Bipolar Contingency Plan  

The purpose of the contingency plan is, first, to safeguard you from having a bipolar episode and, second, to help you avoid catastrophe if you do have one. When it becomes hard to ignore your manic or depressive symptoms, that’s the moment you must do something about them. Bipolar episodes escalate like wildfire, so a rapid response is everything. The stakes are too high to allow yourself to slide into a bipolar episode of disastrous proportions.

Creating Your Contingency Plan

It is imperative to have a contingency plan in place and ready to execute if you start having worrisome bipolar symptoms. Equally important is creating a team that is aware of your contingency plan, should you need their help when it is critical. Bipolar episodes happen fast, you need to be ready to act.

My friend Jane, who is also bipolar, tells how she created her contingency plan.

I asked my psychiatrist whether I could call her at 2:00 a.m. if I were experiencing bipolar symptoms. She said, “Yes, absolutely, anytime twenty-four/seven. If I am not available then another doctor in my practice will be on call.” We discussed what steps to take if I started to have an episode. She told me one thing I could do immediately was adjust my medication. She told me if I start to have noticeable bipolar symptoms to increase my Seroquel dosage to 400 milligrams from 200 milligrams for several days. She also told me to carry Seroquel with me and if symptoms became severe to take some immediately, even if I have to chew it.

Jane then offers how she shared her contingency plan with others to ensure it would be put to use.

Another thing I did was asked two people I trust implicitly to be part of my contingency plan. I asked my sister, an ex-alcoholic, whom I am very close with. She knows how to deal with mental adversity and has been sober for five years. I also asked my Uncle Bud who knows the issues I have dealt with through the years. They are both aware of my disease and told me to call day or night if I need help. The final thing I did was put my contingency plan in writing.

Jane’s Contingency Plan

When I begin having bipolar symptoms I will take the following actions:

-       Adjust my medication dosage(s) per the prearranged plan I made with my                                      psychiatrist.

-       Call my psychiatrist and make an appointment to see her ASAP or talk to her on the phone.

-       Call the person (people) I have recruited to be part of my contingency plan.

-       Distance myself from my loved ones if I feel agitated, violent, or out of control so they are safe.

-       Check myself into the hospital if things get bad enough.

-       Carry extra medicine with me and take it immediately if symptoms start getting out of hand.

-       Remove myself from stressful situations.

-       Ensure I am getting sufficient sleep. If not, I will call my doctor and        request a sleep aid.

-       Start taking my medications if I am not currently taking them.

-       Stop drinking alcohol and/or taking illegal drugs or at least slow down the pace.

-       Exercise and get fresh air every day.

-       Take vitamins and eat healthy.

Create your own personal contingency plan and put it in writing. Give copies to your team—primary and secondary contacts (psychiatrist, family, and good friends) and talk to them about what they should do if you launch your contingency plan.

On a personal note, I recently used my contingency plan to keep from having a  bipolar episode.  It was a close call, but I was able to stabilize by taking extra medication for several days in a row.  I am darn glad I had my plan to put into action.

A wise man has taught me to always have a contingency plan.—Abraham Lincoln