Posts in category: Dating Tips, Guide and Advice

Strategic family therapy is based on the premise that the family plays the most important role in the life and development of children. This type of therapy seeks to identify and change the structural interaction patterns that make up the family environment. By addressing family behaviors and interactions that contribute to problem behavior, this approach helps families function better so that kids can overcome issues they are experiencing.

This article discusses how strategic family therapy works, its uses, and its efficacy. It also covers how to get started if you think this approach could be helpful for your family.

Types of Strategic Family Therapy

Brief strategic family therapy is a short-term model that typically takes place over 12 sessions. It is often used to address specific behavioral problems such as delinquency, drug use, and high-risk sexual behavior.

Related types of therapy that also focus on treating families include family systems therapy, functional family therapy, and structural family therapy. 

Techniques of Strategic Family Therapy

SFT is individualized and tailored to each family’s unique situation. Some of the techniques that a therapist may draw on as they coach families through interactions designed to produce change are listed below.

Joining

The first step involves creating a therapeutic alliance with the family. This relationship involves mutual respect and consideration that helps the family feel that the therapist is on their side.

It allows the therapist to temporarily gain acceptance into the family unit so that they can better understand the family’s experiences, relationships, and interactions.

Tracking and Diagnosing

Once a therapeutic relationship has been established, the therapist will then work to learn more about the family’s behavior patterns and problems. In doing so, they can identify strengths and weaknesses that will allow them to develop a treatment plan.

Restructuring

This technique involves applying different strategies to help address the problems with behaviors and relationships that are contributing to behavioral issues. This might involve utilizing a variety of techniques centered around behavior management, communication, parenting skills, and conflict resolution.

The goal of restructuring is to help promote more productive, constructive interactions that then motivate people to change.

What Strategic Family Therapy Can Help With

Strategic family therapy can be helpful for:

• Aggressive behaviors
• Conduct problems
• Delinquency
• Noncompliance
• Substance use problems
• Risky sexual behavior
• Violent behavior

This approach is often used in situations where young people have come into the juvenile justice system due to drug use, delinquency, or violent behaviors. It can be helpful for improving family functioning, increasing positive parental interactions and parental involvement, strengthening peer relationships, and improving prosocial behaviors.

Benefits of Strategic Family Therapy

Strategic family therapy can benefit families in a number of different ways. Some of the key benefits of this type of therapy are that it: 

• Improves communication between family members
• Helps form, strengthen, or enforce healthy boundaries
• Improves positive parenting
• Strengthens conflict resolution skills
• Builds family cohesion

The basic premise of strategic family therapy is that how the family functions and interacts plays a pivotal role in a child’s symptoms. By changing how the family functions, this treatment reduces the risk factors that contribute to behavior problems and helps protect kids from future issues that may arise. 

Flexibility is another important benefit of structural family therapy. Because it is adaptable, it can be utilized in a broad variety of family situations including single-parent households, multigenerational households, and stepfamilies. 

Strategic family therapy can help people from a range of different backgrounds when practiced by a culturally-sensitive therapist. 

Effectiveness

Evidence suggests that strategic family therapy can be effective in treating teens who are experiencing substance use, mental health conditions, and other difficulties.

• One clinical trial found that a Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) improved family engagement and retention. It also improved parent-reported family functioning. However, there were no significant differences in self-reported adolescent drug use between the BSFT group and the treatment-as-usual group.
• Another study found that teens who had mental health problems exhibited fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms after treatment with strategic family therapy. In post-therapy interviews, parents also reported feeling more effective as parents and engaged in more authoritative parenting practices as opposed to permissive or authoritarian ones. 

Things to Consider

While strategic family therapy can be beneficial and effective, it is important to recognize that there may also be some challenges. While strategic family therapy can be helpful in many cases, it is not always the right choice for every problem or issue.

Participation

It is important for family members to participate in the treatment process. One problem, however, is that the same dynamics that play a part in contributing to behavior problems can often interfere with families working together to get help. It is not uncommon for some family members to be less cooperative or to refuse to attend therapy sessions altogether.

Resistance

How people come into treatment may also have an impact on participation and outcomes. Teens are often referred to strategic family therapy through the criminal justice system. Researchers suggest that those entering treatment often feel hopeless and blame others, including family members, for their problems. This can make initiating and maintaining treatment more challenging.

Difficult Emotions

It is also important to recognize that the treatment process involves talking in-depth about emotional problems, conflicts, and difficult relationships. This can be upsetting for many people and it isn’t uncommon to go through a period of feeling worse before the situation improves. Because of this, it is important to work with a skilled professional who can help members of the family deal with strong or difficult emotions.

