly recommended.

Okay, now tag this on to the end of it.
Beach

Picture all the details of this relaxing place. The sun has not yet risen, but the sky is just starting to get light. The air is cool, comfortable, and pleasant. The temperature is very pleasant.... a calm and comfortable morning. Imagine the feel of a slight, gentle breeze on your skin. The breeze blows just enough to move the leaves of palm trees gently back and forth. The leaves of the trees make a dark silhouette against the gradually lightening sky.

Imagine the fresh smell of the air... the smell of the clean water and sand. It is a refreshing scent.

Picture in your mind the sound of the water lapping against the shore. The sea is so calm, the waves are very quiet, but you can hear them as they move gently and calmly.

Hear the slight rustling of leaves as the palm branches sway gently.

It is early morning, and you are the only one here. This is such a calm, safe, pleasant place. Relax here near the gentle ocean.

Perhaps you are on a deck with wooden tables... umbrellas, closed for the night. They will soon be opened to provide shelter from the sun, but for now they remain with their cloth tops folded down, as if resting.

Small huts with grass roofs provide shelter for some of the tables. During the day, this place is bustling with activity, as people sit at the tables in the shelter of the grass huts, sipping cool drinks by the water. But now, all is quiet... peaceful.... serene.

Notice that the sun is starting to rise. You can see a spot of light at the horizon, as if the sun is rising right out of the water. See the light growing as the sun begins to rise above the horizon. Small streaks of light shine into the sky, as the sky grows lighter and lighter with the growing dawn.

See the birds that are active early in the morning. Some fly overhead... some are already diving into the water looking for fish. Other birds simply sit quietly. They are enjoying the dawn as well.

You can see some peaceful waves as they break some distance from the shore. White peaks rise in a line out in the water, crashing on a stone breaker that keeps the water close to the shore peaceful and calm.

See the waves crashing on the breaker.

See the peaceful waves gently lapping at the shore. Washing gently onto the sand.

The waves are very calming... they are so peaceful.... so rhythmic.

Watch the peaceful waves flowing like your breath.... in.... and out.... in.... out.... continue to observe the rhythm of the peaceful waves, flowing with the rhythm of your breath.

(pause)

As you relax, you can enjoy the beautiful sunrise. Pink and orange give everything around you a warm glow. The sun has risen above the horizon... still low in the sky...

The breeze.... the warm early sunlight.... the gently lapping, peaceful waves.... softly moving palm leaves.... all of these create a calm and peaceful place.

Continue to relax for a few moments here.... enjoying the peaceful waves and the remaining calm time at sunrise.

(pause)

Soon this place will be busy with people going about their morning routines. Enjoy the last few remaining moments of solitude as the sun rises higher in the sky.

The sun is shining, brighter each moment. This has become a beautiful morning. You can see people in the distance, walking along the beach.

The waves become a little bigger, a bit more lively as the breeze increases.

Hope it helps. At a future time, you can ask someone else to read it into a recorder for you so it doesn't sound so funny hearing your own voice. But for immediate use, just record yourself.