What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that can cause extreme mood swings, affecting how an individual feels, thinks and behaves. These mood swings often involve extreme highs, also referred to as mania, as well as extreme lows, also referred to as depression. The frequency of mood swings varies by individual, some may experience few swings a year while some may see many. During a depressive phase, symptoms are very similar to that of depression, including feeligs of hopelessness, loss of interest in activities and thoughts of self harm or suicide. In contrast, during a manic phase, individuals are commonly increasingly energetic or sociable.

How can we help ourselves?

Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, tea and energy drinks. It has the potential to worsen the symptoms of bipolar disorder for some individuals. As explained previously, Bipolar disorder involves significant shifts between mania (high bursts of energy) and depression (low energy). Caffeine's effect on the natural chemical balances in the brain can make managing these already unpredictable mood swings even more difficult.

When caffeine is consumed, it increases the release of hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline and dopamine, both of which are linked to your mood. For an individual with bipolar disorder, this can make the mood swings they experience more intense. While experiencing a manic episode, caffeine can worsen the feelings of Impulsivity, irritability and restlessness. However, if the individual is experiencing a depressive episode, caffeine may improve your mood and focus initially, but lead to a natural “crash”, worsening the feeling of fatigue and low mood.

Caffeine also has the potential to affect natural sleep patterns, which are most important in managing moods in bipolar disorder. Even when it is consumed in small amounts, especially in the afternoon, it can disrupt sleep patterns and stop the brain from getting the rest it needs to regulate and maintain emotions and stress.

In addition to this, caffeine interacts and affects certain medications that are commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder, such as mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. This can potentially reduce their effectiveness causing unwanted side effects.

In short, caffeine has the potential to destabilize mood, disrupt natural sleep patterns and interfere with prescription medication. Making it a substance individuals affected by bipolar disorder should consume rarely or avoid. 

Alcohol

Alcohol is a chemical compound commonly found in drinks like beer and wine. It acts as a depressant which slows down the brain’s functions and can be addictive and harmful when consumed excessively. Alcohol also has the potential to worsen the effects of bipolar disorder due to the impact it can have on mood, sleep and natural brain chemistry.

Firstly, alcohol influences the neurotransmitters in the brain, neurotransmitters are the brain’s chemical messengers. Alcohol initially increases the production of dopamine, which creates a feeling of pleasure and relaxation. However, the effects are only temporary and will begin to wear off, as a result, dopamine levels will drop. This has the potential to trigger or worsen a current depressive episode. This harmful cycle of temporary highs and lows can destabilize the mood of an individual with bipolar disorder even more.

Alcohol, like caffeine, has the potential to disrupt natural sleep patterns and cycles, which are critical for managing bipolar disorder. Poor sleep can trigger both manic or depressive episodes. While alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly, it will reduce the quality of deep and restorative sleep, which will leave you fatigued the next day.

In addition to this, alcohol can influence an individuals decision making and their judgement. During a manic episode, an individual affected by bipolar disorder may already be vulnerable to risky behaviours. Consuming alcohol can worsen this symptom. Which doesn’t only lead to health problems, but also has the potential to lead to social, legal or financial issues. During depressive episodes, alcohol can significantly increase feelings of guilt, hopelessness and low self worth, which increasing the risk of self-harm or suicide.

Like caffeine, alcohol can influence most medications used to manage bipolar disorder, such as mood stabilizers and antidepressants, reducing their overall effectiveness and potentially bring unwanted harmful side effects, making it increasingly difficult to manage the condition.

In short, alcohol worsens bipolar disorder by making mood swings even more unstable, disrupting your deep and restorative sleep and interfering with prescription medication. Avoiding alcohol entirely or limiting it’s consumption is critical for individuals with bipolar disorder.

Sugar

Sugar is a sweet carbohydrate naturally found in foods such as fruits and vegetables. It is also commonly added to processed foods and drinks, providing energy but can contribute to health when consumed excessively. Sugar can negatively impact bipolar disorder by bringing fluctuations in natural blood sugar levels, which has the potential to trigger mood swings or worsen symptoms. Sugars can also cause rapid spikes and big crashes in blood glucose levels which influence brain function and mood management.