How to Get Started

The brief form of strategic family therapy is typically short-term, lasting a period of approximately 12 weeks. However, it may also last longer depending on a family’s needs and the problems that are being treated. 

It may involve all members of the family, but in some cases, it may involve those who are able or willing to take part in treatment.

If you think this type of treatment would be helpful for your family, you can start by asking your healthcare provider for a referral to a professional in your area. You may also be referred to a therapist through a social worker or a school counselor.

Once you find a potential therapist, ask them about their background, experience, and approach to treatment. Therapists who offer this type of treatment often have a master’s or doctorate degree in a field such as psychology, social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy.

Dreams about falling, being chased, or showing up unprepared often reflect everyday worries and insecurities. Common dream interpretations suggest that such dreams point to anxiety, loss of control, or vulnerability in waking life. While symbols like flying can represent freedom, losing teeth might represent fear or powerlessness. Exploring these meanings can offer insight into your emotions and subconscious.

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / Amazon Music

1. Dreams About Falling

Dreams about falling from great heights are very common. While there is a popular myth that if you hit the ground in your dream you will die in real life, it simply is not true. So what exactly could dreams about falling really mean?

“Dreaming of falling is very common. It is a symbol of fear in real life— perhaps of failing at work or in your love life,” says Russell Grant, author of “The Illustrated Dream Dictionary.” He adds that “Falling often expresses a need to let yourself go more and enjoy life more.”

2. Dreams About Being Naked in Public

Have you ever had one of those awkward dreams where you show up at school or the office in your birthday suit? Don’t worry. Dreaming about being naked is hardly unusual.

Penney Peirce, the author of “Dream Dictionary for Dummies,” suggests that dreaming of public nudity might indicate that you feel like a phony or that you are afraid of revealing your imperfections and shortcomings.

3. Dreams About Being Chased

Dreams that feature being pursued by a known or unknown attacker can be particularly terrifying. And many people experience these types of dreams. But what do dreams of being chased say about what’s going on inside your mind?

Dream interpreters often suggest that such dreams mean that you are trying to avoid something in your daily life. Tony Crisp, the author of “Dream Dictionary,” suggests that being chased in a dream might indicate a desire to escape from your own fears or desires.

The key to understanding what such a dream might mean depends partly on the identity of your pursuer. If it is:

• An animal: You might be hiding from your own anger, passions, and other feelings.
• An unknown chaser: If your pursuer is a mysterious, unknown figure, it might represent a childhood experience or past trauma.
• A member of the opposite sex: Crisp suggests this means you are afraid of love or haunted by a past relationship.

4. Dreams About Losing Teeth

What do dreams mean if your teeth fall out? Penney Peirce, the author of “Dream Dictionary for Dummies,” suggests that dreaming about losing teeth can have multiple meanings.

It might mean that you are worried about your attractiveness or appearance, for instance. It may also indicate that you are concerned about your ability to communicate, or that you are concerned that you might have said something embarrassing.

“The real essence of teeth is their ability to bite through, to cut, tear, and grind,” she explains. “If your teeth fall out, you lose personal power and your ability to be assertive, decisive, and self-protective.”

5. Dreams About Dying

Death is another common subject of dreams and one that can be particularly disconcerting. Dreamers sometimes dream of the death of a loved one or even of dying themselves. Popular dream interpretations suggest that such dreams reflect anxiety about change or a fear of the unknown.

“Like death, change can be scary because—also like death—we do not know what is ‘on the other side’ of the change, which is why the dreaming mind equates change with death,” suggests Lauri Loewenberg in her book “Dream on It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life.”

Loewenberg also believes that dreaming about the death of a loved one can reflect a similar fear of change, especially about our children. As a child grows up, a parent’s mind begins to wonder where the younger version of the child went. Dreams of dying, therefore, reflect a sort of mourning for the passage of time.

Studies have also shown that those approaching the end of life and loved ones around them experience significant and meaningful dreams, often relating to a comforting presence, preparing to go, watching or engaging with the deceased, loved ones waiting, distressing experiences, and unfinished business.

6. Dreams About Taking a Test

Studies have also found that dreams of test-taking are common. According to Craig Hamilton-Parker, author of “The Hidden Meaning of Dreams,” taking an exam in your dream might reveal an underlying fear of failure.

“Examinations are stressful experiences in which you are made to face up to your shortcomings,” he writes. “To dream of failing an exam, being late for one, or being unprepared shows that you feel unprepared for the challenges of waking life.”

7. Dreams About Infidelity

Dreaming that your spouse or partner is cheating on you with someone else can be super stressful. In some cases, we might even start to wonder if the dream might really be true. Does dreaming that your partner is unfaithful mean that it might happen? Or that it is already happening?

