'The Mood Tracker app helps me avoid festive burnout’

Christmas is a potential rocky period for me. Everything gets a little bit more intense – both in my work life and socially.

In August 2023, I was diagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants. I became so dangerously unwell, I hit crisis and ended up in A&E just before Christmas.

Everything about December – the dark evenings, the Christmas lights, the weather – reminds me of that time and I’m still processing everything that happened. Both the horrible personal experience and the impact it had on those who love me.

As horrendous as that experience was, it did lead to my diagnosis which opened the door to the treatment, support and self-management strategies I need to lead a successful life with bipolar.

I feel a bit overwhelmed every December

I’m a business owner and, because it’s the end of the financial year for lots of our clients, we tend to get lots of last-minute orders in the run up to Christmas. The excitement of making deals, travelling internationally and meeting lots of people face to face can trigger symptoms of high mood.

My social life tends to be busier in December with Christmas work events and meeting up with friends. Both my family and my girlfriend’s family also invite us for big meals and general festivities.

So much socialising leads to my alcohol intake going up, which disrupts both my mood and sleep patterns. Because of the medication I’m on, I know that one drink is probably the same as three drinks for the next person. But there’s a kind of pressure to keep up.

Tracking my mood helps me stay well

I’ve got a few things in place to help me stay well. Alongside taking my medication, the key thing I use is the Bipolar UK Mood Tracker app, especially to keep an eye on the amount of sleep I’m getting. I also keep a journal to note down how I’m feeling.

The app and the journal allow me to zoom out, look at the bigger picture, and see whether there's a pattern going on. The app also facilitates conversations with my psychiatrists if any changes to my medication are needed.

I also have the Bipolar UK Mood Scale pinned up on my notice board, which I've customised with my personal signs that show that I’m shifting out of balance. For example, if I spend over £100 in a day, I know my mood is going up.

If I notice any changes, I start putting things in place to try to stop my mood going up any further. I have an early night, and I cut down my alcohol intake.

And the main thing I do is avoid making any plans between Christmas and New Year. Instead, my girlfriend and I have a quiet staycation so we can relax properly and feel refreshed when it’s time to go back to work in the New Year.

Peer support has been helpful

However I’m feeling, I have gone to a Bipolar UK monthly peer support group almost without fail since day one of getting my diagnosis.

It has been so helpful to share experiences, feel a sense of validation that I’m not the only one going through this and make connections with such lovely people.

I’m always welcomed with a warm cup of tea, and I feel very much at home. It’s also a way of recognising how far I’ve come if I’m stable and helps me recognise my moods if I’m not. Having a safe space to talk, ask questions and listen to others is so helpful.

I genuinely don’t know where I would be without my local support group. Whatever time of year it is, I highly recommend going to a support group – either in person or online – and connecting with others who really understand. 

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