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    Bipolar Treatment is a complex and possibly frustrating process for anyone suffering from this illness.  While there is currently no known cure for this long-term disorder, symptoms can be maintained through a delicate mix of medications and psychotherapy.  Proper treatment would allow an individual with bipolar disorder to live a “normal” functional life.

Medication

The trick to such treatment is that since the symptoms and behavioral patterns of the disorder vary greatly from one person to the next, a wide variety of mood stabilizer, anti-depressants, etc must be tried and tested to find the right combination per patient.  These medications take time to take effect, so it could possibly take years to find what works properly. 

Often times, and especially under medication, a bipolar patient will go long periods without an episode. This leads them to believe they are better, so they stop taking the medication.  This type of behavior is commonly part of bipolar disorder as well, and should be acknowledged as such.

Psychotherapy

Professional counseling and/or support groups is absolutely crucial to successful bipolar treatment, especially during the earlier stages.  Talking to a professional will allow the sufferer to develop a treatment plan.  This allows for pinpointing of triggers that causes mood cycling and finding coping mechanisms to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Support groups can help treatment by providing sufferers and their families with personal experiences to learn successful techniques for living with bipolar disorder.  Talking with someone regularly about what’s going on drastically increases the chances of maintaining control over the illness. 

The ultimate goal of bipolar treatment is to prevent or decrease both the frequency and intensity of depressive and manic episodes.   It is an on-going process, but with proper treatment plans and medications, it is possible for the most severe bipolar patients to lead a fulfilling, healthy life.

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For the average person, it is normal to experience ups-and-downs, good days and bad days and the occasional ‘I should never have gotten out of bed day’ but as general idea or rule, it is important to retain an inner calm or a middle ground to which we always return, our normal self.  The following bipolar information details how differently the day to day life is of someone who is suffering from this disorder.

Individuals with bipolar disorder experience extreme fluctuations in their mood. They often find that they lose their inner balance, and instead, they find themselves at the far end of the emotional scale. 

They may even find themselves alternating between a moment of time when they feel elated – on top of the world – as if anything is possible and a moment of deep despairing depression that leaves them shut up in their bedroom, lying in their bed for weeks and unable to do the normal day-to-day tasks they’re used to doing.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder differ widely between different people. Some many enter a state of hypomania which is a milder form of mania, while others may have full blown manic periods. These episodes often involve elaborate ideas, an elevated state of happiness and wild plans. For example, a sufferer having a manic episode may max out five credit cars and then start tearing down walls of their house as they plan to turn their two bedroom terraced cottage into a modern 100% glass mansion.

At the time of having a manic episode, these quite clearly irrational ideas seem possible and the sufferer will believe that their ideas will lead to success and fortune. People will bipolar disorder may have a contagious optimism where is life limitless and so is their energy.

Some individuals with bipolar disorder may experience mixed states where the symptoms take the form of great restlessness, agitation and even rage. But, what goes up must come down and, as a result of all these highs, these manic episodes are often followed by long periods of deep depression, as the individual comes down from their high.

This bipolar information should provide much insight into the disease that cripples so many.

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Types of Medication Used

The causes of bipolar disorder, whether from failed neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) or as in some evidence suggests, biological or environmental factors, must be treated with medication. The most common medications used in bipolar treatment are mood-stabilizers. What mood-stabilizers do is try to balance back out the brain functions making it less likely to encounter depressive and manic episodes and lessen the severity when they do occur.

Anti-depressants can also be used in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Due to other factors being involved with this condition, anti-depressants may be used to help neutralize depressive episodes and also prevent them from triggering. Usually anti-depressants are taken in conjunction with mood-stabilizers to control bipolar symptoms.

In some cases of extreme mania, anti-psychotic medication is used. The main purpose of this type of medication is to help relieve symptoms of manic episodes. It is most often taken with other medications for bipolar treatment. If left untreated, manic episodes could become psychotic.

Since everyone’s body chemistry is different and the symptoms and severity of bipolar disorder vary from patient to patient, medication strategies will be different as well. Whatever combination works for one person might have a lesser effect on another and so on. It could take months or longer of trial and error to determine the accurate combinations and dosages of medicine per individual.

Remember, it just takes time. Even if you got the right medicine on the first try it would take weeks or more for it to show effective results, so don’t give up if you try something for a while and the desired results are not achieved. Talk with your doctor and come up with another plan. Bipolar treatment is not an easy task, but with proper medication, therapy, and patience, it can have positive results!

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One of the toughest parts of proper bipolar treatment is actually determining the correct diagnosis.  One of the largest reasons for this is the fact that there are several types of bipolar disorder. Also the characteristics of the episodes are so diverse from patient to patient that it could take a long time to determine an actual pattern in which to base a diagnosis on.