While these dreams might be the reflection of fears of infidelity, such dreams probably don’t mean that your spouse is cheating or will cheat, say Trish and Rob MacGregor, authors of “Complete Dream Dictionary: A Bedside Guide to Knowing What Your Dreams Mean.”

“This is another ‘what if’ dream–you are testing the limits of reality,” the authors suggest.

Eve Adamson and Gayle Williamson, authors of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide Dream Dictionary,” posit that dreams about infidelity indicate issues with trust, loyalty, and communication in a relationship. “If you or your partner cheated in your dream, one of you isn’t getting what you need from that relationship right now,” they write.

8. Dreams About Flying

Many people experience dreams about flying. Flying dreams can be exciting and even liberating, but they can also sometimes be quite frightening (especially for those afraid of heights).

According to Tony Crisp, author of “Dream Dictionary,” dreams about flying often have two very different sides. They can represent feelings of freedom and independence. On the other hand, they can also indicate a desire to flee or escape from the realities of life.

“Flying alone occurs most frequently,” he writes, “showing the independent aspect of flying. But because it often involves positive feelings of pleasure, flying may depict our sexuality…especially aspects of it expressing freedom from social norms and restraints.”

9. Dreams About Pregnancy

Dream interpreters often suggest that dreams about pregnancy represent everything from creativity to fear. David C. Lohff, the author of “Dream Dictionary,” believes that pregnancy dreams might sometimes represent a woman’s fears of being an inadequate mother.

Author Tony Crisp, has a different take, suggesting that pregnancy dreams indicate that the dreamer is developing some area of potential or deepening a relationship. Dream interpreter Russell Grant writes that these dreams presage difficult times.

More Common Dream Themes

There are other common dream themes. They include:

• Discovering new rooms or passages
• Being dressed inappropriately
• Being unable to find a toilet
• Arriving someplace late
• Having a massive wave approaching you
• Finding money

Understanding Dream Interpretations

Famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud described dreams as the “royal road” to the unconscious and suggested that by studying the obvious content of dreams, we could bring to light the hidden and unconscious desires that lead to neurosis.

Analyzing dream symbols and ascribing meaning to them has become a source of both entertainment and self-reflection in popular culture. Do dreams mean anything? Can you learn your unconscious wishes and desires by interpreting your dreams?

Dream interpretation has been of interest for many years, and for good reason. Understanding the deeper meaning of dreams can help us realize how we feel and think, which can be good for providing personal insight.

What your dreams tell you and whether they reveal your true feelings depends on various factors. While some modern theories of dreams suggest that the answer is no—that dreams may have a more biological component or even be due to sleep position—this hasn’t stopped interpreters and analysts from attempting to identify what common dream themes and symbols mean.

For example, dream interpretation often plays an essential role in psychoanalysis. The self-organization theory of dreaming suggests that dreams are a reflection of one’s physiological and psychological activities, thereby providing valuable insights into the person’s thoughts and emotional state. Psychoanalysts can then use the person’s dreams to gain a deeper understanding of what is happening in their mind, perhaps on an unconscious level.

How to Interpret Your Own Dreams

Do some of these dream interpretations seem accurate? If not, don’t worry—your dreams are unique and highly personal. In all likelihood, the things we experience in our dreams probably reflect the concerns we face in our daily existence or of recent events.

How do you analyze a dream?

1. The first step is to write down everything you can remember as soon as you wake. Dreams are often quickly forgotten, so jotting down the details can help aid in recall.
2. Next, look at the dream’s contents and think about what it might mean in your life.

• What association do you have with the events of the dream?
• What kind of feelings did it evoke?

3. In many cases, you may find that your dream reflects the events or concerns of your waking life.

What Your Dreams Might Be Trying to Tell You

It’s important to remember that dream interpretations are both individual and subjective. They are individual in that the meaning of dreams for one person may not be the same for another. Dream interpretations are also subjective in that they are based on the meanings that you assign them, and these assigned meanings can also differ from one person to the next.

• Dreaming about someone: Carl Jung believed that if you dream about someone close to you reflects how you feel about that person in real life, while dreaming about strangers or someone from your past represents symbolic aspects of yourself. Freud, meanwhile, suggested that the dream’s setting also plays a role. For example, dreaming of your parents in a royal setting would symbolize respect for them.
• Sexual dreams: Some studies suggest that having sexual dreams is a result of your thoughts and fantasies when you’re awake, with more frequent thoughts about sex contributing to more of these dreams. Others connect dreaming about sex with a desire to be in a sexually stimulating situation. These types of dreams are common, with more than 95% of people reporting having dreams that are erotic in nature.
• Recurring dreams: Some researchers theorize that regular, recurring dreams represent frustration about unmet psychological needs. Recurring dreams are also common after experiencing a lot of mental distress, such as with post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Vivid dreams: In some cases, having vivid or highly intense dreams is a result of major trauma. Vivid dreams generally occur during REM sleep and could also be due to fragmented sleep, sleep deprivation, a sleep disorder, stress, pregnancy, or a medication you are taking.

