Welcome Spring…Hello Mania
by Tonya King
Spring has arrived in the part of America where I live. The days are getting longer, the sun is shining, and the weather is warming up.
The arrival of warm weather and sun brings out the happy in most people, but it brings out the manic in me. My mood destabilizes with the bright sunshine and longer days.
I get very “up” and my speech gets pressured. I speak loudly, spend a lot of money, need less sleep, start projects, and generally feel invincible. I’ve come to expect this behavior in myself when Spring arrives, but I am always surprised at the veracity of my mood.
My husband can usually see these manic episodes before I do, and I rarely become aware of them until I am over it and crashing into a depression (which always follows).
My mood can shift quickly from happiness to sadness and irritability which can cause problems in my work and in my relationships.
I tell you this because I am sure that those of you who suffer from a cyclic mood disorder probably experience the same thing.
I know the season changes affect many of us with a mental illness. But there are steps you can take to minimize damage that this manic mood can cause.
My first line of defense is always prayer. I need to go to God with my suffering and confusion before I turn to anything else. Once you have turned your moods or issues over to God, then you can tun to other modalities of treatments to get you back to a place of balance.
Get sufficient sleep, eat a balanced diet, exercise, avoid alcohol, and know your triggers. Stay on your medications and seek therapy from a Christian counselor.
Each of these suggestions are important on their own, but coupled with prayer and seeking God, they become vital to regaining your balance. I am not trying to speak only of Bipolar disorder, I find these suggestions pertain to many other mental conditions.
Sometimes when we are in the throes of a mental illness episode, we cannot see clearly to help ourselves. We need others in our lives to help us through these times.
A spouse, best friend, close family member. But we also need our Heavenly Father to give us hope.
Hope that we will get through this difficult time and end up on the other side stronger and more balanced. God is the great and mighty Physician and He knows how to help us through our tough times.
Always turn to Him so He can give you peace and calmness. Meditate on His Word and seek treatment.
I think you will find that the two together will give you a complete plan for wholeness.
Tonya King is a Writer, Speaker and Mental Health Coach. She is the founder of Faithful in the Midst ministries which is a ministry devoted to the healing and wholeness of mental illnesses through faith in Jesus Christ.
In 2003, Tonya was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and has been advocating to include faith in Christ as part of treatment and wellness plans. She has been walking with the Lord most of her life but has drawn very close since her diagnosis and truly lives her faith.
Tonya lives in Perry, Ohio, USA with her husband of 31 years, Kevin. She has four children, two girls and two boys. She is available for speaking and coaching engagements.
Read more about Tonya
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