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Medication Pitfalls with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

 In the previous blog article: "Depression: Lost Mail," I identified strategies to combat depression despite medication management where symptoms still dominate. Now I'll discuss ways that I manage lingering symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.


Medication is highly effective to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for me. There are many pharmaceutical drugs that helps control symptoms. Classic symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis. Yet, several more symptoms take form which are not widely discussed enough. Typical symptoms of bipolar disorder include: mania, depression, mood swings, and more. Still, it is common for some of these symptoms to persist despite treatment. And, knowing the cues, studying the diagnosis, and learning myself is essential. I'll focus on lack of expression and tone of voice, irritability, and mood swings.


First, lack of expression and tone of voice is a symptom of schizophrenia. A lot of times I am not even aware of it. Therefore, I pay particular attention to my friends and relatives' comments on this. To control this problem, I emphasize my body language and expressions. It may seem like acting, but it's coping for me. Therefore, when people are talking, I let them know I understand and can relate. I try to nod and change my tone of voice while speaking. For most people this comes naturally, but for me I am mindful.


Second, irritability is a significant issue. I aim to minimize this by eliminating things that I recognize contributes to my irritability. For example, making sure I get more rest. Sleeping 6 to 8 hours is not enough. And, I've heard from many peers that sleeps for extending times is the norm due to medication. But it's also a way to reset the mind and regroup. Other times I try to snack throughout the day to avoid being irritated by hunger, which would frustrate a lot of people as well.


Finally, the mood swings. This is a constant battle. There's always a cycle that I usually can anticipant. When I'm highly energized, I take advantage of this by staying more productive. And, when I fall into depression which lasts a lot longer than the energized days, I recycle a lot of coping skills and take my medication as prescribed. I might change the dose of my prescription with my doctor or the time of day taken, which helps.


Again, there are several other symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that I didn't discuss. Therefore, I encourage you to continue to educate yourself on the conditions, discuss treatment options with your healthcare professional, and to utilize your coping skills. Medication is very helpful in treating a lot of symptoms, and if medication is your way of managing, I hope you will follow your doctor's recommendations on how to take it and give new medications time to take effect.

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