Mania is the hardest element of bipolar disorder to control without medications. The best way to use cognitive behavioral therapy is to use these methods to prevent mania that from ever starting in the first place. In other words, if you start noticing the onset of hypomanic or mildly depressive symptoms, eliminate them before they even get started. That is not to say that you should not take the medication that your psychiatrist has prescribed, but CBT can be used effectively in conjunction with pharmaceutical drugs.
Cognitive behavioral therapy may not control your manic moods completely, but it will certainly take the edge off. Instead of rushing off to Vegas and gambling away $10,000, you may stay at home and buy $50.00 worth of clothes instead.
Here is the common process used by cognitive behavioral therapy to treat mania.
Identify Manic Thoughts
If you’re going to use CBT to treat bipolar disorder, the first thing you must be able to do is recognize that certain behaviors are unrealistic. The belief that you can get a new job anytime you want, so that quitting your current job makes sense, or deciding to take a trip to Vegas because you “just can‘t lose,“ would be examples of overly optimistic thoughts. Feelings that you can do it all, or have almost superhuman powers, are also examples of optimistic perceptions.
Calm Yourself Down
If you are bipolar and feel your heart racing from all the chemicals that your brain is pumping out, you need to take a deep breath and try to slow your mind and body down.
You may wish to take up a very peaceful hobby such as gardening, reading, or taking a walk. All of these activities should help you calm down, unless you’re in an advanced state of mania.
Be Realistic
The third step you should take if you’re suffering from a manic phase of bipolar disorder is to consider the consequences of your actions. Can you afford to lose thousands of dollars gambling in Vegas? Can you afford ten thousand more dollars in credit card debt? Can you really afford to quit your job and try to find a new one?
You may desire to make a list of all the positives and negatives of a decision. I’ve personally come up with many good ideas when I was at the manic or hypomanic, but the ratio of good ideas to bad ideas was very lopsided. Before entering a manic phase, you should set up realistic goals of how much money you will spend, and consult this list if you’re ever manic.
Develop Techniques to Deal with Overly Optimistic Feelings
So how should you go about controlling your manic impulses? A good way is to make all the important decisions when your are feeling balanced. For example, you can make a list of how much you will spend during a day. If you’re manic, you will be able to read this list and realize that your thought process is not normal. I find that making a list of unbreakable roles and putting them into a wallet or purse is very helpful to consult, when you are unsure if you are making a wise decision.
While mania is harder to control with cognitive behavioral therapy, many bad behaviors can be eliminated, especially in regards to prudent financial decisions. Don’t let mania cloud your judgment and destroy your financial future and relationships.