Psychology as a science is relatively new with its beginnings in the 1850s. Structuralism and functionalism were the two earliest schools of thought that established psychology as a science, subject to rigorous study and the scientific method.

Both functionalism and structuralism made important contributions to the development of modern psychology. In order to get an idea of how the field of psychology emerged and got to where it is today, it can be helpful to look at these older perspectives and the impact that they had.

What Was Structuralism in Psychology?

Structuralism emerged as the first school of thought in psychology. Wilhelm Wundt, is known as the “father of psychology” and was the founder of the first experimental psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany. He was inspired by the rigorous methods of experimentation in chemistry labs and applied this model to the study of the human mind, which eventually became known as structuralism.

Wundt’s lab launched the early experiments studying sensation and perception, and he eventually wrote the book “Principles of Physiological Psychology.” Similar to a water molecule being comprised of two hydrogen and one oxygen molecule, the mind was comprised of sensations and perceptions.

One of Wundt’s students, Edward B. Titchener, would later go on to formally establish and name this field of study, structuralism. His theory broke sensation down into four distinct properties: intensity, quality, duration, and extent. He indicated that sensations gave rise to perceptions, ideas, and thoughts. He developed rigorous lab methods to study these components of consciousness.

Titcher broke away from many of Wundt’s ideas and at times even misrepresented the teachings of his mentor. Wundt’s theories tended to be much more holistic than the ideas that Titchener later introduced in the United States.

Strengths of Structuralism

Structuralism is important because it is the first major school of thought in psychology. The structuralist school also influenced the development of experimental psychology in the United States.

While Wundt’s work helped to establish psychology as a separate science and contributed methods to experimental psychology, Titchener brought what he had learned to the United States, establishing a lab at Cornell University. There he developed the very first doctoral program in psychology. Due to the rigorous nature of Titchner’s experimental methods, it seemed evident that any future study required his presence. As a result, much of his teachings died with him.

Criticism of Structuralism

By today’s scientific standards, the experimental methods used to study the structures of the mind were too subjective—the use of introspection led to a lack of reliability in results and they could not be replicated by other scientists.

Other critics argue that structuralism was too concerned with internal behavior, which is not directly observable and cannot be accurately measured.

What Was Functionalism in Psychology?

Other theories also surfaced to vie for dominance in psychology. In response to structuralism, an American perspective known as functionalism emerged from thinkers such as the evolutionist Charles Darwin and William James.

William James believed that one could not study consciousness by breaking it down into parts. Rather, he sought to understand the purpose and function of human thoughts and subsequent behaviors. Inspired by Charles Darwin, he purported that cognitive processes evolved over time to help humans adapt and survive.

Functionalists sought to explain mental processes in a more systematic and accurate manner.

Other important functionalist thinkers included Edward Thorndike, John Dewey, Mary Whiton Calkins, Harvey Carr, Hermann Ebbinghaus, and John Angell.

Strengths of Functionalism

Functionalism was an important influence on psychology. It influenced the development of behaviorism and applied psychology. Functionalism also influenced the educational system, especially with regards to John Dewey’s belief that children should learn at the level for which they are developmentally prepared.

Criticism of Functionalism

Functionalism was criticized perhaps most famously by Wundt. “It is literature. It is beautiful, but it is not psychology,” he said of functionalist William James’ book The Principles of Psychology.

Structuralism vs. Functionalism

While these two schools of thought served as the foundation for the future developments of psychology, there were important differences between the two. They were like two sides of the same coin, with structuralism attempting to study consciousness from the bottom up, and functionalism taking a more top-down approach.

What Is the Relationship Between Functionalism and Structuralism?

Structuralism was the first school of thought to emerge in psychology. Functionalism was formed as a direct response to structuralism.

While the structuralists believed psychology was about understanding the basic components of consciousness such as sensation and perception, the functionalists believed the goal of psychology was to understand the purpose of thoughts and behaviors.

Similarities

While structuralism and functionalism took different approaches to understand human thought and behavior, they share a few important similarities. Both were interested in understanding how the elements of the mind worked together to produce actions.

Both schools of thought also wanted to know more about what happens in the mind in response to the environment.

