The relapse rate for bipolar disorder is high. Learning to recognize the early warning signs of a bipolar disorder relapse is an important skill. However, recognizing early warning signs of relapse is not easy for people with bipolar disorder, especially if they are sliding into a manic episode. With depressive episodes, patients often say they are on a “smooth slope,” slipping down a bit, not realizing the extent of their depression until they “hit bottom. Before the patient realizes the severity of the problem, there are often signs that are obvious to others, such as family members, co-workers or medical staff. Without considerable effort on the part of the patient, family and medical staff involved in the patient’s treatment, it is often too late to reverse the process.
The ability of the patient to become aware of reliable warning signs usually requires a lot of effort and requires repeated examination of the early warning signs for clues. This process is best started when the patient is made aware of the symptoms of a manic or depressive episode for the first time. We can help the patient recall symptoms about four areas: emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and physical. If the patient is able to recognize the types of symptoms of these four aspects of the episode well, the focus can shift to identifying early warning signs and symptoms. We can have patients categorize symptoms in each area: pre-episode symptoms; symptoms that are clearly in the middle of an episode; and symptoms that have already occurred or during a severe episode. Learning to categorize symptom progression in a staged approach can increase the patient’s attention to very early prodromal symptoms or behaviors.
For example, we can help the patient recall a recent episode and try to recall which were their main symptoms at that time. Was it primarily a problem with eating, sleeping, or energy levels? Or was it thinking like a race? Or feeling invincible? Was it primarily an emotional problem, such as sadness, anger, anxiety, or loneliness? Try to figure out which symptoms are more pronounced when they indicate severe mood swings. It is helpful to make a list of these “signs” so that the person can be more sensitive and proactive in dealing with them when they arise in the future. It is important to create a specific plan detailing what to do when the warning signs appear. Who the patient can call, which alternate plan is better if they don’t get appropriate help, and other such questions.
In bipolar disorder, like other psychological disorders, patients experience changes in thinking, emotion, and behavior early in the onset or relapse, and timely action in the early stages can reduce the severity and duration of the episode. The disease is easy to relapse, therefore, patients should understand the precursors of relapse and learn to identify the early warning signals of relapse, which is very important for timely treatment.
The common early warning signals of relapsing mania are.
1, temper gradually grows, can’t control want to get angry because of small things.
2.Speaking faster than before, feeling that there is always a lot to say, and the voice is louder than before.
3, feel much better energy, as if there is no sleep, do not know how to get tired, want to contact with the opposite sex.
4.Feeling that the brain has somehow become smarter.
5, the mood is very good, feel that everything around is beautiful, the previous troubles are gone, etc.
The common early warning signs of relapse depression are
1, depressed mood and depression.
2. changes in sleep habits (often early awakening and excessive sleep.
3.Lack of concentration.
4. reluctance to participate in daily social activities
5. low energy and fatigue.
6.Easy to get angry.
7.Loss of interest in things or activities that usually interest you, etc.
After early warning signs of bipolar disorder relapse are identified, active early intervention should be carried out to reduce the risk related to relapse. Strategies for intervention include: 1) clarifying previous medication use; 2) bringing the patient for counseling and examination of mental status as soon as possible; and 3) increasing attention and support to the patient. Early warning signs manifest as aura symptoms of disease recurrence. The aura symptoms themselves have adverse effects on the patient, and they also predict a relapse soon, which can increase the suffering of patients and their families. Therefore, patients should be followed up regularly to provide psychological support, reduce their anxiety, share their pain, and ensure that they receive appropriate and timely professional services, such as expert consultation and outpatient follow-up. At the same time, preparations should be made for relapse. In addition to making plans to deal with high-risk events (e.g., job loss, loss of love, divorce, physical illness, etc.) and precursors to relapse, some plans should be made to prevent relapse. For example, the family and the patient agree that if the relapse occurs with destruction or injury, the family will take the person to the hospital. The most important thing is to keep track of the patient’s consistent condition so that if there is a change, action can be taken in time to prevent relapse.
If the patient does not receive long-term preventive medication, but only trusts the recognition of early warning signs of relapse and early intervention, then it is even more important to educate the patient about bipolar disorder as a disease with a high relapse rate, rather than a human flaw or character defect, etc.