Prevention

Bipolar disorder cannot be prevented. But often the mood swings can be controlled with medicines.

About 1 out of 3 people will be completely free of symptoms of bipolar disorder by taking mood stabilizer medicine, such as carbamazepine or lithium, for life.⁵

To help prevent a depressive or manic mood episode, you can:

• Eat a balanced diet.
• Exercise daily.
• Avoid extensive travel into other time zones.
• Get approximately the same number of hours of sleep every night.
• Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs.
• Reduce stress at work and at home.
• Limit caffeine and nicotine during manic episodes.
• Seek treatment as soon as you notice symptoms of a depressive or manic episode coming on.

Changes in your sleep patterns can sometimes trigger a manic or depressive episode. If you plan extensive travel into other time zones, you may want to call your doctor before you leave. Find out from your doctor if you should make any changes in your medicines and what to do if you have a manic or depressive episode while you are away.

Home Treatment

Home treatment is important in bipolar disorder. To help control mood swings, you can:

• Take your medicine every day as prescribed.
• Get enough exercise. Try moderate activity for at least 30 minutes a day, every day, if possible. Moderate activity is activity equal to a brisk walk. For more information, see the topic Fitness.
• Get enough sleep. Keep your room dark and quiet, and try to go to bed at the same time every night.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. A balanced diet includes foods from different food groups, such as whole grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and protein. Eat a variety of foods within each group (for example, eat different fruits from the fruit group instead of only apples). A varied diet helps you get all the nutrients you need, because no single food provides every nutrient. Eat a little of everything but nothing in excess. All foods can fit in a healthy diet if you eat everything in moderation. For more information, see the topic Healthy Eating.
• Control the amount of stress in your life. Manage your time and commitments, establish a strong system of social support and effective coping strategies, and lead a healthy lifestyle. Techniques to relieve stress include physical activity and exercise, breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and massage. For more information, see the topic Stress Management.
• Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs.
• Limit caffeine and nicotine during manic episodes.
• Learn to recognize the early warning signs of your manic and depressive episodes.
• Ask for help from friends and family when needed. You may need help with daily activities if you are depressed, or you may need support to control high energy levels if you are experiencing mania. For more information, see:

Bipolar disorder: Preventing manic episodes.

Family members often feel helpless when a loved one is depressed or manic. Family members and friends can help by:

• Encouraging the person to take prescribed medicines regularly, even when he or she is feeling good.
• Learning the warning signs for suicide, which include:
  • Drinking alcohol heavily or taking illegal drugs.
  • Talking, writing, or drawing about death, including writing suicide notes.
  • Talking about things that can cause harm, such as pills, guns, or knives.
  • Spending long periods of time alone.
  • Giving away possessions.
  • Acting aggressive or suddenly appearing calm.
• Recognizing a lapse into a manic or depressive episode and helping the person cope and get treatment.
• Allowing your loved one to take enough time to feel better and get back into daily activities.
• Learning the difference between hypomania and when he or she is just having a good day. Hypomania is an elevated or irritable mood that is clearly different from a regular nondepressed mood and can last for a week or more.
• Encouraging your loved one to go to counseling and to join a support group, and joining one yourself if needed.

To learn more about how you can help your loved one through mood swings, see helping a person during a manic episode.

To learn more about how you can help your loved one with depression, see:

Depression: Helping someone get treatment.

Depression: Supporting someone who is depressed.