Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Bipolar Disorder Treatment Bipolar Disorder Treatment

1

Bipolar treatment is extremely important. Bipolar treatment can help one manage their disorder. Treatment for bipolar, is just as important as the treatment for any other diagnosed disease. People with mental disorders like bipolar deal with major periods of depression. Depression is a major precursor to suicidal thoughts. Sadly, some people to this day receive little to no treatment for their bipolar disorder.

Studies and results, clearly show that treatment can help those with bipolar disorder. That being said, there are those like me with bipolar, that have lived a good portion of their lives, unmedicated, and without treatment. No doctor would recommend a person who is bipolar to do this, nor would the majority of those suffering with bipolar. Not taking medication for bipolar disorder, would not be considered to be good for your mental health.

Unmedicated bipolar patients, are also reported to be, very high risk probable, to commit suicide.

2

Bipolar and Medication:

For people that are receiving drug therapy for their bipolar disorder they are likely to need more than one medication during the course of their treatment. These medications can have distressing side effects. Noncompliance is quite common with Bipolar patients. Even with medication, those with bipolar will still experience mania and depression, 75% of the time.

However, the medication(s) used for bipolar patients, has been proven to reduce the severity, and frequency of the occurrences. Most often, both mood stabilizers and antidepressants are used in combination for the treatment of bipolar.

3

Mood Stabilization and Anti psychotics: ďťżLithium Zyprexa (Olanzapine) Resperdal (Risperidone) Valproate (Valproic Acid) Clozaril (Clozapine) Seroquel (Quetiapine) Geodon (Ziprasidone) ďťżAbilify (Ariprazole) Tegretol Lamictal Trileptal

4

Standard Antidepressants used for Bipolar Treatment:

Wellbutrin (Bupropion) Paxil (Paroxetine) Prozac (Fluoxetine) Effexor (Venlafaxine) Zoloft ( Sertraline) Lexapro (Escitalopram) Cymbalta (Duloxetine)

*People with bipolar should not take anti-depressants alone. Taking anti-depressants alone can be dangerous, they are to be used in conjunction with other medication(s).

Consult with your doctor.*

5

Psychotherapy:

Psychotherapy or talk therapy as it is sometimes referred involves speaking with a psychologist or psychiatrist about your mental health. Such talk therapy allows you to discuss your feelings and the moods you experience with as result of your bipolar disorder.

By means of psychotherapy the doctor is able to help you deal with your particular mental health struggles and help you understand how best to cope and handle the challenges you are dealing with.

Are you hesitant about going to see a psychologist or psychiatrist? If so it may be in your overall best interest to reconsider. Some research studies suggest that the effect of psychotherapy overall in improving ones quality of life experience is greater than the overall effect achieved from antidepressants. With psychotherapy the improvement one gains often continues even after such treatments have ended.

6

Additional Symptom Relieving Methods: In addition to drug and psycho therapy for treating one's bipolar, some have reported that the following methods for bipolar symptom relief are helpful.

•Reducing alcohol intake: Alcohol has been known to negatively affect mood swings and react badly with bipolar medications.

•Exercise: It has been proven that exercise helps in reducing overall depressive cycles and their severity. Exercise can increase serotonin a chemical that plays an important part in the regulation of mood.

•Meditation: Meditation can help a person with bipolar disorder to be in better control over their mental states.

•Sunlight exposure: Lack of sunlight can slow down the body's generation of neurotransmitters.

•Yoga: Practicing yoga techniques (channeling the bodies energy) has been known to help reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.

•Good regular sleep schedule: Lack of sleep increases a person's hormone levels which can effect their mood and stress levels.

•Reduce intake of caffeine, and sugar: Caffeine is a stimulant and can trigger manic episodes. Too much sugar can affect the mood swings of a person.

•Massage: Massage has been proven to increase serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters that help reduce depression

7

There are many natural mental health supplements available nowadays. Although there are continuing studies on the extent of their effectiveness they are not widely considered yet as the best stand alone treatment for mental illnesses like bipolar.

Natural supplements at this point are widely recognized as being most effective in use with one's current conventional medication. Many people with bipolar have reported very favorable results from the use of such supplements. However, always consult with a doctor prior to taking any supplement so as to avoid any potential bad interaction that could occur.

Some commonly used mental health supplements that have been reported to be helpful in treating bipolar disorder: •Omega-3 Fatty acids may help as they produce nerve tissue and hormones. For any chance of effectiveness the omega-3 must contain both Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

•Folic acid may help as it is known to increase the effectiveness of the relief provided by antidepressants.

•S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) has helped some as it is known to boost the production of neurotransmitters which effect mood in the brain.

•Vitamin B12 may help as it has shown some promise in assisting one in recovering from a major depressive episode. *Harmful interactions can occur so always consult with your doctor before changing or adding medication or supplements to your treatment. Remember that such natural supplements are most widely recommended as possible assistants to your conventional treatment not as a replacement treatment.

8

In addition to drug therapy, psychotherapy, mental health supplements and the other methods mentioned above, some have suffered so severely without adequate relief that they have sought help through treatment methods such as electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) and magnetic seizure therapy (MST). Both of these methods are generally used as alternative treatments for people who have treatment resistant depression. •Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT): This treatment method utilizes electric current applied to a patients head to induce a grand mal seizure. Many patients have experienced a lifting of mood as result. •Magnetic seizure therapy: (MST): This method is similar to ECT except it makes use of strong magnetic fields to induce the seizure in patients.

Results seem to be mixed among patients as to the effectiveness of ECT treatment. Some have went as far as saying that electro-convulsive therapy treatment saved their lives.

But on the other hand others have said they would never do it again, wish they hadn't, and complain of severe memory loss.

Even among doctor's there are differing opinions on the use of ECT. Some doctors promote it as being the very best possible treatment while other doctor's feel the risk is still too great and the benefit too short lived. Before proceeding with this treatment type it may be advisable to get opinions from multiple doctors

9