Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a complex mental disorder that leads to uncontrollable mood swings and severe risky behaviors.

Alternative Therapy Approaches for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness of complex origin. Scientists have not yet been able to find the exact cause behind this debilitating and often disabling disorder. Bipolar disorder is thought to only a occur due to a combination of causes that can relate to genetics, fluctuations in brain chemicals, or abnormal hormone levels. However, any stressful event such as death of a loved one, unemployment, or even mental or physical abuse can also trigger episodes for this condition. 

Reasons Why Medication is Not Enough

The lack of concrete causes and variable disease presentations make bipolar disorder difficult to treat. The treatment approaches can vary depending on the severity of the symptoms, the individual characteristics of the disorder, the response to medications, and your doctor's judgment. However, a collaborative effort between the patient, family members, and doctors is the best approach.

Bipolar disorder is best treated with trial and error approaches. This is because your doctor does not have a definitive form of treatment, as all patients with bipolar disorder respond to different treatments differently. Your doctor may ask you to stick with certain medications for a few months while he or she observes your response, and then from there he or she will decide possible treatment options for you. Your doctor may also decide to modify or switch treatment, depending on how you react.

Remember, these alternative approaches should never be used to replace medications. Bipolar patients are strictly advised to use any alternative approaches only after confirming with their doctors or psychiatrist.

What are your options?

Let’s discuss some non-drug approaches that you can go over with your doctor during your appointment:

●     Psychotherapy: Also known as talk therapy, this approach utilizes the benefits of talking between you and your psychologist. For bipolar disorder, psychotherapy helps you discover ways to identify and avoid triggers, and modify your response to the identified triggers. It also attempts to prolong the “normal” phase of bipolar disorder and maintain harmonious relation between you and your family members. You can also discuss with your doctor about a form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy.

Click here to find the best psychologist and psychiatrist near you.

●     Supplements and Herbs: Supplements like omega-3-fatty acids and St. John’s wort have shown to be beneficial in some cases. If you are thinking of using any of them, consult with your doctor first. Be sure to discuss any possible interaction between the medications for bipolar disorder and the supplements.

(Do not take St. John’s wort with antidepressant medications as using them together can lead to a serious condition called Serotonin syndrome. Learn more here)

●     Lifestyle modifications: Lifestyle changes do not necessarily treat your symptoms but will surely help you lead a healthy life. Ask your doctor if a particular diet or exercise is beneficial to you.

●     Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): In electroconvulsive therapy, electric shocks are passed through your brain. This is by far the last resort for treating a variety of psychiatric disorders that do not respond to other treatments. It is also called Shock therapy. A clear discussion (with your doctor) about the risks, inclusion criteria and potential benefits can help you decide if you are a candidate for this. 

What Next?

Remember not to use any alternative therapy on your own. Be sure to discuss everything fully with your doctor, and let him or her help contribute to your decision.  

If you still have any queries or want to talk to the best doctors and psychiatrists near you, click here.

 

Is Bipolar Disorder Chronic?

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is a chronic mental illness that can wreak havoc on your health as well as your personal and professional life. It is characterized by severe mood swings that alternate between periods of emotional highs and lows. These periods of highs and lows can negatively affect your relationships, work, academic performance, and daily activities.

(Read here the Key Clinical Features of Bipolar Disorder). 

This mental illness as neither gender nor age specific. However, individuals around 25 years old are more likely to have this mood disorder. Studies show that nearly 2.9% of the US population has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and more than three fourths of the cases are severe.

These figures necessarily indicate an alarming fact that mental illnesses are on the rise, and the time has come for everyone to extend their knowledge on different types of mental illnesses.

How Bipolar Disorder is a Chronic Mental Illness?

Though there is no consensus over what a chronic mental illness actually entails, experts developed a few criteria that may be used to categorize mental illnesses. In the case of bipolar disorder, experts have been able to file this illness under the “chronic” category.

There are two factors that are often used to describe a chronic mental illness:
-Recurrence pattern of the condition: A chronic condition can still resurface even if the symptoms have been dormant for a long period of time.

-Length of the condition: The longer the duration of the condition, the greater the risk of the disability.

There are various opinions on the chronicity of mental illnesses. Nevertheless, the generally accepted model of a disease chronicity includes:

●     Chronic-death: Bipolar disorder patients can develop suicidal tendencies especially during their depressive mood phase. The risk of suicide in patients with bipolar disorder is nearly 20% more than that of normal individuals.

●     Chronic-Self-limited: Bipolar disorder is not a self-limiting illness. A multifactorial approach comprising of medications, counseling, and coping strategies forms the mainstay of bipolar disorder treatment.

●     Chronic-Remission: Remission, temporary resolution of the clinical features of the condition, can be achieved through the use of medications.

●     Chronic-Recurrent: Bipolar disorder can come back again in the form of episodes of mania or depression within two years of recovery.

Helping a Patient with Bipolar Disorder

There is no definitive way to cure this debilitating mental illness, but a combination of medicines, counseling, and coping strategies can go a long way in managing the symptoms of this condition, which can help bring an individual’s life back to normalcy.

Like all other chronic illnesses, bipolar disorder requires continuous care to avoid the condition from coming back and to keep prospering complications under control. However, although bipolar disorder is chronic, it is still manageable and treatable. Patients with bipolar disorder can live a normal life with the right treatment.

Tips for Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Recovery is possible; you need a committed psychiatrist, and supportive family and friends to help you combat this illness. Your impaired thinking will try and push you away from the potential of your recovery, but don’t let it consume you. For many patients with chronic mental illnesses, recovery or getting back to normalcy may seem unachieveable. Patients may feel as if everything is lost, but this is not the case.

If you or a loved one experiences any of the symptoms of bipolar disorder, call your doctor right away. Let us help you find specialized care through the top psychiatrists in your area here.