Merryl Hammond's Blog, page 2

Do your moods change with the seasons?

Seasonal change is a trigger

When I was first diagnosed with bipolar, my psychiatrist warned that sleep deprivation, together with stress and a heavy workload in my case, is a major trigger for (hypo)mania. Several months later, when Spring blossomed, I discovered that seasonal change had a huge effect on my sleep patterns now that I had bipolar. I now consider seasonal change to be a major trigger for (hypo)mania in itself.

Journal extracts during my first manic episode

Here’s a brief extract from my journal during the first Spring after my diagnosis:

Did good work till nearly 3:30 a.m., then watched the sun rising before going to bed. Woke at 8 a.m. Feeling great – not tired; not irritable (yet)!

On the next day, I wrote:

Great day, but there were several squabbles with Rob [my husband] caused by my irritability and his judgmental-ness. At the party tonight, I was confident, sociable, the “life and soul” – chatting, laughing, even spontaneously singing. I sat far from Rob. He looked so miserable. Men!

A day later, I noted:

BUZZING all day and madly irritable. Huge fight with Rob during which he kind of “restrained” my arm. Argh! And he used his foot to try to block my way out of the room. How dare he? ZERO hours sleep.

40 hours

During this episode, I once went for over 40 hours without sleep, according to a feverish email I fired off to a friend overseas. (Next sentence mentioned that “I have become really irritable with Rob and the kids…” I wonder why!)

“Get some sleep now!”

It really bugged me when I was (hypo)manic when family members would cluck: “Get some sleep now!” As if I didn’t know that I should sleep. I simply could NOT! Sleeplessness is, after all, a diagnostic hallmark of (hypo)mania. It’s not that I was being “naughty” or inconsiderate by not sleeping. I was just being bipolar!

Not  “ beauty sleep ” , but “sanity sleep”!

Since those early, out-of-control days, I’ve learned to treat my sleep like a precious newborn. I take every precaution to meet its every need… I no longer try to get “beauty sleep,” but rather “sanity sleep”! If you treat your sleep with every respect, you may prevent an entire episode or a relapse. Of course, please do take your meds as prescribed as well, now – during seasonal change – and always!

Sleep tips

One simple trick I’ve learned is to wear an eye patch at night to prevent the playful, insistent early morning light in May from waking me up too early. (Once I wake up, I just want to leap out of bed and start my day, even though what I really need to maintain stability is to sleep for an hour or two more.) Remember, there’s nothing like lack of sleep to bring on a (hypo)manic episode.

I also try to get to bed half-an-hour or so earlier than usual, just knowing that my brain is at greater risk of sparking into mania during this time of seasonal change.

What other tips and tricks can you use to stay stable this season?

Have a wonderful Spring,

The post Do your moods change with the seasons? appeared first on Merryl Hammond.

The Power of Exercise

We’ve all heard it a thousand times: exercise regularly; exercise is good for both your physical and mental health; exercise every day… But it’s like recommendations about nutrition: we know what a healthy diet includes, but do we necessarily follow the guidelines?

I’ve made a huge effort to include regular exercise in my day since I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. And I have felt much better as a result. I wish it hadn’t taken a mental health crisis to prompt me into action!

Find an exercise buddy

In the early days after my diagnosis, before I was stabilized, I was so deeply depressed – lying immobile on the bed or couch – that the mere thought of moving, let alone actually exercising, made me want to cry. My daughter, Karrie, who was a nursing student at the time, took it upon herself to “force” me to do exercises with her in the basement each day. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. Later, my younger daughter, Tami, and my husband, Rob, took over as faithful exercise buddies.

Having someone to work out with made a huge difference. I highly recommend it.

Get your endorphins flowing!

If you find you can’t summon the energy to do vigorous cardio exercise, just start with some gentle stretching or beginner yoga poses. Anything to get your body moving, and the fluid in your inner ear swirling again! Let’s get those endorphins flowing! Although there are obviously no miracle cures for depression, I guarantee you’ll feel better after the physical effort than you did before. Just the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel from having pushed yourself to exercise will surely lift your mood a bit.

Different types of exercise for different moods

When I was manic, I favoured relaxing and soothing forms of exercise like yoga, stretching, or a slow, mindful walk outside or on the treadmill. I was consciously trying to slow and calm myself down. On the other hand, when depressed I tried to do more upbeat, vigorous cardio exercise, to speed myself up and try to “chase” the depression out of my system.