How the Early Structuralists and Functionalists Differed

Structuralism studied the contents of the mind through the use of lab experiments and relied on introspection. Functionalism, on the other hand, was more interested in using direct observation and fieldwork in order to better understand the adaptive function of behavior in its environmental context.

Influence on Psychology

In 1906, Mary Whiton Calkins published an article in Psychological Review asking for a reconciliation between these two schools of thought. Structuralism and functionalism were not so different, she argued, since both are principally concerned with the conscious self.

Despite this, each side continued to cast aspersions on the other. William James wrote that structuralism had “plenty of school, but no thought,” while Wilhelm Wundt dismissed functionalism as “literature” as unscientific.

We never quite know what our minds will deliver as we drift into dreamland. Sometimes we dream about completely mundane things like picking up milk at the grocery store, while other times we can experience an emotional roller coaster that leaves us with genuine, lingering feelings once our eyes flutter open. 

This roulette is fascinating in and of itself, but what’s also interesting about dreams is that so many of us share the same ones. Dreaming of our teeth falling out is one such example. In fact, there’s a good chance that you could ask any of your friends if they’ve had some variation of this dream and they’d nod their head yes.

We spoke with certified counselor and dream expert Audrey Hope about the recurring universal dream of teeth falling out to get some more insights on its significance, psychological interpretations, and factors that may cause you to have this dream.

What Is the Teeth Falling Out Dream?

Dreaming of your teeth falling out is considered a universal dream, meaning that many people experience a similar version. Other examples include forgetting to study for a big test, missing flights, running in place, or being in public naked.

This particularly prevalent dream has various iterations. It might include having one or more teeth break or randomly fall out, or in some cases you may experience all of your teeth disintegrating, shattering, or falling out. A quick survey of the Verywell Mind staff revealed that 100% of the team has experienced this dream in some form.

It’s naturally quite alarming to have this dream or any of its variations, and can leave you feeling stressed or panicked both during the dream and once you’ve woken up.

Possible Meanings Behind Dreaming of Teeth Falling Out 

Hope says that dreaming of your teeth falling out is one of the most common and frightening dreams we can have. While there are many possible meanings behind this dream, one that seems to align most often is experiencing stress or uncertainty in your life.

“The teeth represent our security and foundation,” she says. “Dreaming of losing them [may be] calling out to us to look at our worries and insecurities and inner stress and pain. When you lose your teeth in a dream, [it could signal that] you are afraid of something and that you are not dealing with [the stressor].”

Of course, there are additional interpretations to consider, as well. 

Freudian

In Freudian dream analysis, dreams are seen as expressions of unconscious desires, conflicts, and repressed thoughts. The Freudian dream interpretation of your teeth falling out is often associated with sex-related stressors, uncertainties, repression, fears. 

Reiki

Looking to Reiki and meditation may also help us understand this dream more. Hope says that “because the teeth are located in the fifth chakra of communication, the dream can be about what you are not saying, what you didn’t say in the past, or what you need to say now.”

Jungian

Dreams are viewed as symbolic representations of our unconscious thoughts in Jungian dream analysis. Interestingly, in Jungian theory dreaming of teeth falling out suggests that we’re entering into a new phase of life via transformation/renewal, life upheaval, or through aging.

Why We Dream About Our Teeth

Dream interpretation is very fluid and highly individualized, so it’s hard to say definitively what the dream means, exactly. However, by examining the potential interpretations above and looking at current life struggles or changes, we may be able to get a better idea of why our brain conjured up such a strange storyline.

“We may never come to the full absolute meaning of the dream, but with further exploration into it, you can find a jewel for your soul’s transformation,” Hope says. “Search out connections, metaphors, current life situations, and familiar characters. From there, you can make associations, dialogue with the dream objects, and then integrate all the wisdom you gather from this into your waking life.” 

Potential Factors Influencing Dreams About Our Teeth Falling Out:

• Stress and anxiety
• Life changes and transitions
• Fear or acknowledgement of aging
• Unspoken thoughts or words weighing on you
• Communication challenges
• Sex-related stressors, uncertainties, repression, fears
• Dental health and concerns

Coping With the…Fallout

Dreaming about your teeth falling out can feel alarming, leaving you with lingering feelings of stress or confusion. First, remind yourself that the dream isn’t real and that your teeth are, in fact, still intact and serving you as they need to. From here, if you’re curious about the potential meaning behind the dream, then take some time to sit down and examine your life and how it may relate. 

“[I believe that] dreams are the language of the soul and, to get their keys and deeper meaning, one must get personal with them,” Hope says. “One can look up their meaning in a dream glossary, book, Google, or ask a therapist to help, but the bottom line is that your dreams must be taken personally. What does the symbol mean to you?”

