Complementary Medicine Treatments For Bipolar Disorder
Having bipolar disorder can be unpredictable and downright scary sometimes. Your moods can shift and become extreme at virtually any time, and they can be hard to control even with the help of medication. Whether you are currently on prescription medication or not for your bipolar disorder, you may be looking for some complementary medicine options to supplement your conventional bipolar treatments. Get to know some of the complementary medicine treatment options that can help you manage your bipolar disorder. Then, you can try adding them to your current treatment regimen as soon as possible.
Light Therapy
People with bipolar disorder can experience several problems that may benefit from light therapy. For example, many patients with bipolar have sleep disturbances and problems with their circadian rhythms. And of course, getting a good night's sleep on a regular schedule is one of the best ways to manage bipolar disorder.
Light therapy can help to reset and control those circadian rhythms. People with these issues can use a therapeutic light (purchasable through online retailers or even in local stores) that mimics daylight. They will use this light for 30 to 60 minutes at a set time during the day. The light will help to improve mood, make a person feel more awake and alert, and help to get the person on a normal sleep-wake cycle.
Another benefit of light therapy is that it can help with depression, especially the depression associated with the winter season (seasonal affective disorder). Patients with bipolar often experience depressive cycles during the winter because of a lack of sufficient natural light. Light therapy can help to offset that.
Massage Therapy
Stress is a major issue for people with bipolar disorder. What many people may consider to be a normal amount of stress in daily life can actually trigger mood episodes and cause great turmoil for a person with bipolar disorder. As such, stress management is vitally important in the management and treatment of bipolar disorder.
One of the complementary medicine options to help you reduce and manage stress is massage therapy. Massages specifically focus on the tension and stress that people carry in their physical body, and in the muscles in particular. Massage therapists locate the points of tension (usually in the back and neck, but also elsewhere in the body). They use various techniques to relieve this tension including heat, aromatherapy, pressure, and several other techniques.
When the body is relaxed through massage therapy and muscle tension and pain is relieved, the mind can also relax. People who go to regular massages often feel much more relaxed and are better able to handle the stress in their lives. As such, it can be a vital tool in dealing with bipolar disorder.
Knowing these complementary medicine treatments for your bipolar disorder, it is time to give them a try as soon as possible.
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