A lot of times the meds don’t work right when you have PMS, or if you are older, getting on towards menopause, there are problems. I keep track when I will have PMS because I know I will be in total relapse at that time. I avoid putting things on my calendar then (which I can do to some extent, because I am on disability for bipolar).

I use a light box, one that’s REALLY bright. My doc says for many bipolar people, they get more depressed in the fall/winter. It’s best to use it about 1/2 hour in the morning, first thing when you get up. You can get the Sunray, I used that in a mental hospital, and it was very good. Don’t get the dinky little lights, they aren’t bright enough.

I wrote up a list of happy things to read when I’m down, stuff like a basket of fluffy kittens, the sound of popcorn popping, the scent of jergen’s lotion, the feel of snowflakes melting on my face, or the first snowfall on pine trees, that kind of thing. My list is 4 pages long. It helps quite a bit. I also hug my cats and tell my hubby I am needy. I ask for sex when I’m low, even when I don’t feel like having it at all, because it actually helps a LOT.

I found that ativan and other benzos, and especially ambien, made me have a LOT of trouble controlling my behavior, and made me very angry all the time, way beyond irritability. So you may want to see if you can get by without those pills. After a couple weeks, they don’t work anyway, due to dependence. Research that, if you don’t believe me. The reason you get insomnia when you quit them is due to drug withdrawal.

A good websight is bipolarworld.net, and click on ask the doctor. That Dr. Phelp’s guy specializes in bipolar and recently wrote a book on Bipolar II, which is his main interest in bipolar, actually. So you will want to read all his stuff. He really emphasizes regular exercise as a mood stabilizer.

Oh, and I’m going to add, when I get busy and don’t eat, and my blood sugar gets a little low (I’m dragging a bit), often my mood dives and won’t come back up until the next day. so I try to eat regularly and get whole grains. I still screw up, but not very often.

I hope one of these ideas was helpful to you. Check out Dr. Phelp’s, he links all his stuff to journal articles so you can read the original research.

Hope this helps.

Hope you find what you are looking for…

I couldn’t say that this is THE answer – b/c there are many factors for me and I’m sure there are for you. But for me – I am now med free and mostly stable…

Good luck!

Have you been to a more intensive therapy program such as a partial care/partial hospitalization program for those with mental health problems? You may respond better while being in the company of others who understand the struggles that you deal with. Those types of programs are typically run during the day and consist of group therapy, educational groups and coping and stress management skills. You would most likely, however, need to take a (medical) leave of absence from your job. Though if it can help you to become more functional and less depressed than now, it may be well worth it. Hoping that you get some relief soon.

If there is nothing disruptive going on in your life to cause this unease, then actively changing your thought processes will be most helpful in ridding this dysthymia.

When a sad or negative thought enters your mind, immediately replace it with a positive one. This takes time and practice, but the benefits are worth it.

In addition, and perhaps most important, finding a passion is a mood booster. It can be a passion for a person, your work, interest, hobby, or a spiritual passion. It can be all or one. This is an answer to a low-grade depression.