It may take some time and deep digging to come up with a possible explanation, but once you’ve done that work you can make adjustments or find more peace in your real, 3D life.

Speaking with someone else about your dreams can be beneficial as well, Hope notes. 

“I recommend describing and telling the dream to a friend or therapist in detail. As you tell the dream, you will begin to find the patterns and issues that are coming up in your life,” Hope says. “Having someone with you to share your dream can open new doors. You will begin to relate your current life situation and learn from the questions asked.” 

Final Thoughts on Dreams

As strange as they are, and as weird as they can make us feel, research has shown that dreams can provide genuine insights and opportunities for self-exploration and reflection.

A teeth falling out dream is commonly associated with stress or uncertainties in our life, big changes or transformations, or unspoken thoughts and feelings that are weighing on you, so consider looking here first. Wherever it takes you can only provide deeper introspection into yourself and serve as a catalyst for change, understanding, and inner peace.

In the context of bipolar disorder, a mental illness that involves extreme swings in mood, bipolar cycles are the period of time in which an individual goes through one episode of mania or hypomania and one episode of depression. How long do manic episodes last when someone is cycling? What about depression episode length?

Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to the duration or frequency of bipolar cycles since they are as varied as the people who experience them. A change or “mood swing” can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. Generally, a manic episode can last from seven days up to several months. Depressive episodes last from two weeks to several months and are usually longer in duration than manic episodes.

What Are Bipolar Cycles?

A bipolar cycle refers to the various stages a person with bipolar disorder experiences. In bipolar cycles, the manic or hypomanic stage is followed by a stage of depression.

How long these episodes last can vary. It really depends on the type of bipolar disorder you have, individual factors, and whether or not your condition is being treated. Without treatment, manic and depressive episodes will last much longer.

A person with bipolar cycles will typically experience an initial stage of mania, which includes behavior that is characterized by high levels of energy, excitement, and sometimes, agitation. However, someone with bipolar II disorder may experience hypomania instead of mania.

Hypomania is similar to mania but with milder symptoms. A person is still able to function with hypomania.

How often do people with bipolar disorder cycle? On average, people with bipolar will have one or two cycles yearly. In addition, there is a seasonal influence—manic episodes occur more often in the spring and fall.

Manic Episodes

Manic episodes are characterized by extremely high energy levels. A person may have a decreased need for sleep and a decreased appetite. They may also feel like they are able to multitask many things at a time.

A person experiencing a manic episode will usually have racing thoughts and even talk very quickly about a variety of different topics in a short amount of time.

While this high energy level can feel good and make a person feel “on top of the world,” they are prone to making risky decisions such as drinking excessively, giving away money, or having unsafe sex. They may also feel more irritable or agitated.

Depressive Episodes

Depressive episodes, as the name suggests, are marked by periods of feeling deep sadness, a sense of hopelessness, or extreme worry. During a depressive episode, a person may have sleep disturbances (either sleeping too much or not enough).

Increased appetite and weight gain are common. People having depressive episodes tend to talk slowly, have trouble concentrating, and feel incapable of completing tasks or doing anything at all.

During a depressive episode, a person usually has no interest in activities that they normally like. They are usually disinterested in sex or anything that brings them pleasure. They may experience increased thoughts about death or suicidal ideation.

Mixed Episodes

A mixed episode can be considered a combination of both a manic episode and a depressive episode. A person will experience extremely high energy levels while feeling hopeless, sad, and depressed at the same time.

Triggers of Depressive and Manic Episodes

Certain conditions are known to trigger symptoms in people with bipolar disease. Understanding these triggers—and avoiding them—can minimize symptoms and limit the number of cycles a person experiences. These include:

How Fast Can Bipolar Cycle?

In some people, bipolar cycles can occur in fairly quick succession. This is referred to as ‘rapid cycling,’ which is when someone with bipolar disorder has four or more cycles in a 12-month period.

While having four or more cycles in a one-year period meets the criteria for a diagnosis of rapid-cycling bipolar illness, rapid cycling is not necessarily a permanent pattern. Rather, rapid cycling can present at any point in the course of the disease. And it can be transient.

Rapid cycling may be more likely to affect those who were young when symptoms first appeared, those who have had bipolar disorder for a longer time, and those who misuse alcohol and other substances.

In addition, the term “ultra-rapid cycling” may be applied to those who cycle through episodes within a month or less. If this pattern occurs within a 24-hour period, the person’s diagnosis could possibly be termed “ultra-ultra-rapid cycling” or “ultradian.” It is often difficult to tell ultradian cycling from a mixed episode.

What Bipolar Cycles Feel Like

A common feeling of people with bipolar disorder experiencing a cycle is that they are on a roller coaster. It can be exhausting and even frightening to experience such a wide range of different emotions—especially if it’s within a short period of time.