The different types of bipolar disorder are characterized by the patterns in the frequency, length, and severity of episodes of depression and/or mania.  Determining which type of bipolar disorder is present is necessary to accurately prescribe medication for treatment.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar I Disorder

This form of bipolar disorder is the most severe of all the types.  It is characterized by having at least one episode of both mania and depression with each lasting more than a week with little to no break in symptoms.  The most extreme cases of mania are found in bipolar I disorder. 

Bipolar II Disorder

Unlike Bipolar I,  this type of the illness consists of milder episodes of mania, known as hypomania, along with depression.  The mania involved here is so mild that it is often overlooked as a problem, and could go unrecognized for quite some time.  Long periods of no symptoms often occurs in this form of bipolar disorder.

Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder

This is made up of at least 4 mood episodes in a single year.  It is not uncommon for patients with rapid cycling to experience these mood shifts as frequently as weeks or even days.  Rapid cycling most commonly develops over time and can occur even after diagnosed with another type of bipolar disorder.

Cyclothimic Disorder

This disorder is characterized by extremely mild episodes of both mania and depression.  It is possible for this condition to worsen over time.

Mixed Bipolar Disorder

Mixed Bipolar is determined by experiences of both mania and depression occuring at the same time.  A patient with this form would have upshifts in mood and energy with depressive thoughts present, or vice versa.  This has a potential to be very dangerous for suffers, as being pulled in both directions at once is such a physical and mental strain, moreso than other forms of bipolar disorder.

Uncatagorized Bipolar Disorder

Uncatagorized is for bipolar suffers whose mood shifts fall into no pattern identifiable with other types of bipolar.  This makes bipolar treatment difficult because with most forms you develop a pattern and you tend to become aware of whats coming, but with uncatagorized you are constantly guessing.

Understanding and recognizing the different types of this disorder helps tremendously with bipolar treatment. 

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Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of alternating high (manic) and low (depressive) moods. The “mood swings” between mania and depression can come on quickly and without warning, and with many different levels of intensity.  There are a wide range of signs and symptoms for each end of the spectrum.  This makes bipolar treatment somewhat difficult to get a handle on due the wide variety of each individual case.   Recognizing the symptoms is key to understanding how to effectively treat bipolar disorder.

Symptoms

The manic phase of Bipolar disorder may last several days or even months and can include the following symptoms:

• High levels of agitation or irritability
• Elevated mood
  • Hyperactivity
  • Increased energy
  • Lack of self-control
  • Racing thoughts
• Inflated self image (delusions of grandeur, false beliefs in special abilities)
• Sleeplessness
• Over-involvement in activities
• Easy loss of temper
• Reckless behavior
  • Binge eating, drinking, and/or drug use
  • Impaired judgment
  • Risky sexual behavior
  • Spending sprees
• Inability to focus

The depressive phase of bipolar disorder involves very serious symptoms common to major depression:

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Eating disturbances
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Overeating and weight gain
• Fatigue
• Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and/or guilt
• Loss of self-esteem
• Persistent sadness
• Persistent thoughts of death
• Sleep disturbances
  • Excessive sleepiness
  • Inability to sleep
• Suicidal thoughts
• Withdrawal from activities that were once enjoyed
• Withdrawal from friends

If you or someone you love is suffering from Bipolar Disorder, it is imperitive that treatment be implemented.  Knowing the signs and symptoms early on will give the upper hand in bipolar treatment.

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A crucial part of the bipolar treatment process, aside from medicines, is psychotherapy or “talk” therapy. The goal of psychotherapy is to lessen the manifestation of symptoms by recognizing what causes manic depression incidence, improve how patients handle their relationships and recognize probable early signs before a full-blown recurrence and put into practice the factors that help maintain the remission.

Since brain function is involved in bipolar disorder, it severely affects the way patients think, and behave. This makes it difficult for other people to relate with them. It is important to understand that bipolar disorder is not a character flaw but a serious medical condition that requires special attention and treatment, especially in cases involving children and teens.

Psychotherapy treatment for bipolar disorder patients includes:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) centers on the pattern of behavior in people with bipolar disorder. The goal of the therapy is to teach the patient to change negative or harmful thoughts and actions.

Family-focused therapy focuses on family relationship. It helps the family find coping strategies, teaches the family to detect the onset of probable new episodes and encourages helping their loved one. It improves communication within the family.

Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy helps patients improve their relationship with other people. It also helps them handle their day-to-day activities.

Psycho-education therapy explains to patients the details of their illness and the process of treatment. The therapy aims to teach early signs of recurrence so that they can seek medical attention immediately before a full-blown episode occurs. It is usually in groups.

Children and teens with bipolar disorder would benefit from therapies especially when they are experiencing problems at school and community or have learning disorders or language problems. The frequency of psychotherapy bipolar treatment depends on the need of the patient.

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