Bipolar Disorder

A disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.

How is Bipolar Disorder diagnosed?

• With a physical Examinatiom
• Lab Test
• Psychiatric assessment – The doctor may refer you to a psychiatrist, who will talk to you about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour patterns.
• Mood charting –  You may be asked to keep a daily record of your moods, sleep patterns or other factors that could help with diagnosis and finding the right treatment.

Symptoms

In bipolar disorder, the dramatic episodes of high and low moods do not follow a set pattern. Symptoms of mania (“the highs”):

• Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
• Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile
• Restlessness
• Rapid speech and poor concentration
• Increased energy and less need for sleep
• Unusually high sex drive
• Making grand and unrealistic plans
• Showing poor judgment
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Becoming more impulsive

During depressive periods (“the lows”), a person with bipolar disorder may have:

• Sadness
• Loss of energy
• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
• Not enjoying things they once liked
• Trouble concentrating
• Uncontrollable crying
• Trouble making decisions
• Irritability
• Needing more sleep
• Insomnia
• Appetite changes that make them lose or gain weight
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Attempting suicide

Causes

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, but several factors may be involved, such as:

• Biological differences. People with bipolar disorder appear to have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain but may eventually help pinpoint causes.
• Genetics. Bipolar disorder is more common in people who have a first-degree relative, such as a sibling or parent, with the condition. Researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing bipolar disorder.

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder or act as a trigger for the first episode include:

• Having a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, with bipolar disorder
• Periods of high stress, such as the death of a loved one or other traumatic event
• Drug or alcohol abuse

Treatment

Naturopathy Treatment

• Mud pack
• Enema
• Steam bath
• Whole body wet sheet pack
• Full body massage
• Feet, palm and head massage
• Dry friction bath
• Wet friction bath
• Spine bath.

Yoga

1. Sukshma vyayam
2. Asanas
   • Thunderpose
   • Cat pose
   • Half camel pose
   • Rabbit pose
   • Frog pose
   • Setubandha asana
   • Suptaudrakarshanasan
   • Crocodile pose
   • Bhujangasana
   • Tiryak bhujangasana
3. Suryanamaskar
4. Shithalikaran
5. Pranayam
   • Anulom vilom
   • Kapalbhati
   • Bhramari
6. Mudras
   • Gyana mudra
   • Prana mudra
   • Apan mudra
   • Vayu mudra.

Key Notes

• Patient should always take care of its own capacity. Capacity of movement, holding the posture and capacity of repetition.
• If patient is unable to seat calmly  they are suggested to start with standing poses asanas,  surya namaskar followed by shithalikaran and lastly pranayam mudra.
• If patient is unable to work hard or suffering from other diseases or feels always exhausted they should start from mudra,  pranayam,  laying down asanas and then sukshma vyayam.

Diet

1. 6am – Kadha (saunf, Ajwain, methi dana, jeera, ilaichi).
2. Breakfast – Daliya , sabji , small cutting salad, one sweet fruit or 4 pieces of dates.
3. 12 pm – One glass butter milk (no sugar no salt but could be added some jaggery according to taste)
4. Lunch (2pm-3pm) – Brown rice, roti, kadhi, sabji, patli daal, one bowl of minutely chopped salad.
5. 4pm – sweet lime juice.
6.  7pm to 9pm – Fox nuts ( full makha), one sweet pulpy  fruit , a cup of warm milk.

Psychological Treatment

• The patient should be kept in a healthy environment and with people they are comfortable with.
• The main aim of attendant should be to convince the patient for the treatment. Positive results are seen in a very few days.
• Never blame the patient for the situation they are in.
• Talk to the patients on the topic they want to talk about and in between the talking tell the patients some right things in a very few days.
• Always tell the patient that he/she is correct and someone is there who needs them.
• Always make the patient feel good about themselves by telling good things about them and their surroundings.
• Never force the patient for anything like getting up early do exercises , yoga or meditation.

Do’s and Don’ts

Say YES to:

1. Wake up before sunrise.
2. Take proper rest.
3. Pray and have positive and generous thoughts.
4. Take pure natural satwik food.
5. Milk, butter milk, sprouts, fox nuts dates, raisins, fig, honey, jaggery, and sweet pulpy fruits.
6. Fruit juice and vegetable’s soup.

Say NO to:

1. Laziness, stress, selfishness.
2. Maida, pickles, papad, Mathias, bhujiya, nimki, biscuits.
3. All kind of packed food and juice.
4. Tea, coffee, white sugar and red chilly.
5. Avoid to eat without hunger and over eating.
6. Avoid all sour food including lemon and tamarind.

Key Points

• The person suffering from any kind of mental aliment should avoid wearing dark colour clothes.
• They should avoid sleeping on dark coloured bedsheets
• They should also avoid keeping sharp edged furniture and household things.
• Before sleeping they should not watch or play violent movies or games.
• They should have a poster or a wall decoration of big yellow flower in their bedroom, which they should see before going to bed and after getting up in the morning.

All the information available on this website is for education and awareness purposes only. Follow these practices only under the guidance of a trained Yoga and Naturopathy practitioner. Punam Agarwal and her Yoga and Naturopathy initiatives are not liable for any injuries caused during the process.