Instead of making an attempt to self-medicate or stuff down the overly intense feelings typical of bipolar dysfunction—or disagreeable feelings usually—discover emotion regulation methods.
Coping with Uncomfortable Emotions
Many people would favor to keep away from feelings that make them uncomfortable. Some try and numb their emotions via using alcohol or medicine. Others keep away from or detach from conditions which will result in disagreeable feelings.
Those strategies do little to additional psychological wellness. Instead, it’s price exploring methods for emotion regulation.
Emotion regulation has confirmed particularly useful for folks dwelling with bipolar dysfunction, who usually have a way that their feelings are uncontrolled. Instead of making an attempt to easily not really feel an emotion, the objective is to scale back any adverse outcomes from feeling it too intensely, within the flawed context or state of affairs, or in a chronic or distressing means.
Let’s be clear: You are allowed to really feel any emotion you’re feeling. The trick is to not eliminate or smother an emotion, however slightly to attempt to achieve extra management over the way it impacts you.
What will assist me deal with overly intense feelings?
Here are two methods taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an evidence-based intervention for bipolar dysfunction:
Technique #1: Opposite Action
Intense feelings usually activate an urge to behave in methods that aren’t at all times in your greatest curiosity. Opposite motion expertise can improve resistance to biologically triggered impulses that may solely make issues worse.
For instance, anger might make you wish to shove or hit somebody who’s pushing your buttons. Instead, do the other: present kindness, supply a hug, stroll away. Fear brings a longing to run and escape. Instead, do the other: go in the direction of, keep engaged, construct braveness.
Technique #2: Mindfulness Practices
Learning to be extra conscious of distressing feelings helps reduce their impression. One means to do that is to think about the emotion as a wave. Picture it rising and constructing, coming to a peak, after which receding, similar to a wave on the shore. Acknowledge feelings as they arrive, remind your self it’s OK to really feel them, and acknowledge that they’ll ebb simply as waves do.
Can I cut back my vulnerability within the first place?
Think of the acronym ABC—courtesy of psychologist Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, who developed DBT:
A — Accumulate Pleasant Emotions
Each day, attempt to have interaction in not less than one pleasurable exercise—even in case you are feeling disagreeable feelings or are experiencing a depressed temper. Once you begin an exercise you often take pleasure in, some pleasurable feelings might creep via. If not, remind your self that the extra you handle to do, the higher you’ll really feel in the long term.
It additionally may be useful to jot down a listing of pleasurable issues which have improved your temper previously, particularly issues you are able to do instantly or within the brief time period. For instance: watch your favourite film, spend time with somebody you care about, sit within the sunshine, play together with your pet, go for a stroll.
B — Build Mastery
Decide on a goal-directed exercise and follow it till you’re feeling competent. This is much less about what you do and extra about the sensation you get while you do it. What makes you’re feeling achieved? Sometimes, that is perhaps as fundamental as taking your medicines on time or washing the dishes. Other instances, it is perhaps a bigger objective, corresponding to studying a language or planning with an acquaintance to strengthen your friendship.
C — Coping Ahead
This means training emotion regulation methods corresponding to reverse motion and mindfulness till you’re feeling assured you’ll be able to deploy them when wanted sooner or later.
As with something new, you’ll be able to’t attempt a method as soon as and resolve whether or not or not it really works. Practice in many alternative settings and situations. When gripped by intense emotion, the flexibility to problem-solve and recall expertise is often diminished. Frequent follow at different moments makes it simpler to entry and implement expertise throughout instances of emotional dysregulation.
To discover extra choices for emotion regulation, think about discovering a therapist with coaching in DBT. If that’s not sensible, search for written assets. I usually advocate The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder, by Sheri Van Dijk.
Originally posted January 2023
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