When an individual consumes sugar, the blood sugar levels will rise rapidly, bringing a burst of energy and a temporary high. However, this is always followed by a large drop in blood sugar, most commonly referred to as a “crash” This drop often brings feelings of fatigue and anxiety. This has the potential to trigger or worsen depressive episodes in those with bipolar disorder. These fluctuations make it more difficult to manage emotional stability and this can bring more intense mood swings.

In addition to this, sugar influences chemicals in the brain. For example, serotonin, which plays an important role in mood regulation. A high intake of sugar can bring an imbalance in these neurotransmitters which increases the risk of triggering both manic or depressive episodes.

Moreover, sugar can bring weight gain and other physical health issues, which have the potential to contribute to feelings of low self worth and depressive symptoms. Both the physical strain and the emotional toll of these health issues can make regulating and managing bipolar disorder increasingly difficult.

In conclusion, sugar has the potential to worsen the effects of bipolar disorder by causing sugar fluctuations, disrupting natural balances of chemicals in the brain, influences your natural sleep and contributing to physical health issues. Limiting sugar intake will benefit overall health for an individual with bipolar disorder.

Salt

Salt is a mineral made up of sodium and chloride. It is most commonly used for the seasoning and preservation of food, but excessive consumption of salt can bring health issues. Salt has the potential to worsen the effects of bipolar disorder by affecting blood pressure, hydration and overall brain function. 

An excessive intake of salt can lead to high blood pressure, which can strain the heart and blood vessels in the body. This creates stress on the body, which makes it increasingly difficult to manage the emotional symptoms of bipolar disorder. High blood pressure also has the potential to influence natural sleep patterns and sleep quality, leading to conditions such as insomnia which can trigger mood swings and intensify the effects of both manic and depressive episodes. 

Salt also affects hydration. A frequent or excessive intake of salt leads to dehydration, which can bring symptoms such as fatigue, irritability and can sometimes even poor concentration. Dehydration can also make mood regulation increasingly difficult as it interferes with brain function and overall health. The effects of dehydration can be problematic for those with bipolar disorder, as they already suffer from emotional instability.

In addition to this, excessive consumption of salt can disrupt the natural balance of electrolytes in the human body. Electrolytes are essential for proper nerve function, muscle function function, and cardiovascular health. This imbalance can bring unwanted physical health issues which have the potential to affect mood regulation bringing irritability, especially in manic episodes.

In summary, salt has the potential to worsen the effects of bipolar disorder by raising blood pressure, bringing dehydration and disrupting brain function and the natural balance of electrolytes. An individual affected by bipolar disorder should aim to reduce their intake of salt.

Saturated fats

Saturated fats are a type of fat most commonly found in animal products such as meat and dairy, and even some plant oils. A frequent or excessive intake of saturated fats can negatively impact the brain and the body, potentially leading to worsened symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Firstly, saturated fats can worsen bipolar disorder through inflammation. A frequent intake of saturated fats can increase inflammation within the body, in vital area such as the brain and heart. Chronic inflammation has been linked to many mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. It also makes it increasingly difficult to manage the emotional highs and lows that bipolar disorder can bring. Inflammation can also disrupt the natural chemical balance in the brain, most importantly the functions of neurotransmitters, leading to more intense mood swings.

Saturated facts can also influence the brain’s function and structure. A diet with high amounts of fats can damage the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier is a protective wall made of cells that surround blood vessels within the brain. It helps to regulate what substances pass through into the brain, blocking harmful toxins and allowing essential nutrients and oxygen to pass through. When this barrier is weakened, these harmful toxins and molecules can enter the brain, leaving the brain more vulnerable to issues regarding function. This can worsen the cognitive symptoms brought by bipolar disorder, such as concentration issues and impaired decision making.

In addition to this, a frequent or high intake of saturated fats can contribute to other physical health issues and increase the risks of disease. For example, high cholesterol and heart disease. These conditions have the potential to increase stress on the body and lead to feelings of fatigue and low mood, leading to further complications while managing bipolar disorder.

In conclusion, a high intake of saturated fats has the potential to worsen bipolar disorder by increasing the levels of inflammation in the body, disrupting brain functions and contributing to other physical health issues. Reducing your intake of saturated fats would be very beneficial for your overall and mood stability, making it easier to manage bipolar disorder.