Many people with bipolar disorder feel as though cycling makes them feel out of control. For instance, they may make decisions during a manic episode that they feel unequipped to deal with when they shift to a depressive episode.

During a manic episode, you may feel like you are truly special and powerful. Then, during a depressive episode, you may feel completely empty and like your life isn’t worth anything at all. It can be daunting to undergo such extreme emotional shifts.

Treating Bipolar Cycles

Whether a person with bipolar disorder experiences a cycle once every five years or many times each day, there are treatments that can help. These include:

How to Support a Loved One With Bipolar Cycles

You may be wondering how to best support a loved one with bipolar disorder, especially when they are cycling through depressive and manic episodes. Here are some tips.

Advocate for Them

If you are the caregiver to someone with bipolar disorder, you have the right to advocate for them. Speak with their medical team about their cycling. Maybe you notice that their cycling symptoms are getting worse, or that there has been a change in how rapidly they cycle from one stage to another.

Make sure doctors have access to all prior medical treatments your loved one received for their bipolar disorder. Ask them what they can do differently to help your loved one.

Reach Out

If you have a friend or family member with bipolar disorder, but they don’t live with you, try reaching out to them on a regular basis to see how they’re doing. They may not always be up for doing something together but try suggesting an activity.

Your loved one might be hesitant to say how they’re really feeling, especially if they are depressed. Let them know that they don’t have to pretend around you.

Of course, respect their space if they don’t feel like talking. Don’t bombard them with texts and calls if they need time alone.

Encourage Healthy Habits

You can help encourage your loved one to lead a balanced lifestyle—one that promotes a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, and limiting alcohol and substance use. For instance, suggest you both go on a walk or see a movie instead of going to a bar or a party where people might be drinking excessively.

If your loved one is misusing substances or skipping their medication, try not to chastise them for their behavior. Show them that you understand why they may be acting this way, but encourage them to make an appointment with their doctor as soon as they can.

Have Compassion

Compassion can go a long way in supporting a friend or family member who has bipolar disorder. Understand that they are coping with a disorder and that they may have little control, at times, over things they say or do.

If they say something that upsets you, you can walk away from the situation. Try to take a few deep breaths instead of reacting negatively or arguing with them.

But staying calm during conflict doesn’t mean you need to pretend you’re OK if they hurt your feelings or cross a line. When it’s appropriate, let them know what your expectations are and what is not acceptable around you. Establish healthy boundaries with them.

Listen to Them

Sometimes, we all need someone who can lend a listening ear. You can’t stop your loved one from cycling in bipolar disorder, but you can listen to them when they need someone to talk to about their frustrations, anxieties, or worries.

Remind them that they can talk to you about anything. If they speak of self-harm or suicide and you fear that the risk of suicide is imminent, get them help right away.

Take Care of Yourself

It’s crucial that you take time for yourself, away from your loved one, to engage in self-care. Coping with mental illness is never easy for anyone—even for friends and family.

The following are some ways you can prioritize your own physical and mental health:

• Eat a nutritious diet
• Get enough physical exercise
• Get enough sleep
• Join a community organization for caregivers
• Receive emotional support from a therapist
• Share how you’re feeling with trusted friends or family

Oftentimes, caregivers or loved ones experience guilt because they can’t do more to help their loved one who has bipolar disorder. Talk about this with friends, family, or a mental health professional. You can’t control your loved one’s bipolar disorder, so try not to take any blame upon yourself.

By putting yourself and your health first, you’ll be better able to handle the ups and downs that come with your loved one’s cycling, which is also better for them.

A sense of foreshortened future involves feeling as if life will be cut short without any real explanation as to why. People who experience this may also feel they won’t be able to reach milestones in their life, such as a career, marriage, or children.  

This sense of foreshortened future is a reaction that can occur following trauma. It is considered an avoidance symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to negative expectations about the future.

This article discusses the symptoms and causes of a sense of foreshortened future. It also covers coping with this symptom and when you should seek help from a professional.

Symptoms Related to a Sense of Foreshortened Future

A sense of a foreshortened future is characterized by the following:

• An inability to think about or plan for the future
• Changes in how a person perceives the passage of time
• Difficulty trusting that other people will be around in the future
• Distrust of others and the world in general
• Experiencing narrative foreclosure, or the feeling that life is over
• Feeling that the world is unpredictable
• Losing motivation to pursue projects or stick to commitments
• Negative views about the future
• The sense that death is imminent

A sense of a foreshortened future can vary in terms of severity. Some people may have just a mild sense that their life will be cut short, whereas others may have a specific prediction regarding the length of their lifespan and are wholly convinced of their premature death. This symptom can be challenging to cope with and may lead to isolation, hopelessness, helplessness, and depression.