Depression prevention

As I say in my memoir, Mad Like Me: Travels in Bipolar Country: For depression prevention, you can’t beat regular exercise. Brisk walks. Karate. Ballet. Hockey. Yoga. Tennis. Whatever works for you. As the ad says: “Just do it.”

To your health,

The post The Power of Exercise appeared first on Merryl Hammond.

World Bipolar Day: Sharing stories; shattering stigmas

At the local World Bipolar Day event, I toasted participants and urged them to take active steps to protect their own mental health.

Celebrating World Bipolar Day

Last week, I facilitated an event to celebrate World Bipolar Day in Baie-D’Urfé. A group of people – some of us affected by bipolar in one way or another, and some who simply wanted to learn more – gathered at the library to share personal experiences about the impact of bipolar on our lives.

The power of sharing stories

What an eye-opening afternoon it was. As one participant emailed afterwards: “I attended because I read your Mad Like Me book and wanted to support you, and I found myself moved by the stories of those who have experienced, directly or indirectly, the suffering that a mental illness can inflict on a person and on his/her family. How genuine and naturally eloquent these people were while sharing painful and private events. It is true that ‘telling is healing,’ but then listening is also enriching and humbling.”

Every time someone affected by a mental illness speaks up, the massive stigma surrounding it is at least somewhat eroded. We have a long way to go, but it feels great to be part of this movement to change perceptions.

At the event, I described how I experienced bipolar depressive and manic episodes, and shared the mantra: “It could be me!” – emphasizing that mental illness could affect anyone at any time.

History of World Bipolar Day

World Bipolar Day (WBD) was started in 2014, co-sponsored by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders and several other international organizations. They chose March 30 because that was Vincent van Gogh’s birthday, and he was posthumously diagnosed as probably having suffered from bipolar disorder. The vision of WBD is to bring worldwide awareness to bipolar disorders. It’s a privilege to be part of a global effort to educate about bipolar, and to reduce the stigma associated with it.

Won’t you join this movement?

Cheers,

The post World Bipolar Day: Sharing stories; shattering stigmas appeared first on Merryl Hammond.

Happy World Bipolar Day!

Time to get educated

March 30 is World Bipolar Day! Do you know someone struggling with bipolar disorder? Ever wondered what it must feel like to experience the wild mood swings of (hypo)mania and depression? Do you know the difference between bipolar Type 1 and Type 2? Now’s a perfect time to educate yourself. All around the world, mental health organizations are marking World Bipolar Day.

Prevalence of bipolar

Did you know: studies put the lifetime prevalence rate of bipolar in Canada at 2.2%. This means that about 500,000 Canadians experience bipolar at some point in their lives. That’s huge! Yet most people are still surprisingly ignorant about the disorder. Many have never even heard of it; others know nothing except that bipolar used to be called manic depression…

Mad Like Me

I’m a nurse with a PhD in public health, diagnosed with bipolar in 2008 at age 51. After two chaotic years that included two psychiatric hospitalizations, I was finally stabilized and could return to work. I chronicle my story in vivid detail in my memoir, Mad Like Me: Travels in Bipolar Country (2018).

People often ask why I used the controversial term “mad” in the book title. I say: Because I want to claim that label, that “status.” I suffered enough; I’ve earned the right to it! Now, I want to “own” my madness, and in so doing, boldly reject all the stigma historically associated with mental illness. I refuse to tip-toe around my disorder any longer. Yes, I have a mental illness. But I’m dealing with it. And I’m here today with a very clear message: the stigma surrounding mental illness is responsible for so much unnecessary suffering – even preventable death by suicide.

Help break the stigma

It’s time to start talking openly about bipolar and all other mental illnesses. I appeal to everyone who has a mental illness or who knows someone in that situation to ask: “What can I do to help end the stigma?” Owning the label “mad” may be one thing to consider. Once we accept the reality of our madness, we may be more willing to seek help. Lifesaving help. I speak both as a health professional and as someone who lives with bipolar. The battle for dignity, respect and acceptance for people with bipolar – and all mental illnesses – is not over; not by any means. I wrote Mad Like Me to encourage debate and fight stigma.

What will you do?

World Bipolar Day is a perfect opportunity for people on all points of the mental health spectrum to pause, reflect, and plan concrete steps they can take to make a difference in the lives of people with bipolar and their long-suffering family caregivers. What will you do?

 

Cheers,

The post Happy World Bipolar Day! appeared first on Merryl Hammond.