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Goal-Setting Endeavors to Treat Bipolar Disorder (3)

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Published: 03Sep2008
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Weight gain is one of the main reasons why some bipolar patients stop taking their medications. Bipolar depression medications often increase your hunger, creating the urge to eat uncontrollably, leading to weight gain. In addition, eating disorder is usually associated with depression. It is common for depressed individuals to turn to food to satisfy their emotional needs.

Bipolar disorder requires medications. Don't give up your medications just because of your weight gain.

Like an Olympic athlete, you must train yourself to restrict your diet. You must identify the signs that your medications are affecting your hunger and craving for food. These signs include: eating if you wake up in the middle of the night; binge eating even when you are not hungry; being obsessive with food; feeling a desire to eat even though you just ate.

These are obvious signs that your medications are the culprit. However, take into consideration that most bipolar disorder drugs increase your appetite. Develop an exercise program to help you burn your extra calories, and stick to it. In addition, you may want to increase your exercise before you even have a chance to gain weight.

Accept the fact that even when you eat less and exercise more, you will gain weight because some bipolar medications change your body's metabolism - how your body burns calories. Your body's reactions to medications are unique: some individuals overeat and some don't; some gain weight, while others may even lose weight. The important thing is not to blame yourself. If you think you are at fault, then this will worsen your depression.

One of your main goals to control bipolar disorder is to focus on your diet, despite your increased appetite. Whatever you eat, eat healthy.

Junk food may satisfy your immediate craving and give you momentary satisfaction. However, foods made from refined white flour and white sugar, as well as sodas, quickly cause a spike in your blood sugar and then a drastic stop. This is how they can adversely affect your mood swings.

Is it worthwhile to have less junk food and fewer pop sodas in exchange for more stable moods in the long run? The choice or preference for junk food has little to do with your appetite. You can have a great appetite and still eat healthy. The choice is yours. A healthy diet makes a healthy body and a healthy mind.

If your body weight is totally out of control despite all your efforts, maybe you should consider asking your doctor to change your medications, if need be. A good physician should be monitoring how your respond to the medications, as well as their side effects on you.

The number one solution for weight gain due to bipolar medications is prevention. If you are newly diagnosed and have just started your bipolar medications, weigh yourself now and watch your weight carefully. Individuals can gain as much as fifty pounds or more in some of these medications in a very short while. You do not want to create one problem after another.

For more information on how to control and manage depression, go to Stephen Lau's website: http://www.rethinkyourdepression.com

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