6 Types of Triggers in Bipolar Disorder by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT
What are triggers?
Triggers are people, things, situations, events, or changes that can lead an individual living with bipolar disorder to experience the return of an episode. An important thing to remember is that experiencing triggers and a return of an episode does NOT mean that individual is in any way weak. Experiencing triggers and episodes is a part of living with bipolar disorder. Individuals who identify their triggers are better able to manage their stress, and ultimately, the diagnosis.
What are the types of triggers?
Here are a few examples of triggers:
Social: These can be conflicts with others, arguments with others, strained relationships, unhealthy relationships, etc.
Life Events: These events can be expected or unexpected depending on where an individual is in their lifetime, such as a loss, a death, moving, obtaining a new job, losing a job, starting school, starting a new semester at school, experiencing an illness, getting married, having children, etc
Self: These include the ways in which a person takes care of their mind and body, such as not eating regularly, overextending themselves, caffeine intake, alcohol or drug intake, etc
Daily Life: These are the tasks and daily schedules of an individual that over time will impact their stress, such as carrying a lot of responsibilities, having little time for rest, lack of a regular and consistent schedule, quality of their living arrangement, commute to work, type of employment, etc
Sleep: This is the foundation for mood management and individuals struggling with this factor find that they have irregular sleep, minimal sleep, no sleep, or are oversleeping. Many different things can impact quality of sleep, such as lack of a sleep routine, changes in daily life responsibilities, traveling to different time zones, etc. Oftentimes, individuals living with bipolar disorder notice that changes in their sleep are one of the first signs of an impending episode.
Miscellaneous: Noise, crowded places, overstimulating environments, specific people, etc.
What are my triggers and what do I do?
It’s important to note that each individual living with bipolar disorder has their own unique list of triggers because everyone has different life experiences, bodies, current situations, etc. Individuals who do their own review of factors that may trigger changes in their mood will better prepare themselves for the future. It can take time to recognize triggers and can bring up many feelings. I recommend doing this exploration with a mental health professional who focuses on and specializes with bipolar disorder, so that the individual has support and guidance from a competent provider. If the individual chooses to see a therapist, there are treatments specific for bipolar disorder that the individual can receive in addition to composition of the triggers list.
You don’t have to do this alone. I specialize in treating bipolar disorder. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.
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Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.