Causes of the Sense of Foreshortened Future

A sense of a foreshortened future emerges as a response to trauma. It most often stems from childhood trauma but also happens following other upheavals, including:

• Acute traumas that involve near-death or the death of a loved one
• Growing up with a narcissistic or borderline parent may contribute to children internalizing negative attitudes about themselves and their future
• Long-term abuse or neglect during childhood

This symptom may emerge in situations where people are led to doubt their ability to function, cope, or succeed. When people are made to feel worthless, unsupported, undeserving, and incapable of finding happiness, they may struggle to envision a future for themselves.

Research has also found that people tend to recall past memories in a more general way that lacks specificity and detail. Because being able to recall specific memories is important for visualizing the future, this overgeneralized autobiographical memory may play a role in the sense of a foreshortened future.

Coping With a Sense of a Foreshortened Future

You can take steps to reduce the severity of this symptom. Below are several potential coping strategies.

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Be Mindful of Your Thoughts

Believing that your life will be cut short following a traumatic event makes sense. You may have feared for your life or even come close to death as a result of your traumatic event. Furthermore, following a traumatic event, our assumptions about the world as a safe and secure place are shattered.

People are forced to come to terms with their own mortality. As a result, the belief that your life will be cut short likely feels very true. However, there is really no way to determine your lifespan. Consequently, it can be helpful to be mindful of those thoughts about your premature death.

Seek Positive Activities

A sense of a foreshortened future can increase the risk of depression. Therefore, it is important to identify and improve the extent to which you participate in positive activities. Engaging in activities you used to enjoy before the traumatic event may be particularly useful.

You may not notice an immediate change in your emotions or thoughts. That is normal. Keep at it. Being more active, especially in positive activities, will eventually improve your mood and can prevent depression.

Pay Attention to Your Choices 

People often make choices based on their emotions. Anxiety may tell you to avoid something. Sadness may tell you to isolate. Anger may tell you to retaliate.

Although listening to your emotions is important, they may not always lead you down the best path. Instead, it is vital to think about what kind of life you want to live and make choices that are based on that idea.

For example, if you want to live a life of compassion and caring, make choices each and every day to engage in behavior that is consistent with those values. Doing so will create a sense of agency and purpose and increase the feeling that you are living a fulfilling life.

Connect With Others 

A sense of a foreshortened future can cause people to isolate themselves from others. Given this, the best thing you can do to counter this is to connect with others and establish social support. The more meaningful relationships you have in your life, the more fulfilling your life may begin to feel.

Reduce Avoidance 

Following a traumatic event, it is very natural to avoid certain activities or places. The problem with avoidance is that it often leads to more avoidance. When you avoid something, you are delivering the message to your brain that a situation is not safe.

Therefore, it can be essential to take steps to approach situations or activities that you want to avoid. Of course, you don’t want to approach situations that may be objectively unsafe (like running alone in a park at night, for example). You do, however, want to engage in activities that you used to feel comfortable doing before the traumatic event occurred.

This practice can be difficult, as you may experience anxiety and fear, but these feelings will eventually dissipate. When you start this process, bringing along a trusted and supportive friend may be helpful.

Practice Self-Care

Another way to combat the sense of a foreshortened future is to engage in behaviors and activities that are about valuing your life. Schedule time to pamper yourself or engage in self-soothing and compassionate activities. Exercise. Eat well. Taking care of yourself can have a tremendous impact on your emotions and thoughts.

When to Get Help

Many of the coping strategies listed above are easier said than done. Be patient and take your time. Reward yourself for any small amount of progress that you make in reducing your sense of a foreshortened future.

By reducing your symptoms of PTSD in general, you will likely notice that your sense of foreshortened future also reduces in intensity. A therapist can also provide you with support as you use the coping skills described above.

There are a number of effective treatments for PTSD. Medications may be prescribed to help treat symptoms related to anxiety, mood, eating, and sleep. Different types of psychotherapy can also be helpful, including cognitive processing therapy (CPT), exposure therapy, group therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.

You might start your search by asking your healthcare provider to refer you to a therapist, checking with your insurance provider for a directory of in-network mental health professionals, or by searching an online directory to help you find appropriate mental health providers in your area.

Final Thoughts

Trauma affects the mind in many ways, including how people think and feel about the future. When the world feels unsafe, unpredictable, and untrustworthy, you might think that there is little point in making plans for events that you don’t expect to happen. If the future feels intangible, consider talking to a therapist. They can offer help, support, and treatments that can help you change how you think and make plans to support your goals.