How to treat meltdowns without medication?

Post Reply New Topic

I'm thinking of ditching the pills with advice from my psychiatrist because I'm on a powerful pill right now that you don't mess with.... you don't mess with pills anyways but still... For my bipolar were going to try... something I don't want to mention here (It's girl stuff) but if it doesn't work and I am bipolar I am going to use herbs but I think it will work-or maybe a combo of the two. Anyways for my meltdowns what am I supposed to do? I would rather not take anything for them but how do I treat them? I don't want to freak out again on someone.

Someone suggested flax seed oil to help calm my nerves. It's been helpful, but how well it works for you is not guaranteed.

http://www.squeasewear.com/

Time to cool off--a lot of time.

Rest

Diaries/journal entries help.

You can stop them before they start by paying attention to your own stress levels and learning to identify when you are about to meltdown so you can remove yourself from the situation. Make sure your sensory sensitivities are taken care of (headphones, sunglasses, tag-free clothing, whatever you need) and your general health is looked after so that physical discomforts don't add to your stress.

[quote="arielhawksquill"]You can stop them before they start by paying attention to your own stress levels and learning to identify when you are about to meltdown so you can remove yourself from the situation. Make sure your sensory sensitivities are taken care of (headphones, sunglasses, tag-free clothing, whatever you need) and your general health is looked after so that physical discomforts don't add to your stress.[quote]

Great advice. As to meds, I never take them if I can avoid it, although my own levels of depression recently is making me think I may have to St Johns wort is supposed to be a good substitute for anti-depressants if you dont have high blood pressure, like I do.

^This^
Remove yourself from the situation, focus on regulating your breathing, relax your muscles. Keep focusing on the physical until you wind down. Only then can you properly think about the issue. Avoid going over it in your head - try to think of something completely unrelated.

Monitor your own stress level and know your triggers so you can mitigate them. Have a plan for when mitigation fails.

I find that my stress levels peak (and I am much more likely to meltdown) when I am BOTH hungry and frustrated. So I mitigate what I can by keeping an apple at my desk to stave off hunger and getting enough sleep and excercise to stave off frustration.

Both excercise and the apple work for me on multiple levels. Excercise vents my frustration and helps me learn to regulate my breathing and heart rate, both of which are good skills to have when a meltdown is coming. The apple gives me a 3 minute breather where I am distracted by the task of eating and that often takes my head away from whatever is frustrating me at the moment as well as taking away the hunger fight or flight state.

When I feel overwhelmed and a meltdown is imminent, I look for a physical outlet that cannot cause harm. I like to try to dent my heavy bag or put miles on my running shoes. I find that not only is this useful to vent a meltdown in progress, but if I excercise on a regular basis, I sleep better, feel better about myself and am less likely to get frustrated by venting on a regular basis.

Meltdowns are like volcanoes. Eventually the volcano will erupt. If the volcano erupts a little every day, we can harness the energy in a positive manner. If a volcano caps itself and builds pressure, it will eventually explode taking everything around it.

In short:
1. Know your triggers and mitigate them.
2. Have a plan to get out of frustrating situations.
3. Avoid situations that allow you no way out.
4. Do not abuse your plan. Don't allow others to see your condition as an excuse.
5. Mitigations that do not allow you to vent are not cures. Eventually the apple is not enough and I will need to vent. Normal excercise vents me daily and keeps the apple relevant.