Living with hypomania and mania

Keep a record of your mood

You could try using a mood diary. There are lots of free ones, like Moodz. Or you could try Bipolar UK's mood scale, app or paper mood diary.

Keeping a record of your mood can help you understand your triggers and learn your warning signs.

Understand your triggers

Some behaviours, experience or situations might seem to trigger (start) an episode. For example, you might often feel your mood changing after a late night.

Understanding these patterns can help you change your behaviour to avoid triggers. You might find this reduces your mania or hypomania.

Doing too much, or going to extremes, in any aspect of my life, is a recipe for a mood episode.

Learn your warning signs

You may notice a pattern to how you feel or behave before an episode.

Noticing that your mood is starting to change can help you make sure you have support in place. And that you can focus on looking after yourself.

Triggers and warning signs can be different for everyone. It may take time to work yours out. It can also help to share any warning signs with people you trust.

Keep to a routine

A routine can help you feel calmer and more stable. Your routine could include:

• Everyday activities, such as when you eat meals and go to sleep

• Time for relaxation or mindfulness

• Time for hobbies and social plans

Take medication at the same time each day. This can keep a consistent level of medication in your system. And help you manage side effects.

I’ve never been a huge fan of routines and self-discipline. But regular bedtimes, timing my medication properly, saying no to social events and other triggers…are a price worth paying for staying well.

Reduce stress

Stress can trigger hypomanic or manic episodes. It might help to reduce your stress when you can. And to look after yourself when you do feel stressed.

See our pages on managing stress for more information.

Manage your money

You might be worried about money if you have spent too much during manic or hypomanic episodes in the past. But there are ways to stay in control. You could ask someone you trust to help you limit your spending during an episode.

You might also think about making a lasting power of attorney. This means choosing someone you trust to help manage your money when you are unwell. 

Experian's free Support Hub tool lets you tell services about your mental health. You can use it to ask for support, like spending restrictions on bank accounts.

Our pages on money and mental health may help. You can also contact the National Debtline. They give free, impartial advice about debt.

Look after yourself

Try to manage your sleep

Getting less sleep can trigger mania and hypomania. And many of us struggle with sleep during an episode.

Improving your sleep can help you keep your mood stable or make an episode shorter. Try going to bed at your usual time, even if you don’t feel tired. See our pages on coping with sleep problems for more tips.

Find physical activity that works for you

Gentle exercise like yoga or swimming can help you relax and manage stress. And higher intensity exercise like running or cycling could help burn off some energy.

But some of us find that intense exercise can trigger hypomania or mania, or make an episode worse.

It might help to make a note of how your mood responds to different types of exercise. This can help you find activities that work for you.

See our pages on physical activity and mental health for more information.

Talk to people you trust

It can help to talk to people you trust about your mental health.

Share how others can help you 

Talk to people you trust about what helps you during an episode, and what you find hard.

For example, you might say: 'I find it frustrating that you think I'm hypomanic every time I'm happy or have a good day.'

Or: 'It's helpful when you notice I haven't been sleeping much and remind me to get a good night's sleep.'

It can help to have this chat when you're well. Choose a time when you both have time to talk openly and calmly.

Involve people in your self-care plan

Sometimes people close to us can spot useful things about our behaviour. When you are making a self-care or crisis plan you could:

• Ask if they have seen any patterns in your behaviour around the times that you become unwell

• Tell them more about your warning signs and ask them to look out for them

• Talk about how you plan to look after yourself and see if they have any suggestions

• Share when you think you will need extra support, for example when you might need to go to hospital

• Talk about what you would like to happen in a crisis

Try peer support

Talking to people with similar experiences can help you feel less alone.

Peer support can help us learn and share ways of looking after ourselves and others.

Our page on finding peer support has more information. You could also contact Mind's Infoline or a local Mind to see what support there is in your area. And visit an online peer support community, such as Mind's Side by Side.

Our pages on keeping yourself safe online have some useful tips.

Visit a recovery college

It can also help to see if your local area has a recovery college. Recovery colleges offer courses about mental health and recovery in a supportive environment. You can find local providers on the Mind Recovery Net website.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead could help you to manage your mood and stop your symptoms getting worse.

Think about what you’ll do when you feel yourself starting to have manic or hypomanic symptoms. Write these down or record voice notes. It’s best to do this when you’re feeling well.

You could also share this plan with people who support you.

You might need to try a few ideas to find out what works. For example:

• Make yourself go to bed, even if you don't feel tired

• Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine

• Eat regularly, even if you don't feel like it (you could set a timer to remind yourself)

• Avoid stimulating (exciting) activities

• Avoid noisy, bright or busy environments

• Do things you find calming or soothing

• Do relaxation or deep breathing exercises

• Take steps to limit your spending or manage your money in other ways

• Postpone making major life decisions

• Avoid situations that might put you at risk - such as driving or taking recreational drugs

Plan for a crisis

During a mental health crisis, it can be difficult to let others know what help you need. It can help to make a crisis plan while you’re well.

Your plan can say what you would like to happen during a crisis, and how you would like to be treated. See our page on planning for a crisis for more information.

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