Another mixed episode. How do you cope?

I'm starting another mixed episode. It's that weird combination of feeling like you're going to dissolve into tears at any moment mixed with a sort of frenetic irritation and anxiety. The mixed episodes feel worse than either the hypomania or depression. This is when I'm more likely to self-harm. I tried taking my zyprexa early and a diazepam to calm me down. It's not working so far.

What tools or coping strategies do you use to make it through a mixed episode?

I'm been mixed forever...or at least 6 months. God, I wish I knew.

Remind yourself that this is just a bipolar episode like mania or depression and that it will come to an end.
Take things an hour at a time. Take things five minutes at a time if you need.
Take PRN’s and let pdoc know asap if they’re not working.
Mindfulness exercises like breathing exercises and ‘leaves on a stream’ are helpful.
Do whatever you need to do to make your environment safe.
Mixed episodes are awful and I’m still learning to practice what I preach.

I decided to make a large notecard for depression, one for hypomania, and one for mixed states. Each would have symptoms and triggers on one side and coping skills and proven med adjustments on the other.
Then I procrastinated about making them. LOL!!!!

If you get around to it that sounds like a great idea!

Yeah. I used to have every distinct manic and depressive episodes. Over the years they've blurred and i mostly get mixed episodes. They're the worst.
Haha I have awful coping skills though.
But try groubding yourself, yoga, make a note to remember that it is an Episode. It will pass

I’m starting too. Here are some of the things I do:

1. When possible, take bad days off work. (I’m extremely lucky in that I can accumulate days w/no cap and get no pushback when I call in sick.)
2. If I’m at work, I lighten my load however I can. If it doesn’t have to be finished right now, I put it aside.
3. I try not to interact with many people. I mean, I’ll talk w/family, but I purposely keep to myself as much as possible.
4. I try to do all my errands at off times, so that there are fewer people and stressors around.
5. Make myself keep to a sleep schedule. I’ll take sleeping meds to force myself into bed at 930.
6. When I’m in front of people and I feel the irritation or anger rise up, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom and then in the stall I do deep breathing until the urge to lose my ***** dies down. It is still weird - like I did this at work Friday and it was weird as eff, and I’m sure people thought I was unprofessional, but you know what? I didn’t do anything big that I’ll regret, so I can deal with the weirdness.
7. Breathing exercises.
8. I continually remind myself that even though I can’t control the feelings and urges and anger, I can control my behavior.
9. I resist taking on any new tasks or projects.
10. Maintain my scheduled exercise routine.

I finally made my notecards of coping strategies for dep, hypo and mixed moods before I read IRemember’s list and they look very similar. Great minds, LOL.
Thanks I-remember. Your list was a wonderful reminder that these mood swings are just another bump in the road and that they are manageable.

*fist bumps*