Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Recovery starts with being kind to yourself....

Does your mood change suddenly very frequently? Sometimes, the change feels out of your control. Bipolar disorder isn’t talked about often but is quite common. You can go from feeling super energetic and happy (called mania) to very sad and low (called depression). These mood changes can last for days, weeks, or even longer.

While the exact cause of this disorder isn’t known, it’s believed to be a mix of genetics, brain structure and function, and stress or trauma. Therapy and medication can help you manage these symptoms, especially cognitive-behavioural therapy that helps you understand mood changes and develop coping mechanisms. Lifestyle changes are needed too. With the right treatment, people with bipolar disorder can lead fulfilling, stable lives.

Stress is usually caused by work, personal life issues, or any unpredictable event. Unless you are able to fix that event, you’ll continue to feel stuck. That’s where therapy comes in and helps you to first, accept your current mood and mental health, then organize thoughts, create an action plan, and employ coping strategies.

It shows up differently for everyone, but common symptoms include persistent headaches or migraines, fatigue even after a full night’s sleep, trouble concentrating or remembering things, increased irritability or mood swings, and physical symptoms like stomach issues or muscle tension.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

Did you know 80 to 90 percent of people suffering from bipolar disorder inherit it from their families? It might feel isolating but remember that there’s many others experiencing something similar. Here are some common types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I Disorder

In Bipolar 1 Disorder, you experience severe manic episodes lasting at least a week or sometimes requiring hospitalisation. The highs are intense while the lows are depressive. People can easily differentiate the two moods because the difference is so significant.

Bipolar II Disorder

People with Bipolar II experience less intense manic episodes, known as hypomania. While these highs are milder than in Bipolar I, depressive episodes can be just as severe and can last up to 2 weeks. It typically gets misdiagnosed for depression because the mania isn’t as obvious.

Cyclothymia

In this type, you experience frequent mood swings that are less severe than in Bipolar I or II. While the mood changes don’t meet the full criteria for mania or depression, they still disrupt your day-to-day life. It is a tricky condition to diagnose because the shifts are more subtle.

Rapid Cycling

When someone has rapid cycling bipolar disorder, they experience four or more episodes of mania, hypomania, or depression in a year. Mood swings are always unpredictable and there’ll be weeks in between an episode where you feel completely stable. Rapid cycling is not officially considered a bipolar disorder but there’s a lot of research being done.

Mixed Episodes

In this type, the person experiences symptoms of both mania and depression at the same time. It’s a confusing and challenging state because you might be flooded with high energy and productive ideas because of which you feel overwhelmed and irritated.

Bipolar Disorder with Seasonal Pattern

As the name suggests, this type of bipolar disorder is linked to seasons. Rapid changes in sunlight and temperature imbalances your circadian rhythms, which then affects your mood. Spring is when most people experience mania, while depressive episodes are more common in winters.

Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features

People that fall under this type experience symptoms of psychosis like hallucinations or delusions during severe manic or depressive episodes. Over 50% of people suffering from bipolar disorder experience psychosis at some point in their lives.

Therapies for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder needs a multi-approach care plan that includes medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, building a support system, and regular monitoring. Therapy goes beyond just talking about your feelings and thoughts. It helps you identify triggers, control your mind better, and build coping strategies. Some therapies used to treat bipolar disorder include:

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT helps you regulate emotions and impulsive behaviour by teaching you mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Interpersonal Therapy

It focuses on improving relationships and social functioning to help stabilise moods. Changes in personal relationships and life events can be triggers and your therapist helps you identify and fix unresolved grief and better communication skills.

Group Therapy

Group therapy gives you an opportunity to learn from others’ experiences, feel less isolated, get a sense of community, and learn new coping strategies. Visit Psychology Today to check out therapy groups in your city.

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Family-Focused Therapy

FFT is a short-term therapy that lasts 10-12 sessions and both the person with Bipolar Disorder and their parents and/or partners attend them. In the first half, the therapist teaches them how to identify early symptoms of mood swings, create a response plan, and prevent episodes. In the second half, your therapist will help develop communication plan and problem-solving skills.

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