What are your coping strategies for Mania & Hypomania?

I have lots of skills and confidence to deal with depression, but mania not so much. I tend to give in to how I'm feeling. How do you all cope with or stay safe while high? I need ideas. Help!

I find someone I trust and tell them what I'm thinking also how I'm feeling mood-wise. Hoping that an outside perspective can bring me back down to earth momentarily, and make me realize what ridiculous thing/s I would have done.

Can I ask what you do when your depressed?
Some things that help me when I'm hypomanic is exercise, run, jumping jacks, whatever. I like to clean too, (wish that happened all the time lol) once I have a lot of the energy out I might take a bubble bath or listen to this meditation cd I have
Breathe, and try to relax. Easier said than done, I know

I am very drawn in by my thinking when I am hypomanic. I am convinced about actions I should take, and the position I take on things. I have always sought to address the depression because that is unpleasant, but I think for most of my life I have seen my hypomania as a strength. It is only recently I have tried to identify it and work on it. Right now I am just trying to notice it.

Anyhow, regrettably I don't have more advice, but I wanted to write in and say... MORE TIPS!
Thanks all!
MT

i actually turn my music up and do a lot of singing at the top of my voice.

kind of wears me out and gets me to a manageable level

I'm curious how you can get to a hypomanic state if you are medicated? My mood stabilizers keep me from reaching the hypomanic state all together. If I ever went off of them or tweaked them on my own without my doctor's advice I suppose I could become hypo again. I used to love hypomania but it always led to full blown mania for me. You should inform your pdoc that you still experience hypo states and have trouble coping.

I am working with my doctor. I am on medication and was not able to function d/t med side effects. So, my doctor is helping me, or allowing me to be a little less medicated so that I can feel more and do more and create more. The flip side is that I have to learn a new set of coping skills for this "new" me. Thank you for your concern.

I write, all sorts, all of it, get it out, even if I think it's a new best seller at the time, writing helps. Writing about how I'm feeling usually makes me aware of my state.

I also try to be alone if my hypomania goes with irritation to not upset people.

I definitely try to break down goals ea. paint one wall and not the whole room.

When it's worse, I force myself to watch tv instead of starting something.

I don't get very hypo since I've been on mood stabilizers.

I try to remind myself repeatedly to stay in the present. I focus on a saying that I read on a daily basis that keeps me in the present. When I'm hypo or manic I tend to think about all the things I want to do in the future, so staying in the present and focusing on slowing my breathing down seems to help.

One day at a time is enough...don't look back and grieve the past its gone...don't be troubled about the future it has not come yet...live in the present & make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.

I would be interested in what you are doing to combat the depression?

do you read a diffrent saying every day, like from an email list or something.

if so i'd be curious where you get them from

How much irritability and/or agitation do you experience during depression and/or manic episodes? Those are two things that I can not manage when they take place. Completely shuts me down and messes with my head (gathering thoughts, etc.) for days and weeks. Tried lots of horrible meds for this.

I get irritability where my whole body feels tense. I have to leave situations when it happens. I get feeling very angry for no reason. I have been driving a lot because I can scream in my car. I'm a very controlled person, but whole body vibrates some days. That is probably agitation. Sometimes I wonder if this is worth it. I get intense sound sensitivity. Music plays in my head all the time while I am up.

During depression I get psychotic symptoms. I feel like someone is behind me and I get flashes in my brain of pictures. Not pleasant ones. I also get very slowed down physically. The music stops.

I have found that Olanzapine RPD works like a charm for me when I am having intense symptoms. I take it for depression symptoms and for mania. It is only prescribed as a prn and that works well for me. I can take up to 20 mg a day. Having it only as needed and under my control has cut down on the crazy side effects. I hope that answers your question.

I just either roll with it into mischief world (I have bp2 though o don't get into too much trouble) and enjoy the increased productivity or bomb it out on seroquel and sleep it off. Depends if it's the anxious type or the fun type.

Last big run was like six months long and involved me quitting my job, travelling Asia and moving countries so I'm a it careful now. It was fun though....

Today I am trying to start exercising and mediating again. The time in my life when I felt the best I was eating properly, sleeping enough, exercising, and meditating. HA! Easier said than done, but I am trying to get back on it...
We'll see...
MT