Bipolar Depression can be crippling for a person. As a parent, you find yourself trying to get out of bed to fix meals and get the kids to school. Of course it not because of your children, but you just don't have any interest in anything going on. Being very aware of your symptoms and the use of treatment to help you through your depression, you will have a hand up on beating it before it gets bad, but there are a few suggestions to help you through a day with the blues.
Don't add to feeling down by feeling guilty too. Feeling guilty will just make you feel worse instead of better. It is also okay for your child to see you feeling a little down because it teaches them they don't have to be happy all the time or hide their feelings about being sad. Children need to see and understand that life does have ups and downs as well as understand it's okay to talk about their feelings, especially with you. Be careful about how much you show that you are feeling a little down. While it is healthy for them for experience you feeling down once in a while, you don't want to be a regular event.
You also don't want to unload your feeling and problems on your child. Your children don't need to be burdened with parental problems or feel responsible for you feeling sad. Making sure to tell them you are sad today, but it was nothing they did. You might tell them a hug will help you, but don't make them feel responsible for cheering you up either.
Knowing your triggers and finding an empathetic person to talk to, un-bottle, and talk yourself to solutions. A therapist is the best for un-bottling all your feelings. It's also a good idea to make time for adult conversation everyday to talk.
Become involved in fun activities with or without your children will help you bring you mood up too. Taking the kids to the park, zoo, or swimming is a good way to have fun and spend quality time with your children. Indulge yourself in activities you enjoy to do without your kids such as going window shopping for shoes while your neighbor spends a couple of hours with the kids.
Whether with or without your children, take some time to unwind. This could be putting your feet up and watching a movie with the kids or putting your feet up with enjoying a long, hot bath. These little moves will help to melt away the stress that could be adding to or causing your depression.
Taking care of yourself is a huge priority. If you don't take care of yourself, then you won't be able to take care of anyone else. So adapt good healthy habits into your life such as eating right, plenty of exercise, and the right amount of sleep.
Sometimes all you need is just a good cry. As imbalances and wrong wires plague our world, you finally have your own biological way to fight back because depression causing chemicals leave the body through tears. So having a good cry will bring those depression causing chemical levels down. On the other hand, have a good laugh too because it will help to bring you mood up.
Although the tips up above won't completely fight off a severe depression episode, they will help you to make sure your kids don't feel responsible, burdened with parental problems, and learn to deal with their own feelings. They might also help you to kick depression at the first symptoms of an oncoming episode. The most important step to take is to get help before it goes to far, especially before it makes your child depressed.
