Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that affects more than 2.3 million American adults. Left untreated, it can lead to serious problems that include drug abuse and other destructive behavior.
While there’s no cure, people diagnosed with bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, can lead normal, productive lives. And medication is only part of the solution.
“In its extreme form, people with bipolar disorder can become psychotic and extremely impulsive, often leading to drug use, suicide attempts or legal trouble,” says Lyndra Bills, MD, Medical Director of Lancaster General Mental Health. Unfortunately, some people only start receiving treatment after an incident that lands them in the Emergency Department or the police station. If there is significant substance abuse, clinicians may have a very difficult time identifying any major mental illness until the person is substance free.
“Typically, the people on the manic high-energy side don’t see themselves as sick,” says Dr. Bills. “They are very positive, very powerful… and they aren’t exercising good judgment.”
Others will seek treatment for depression. “But if it’s not simply depression, the treatment can inflate high energy moods even more,” Dr. Bills says. “That’s why we try to evaluate for bipolar disorder before treating depression.”
Signs of bipolar disorder
Each case is different, but there are signs that may suggest help is needed. Depressive symptoms may include:
|
|
|
Left untreated, bipolar disorder can cause someone
to experience extreme and potentially harmful mood
swings. Fortunately, treatment options are available
to help a person control those moods and lead a
productive life. |
-
persistent sadness
-
loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
-
excessive crying
-
increased restlessness and irritability
-
decreased ability to concentrate and make decisions
-
decreased energy
-
thoughts of death or suicide
-
increased feelings of guilt, helplessness or hopelessness
-
weight and appetite changes
-
sleep pattern changes
-
social withdrawal, and
-
physical problems such as chronic pain or headaches.
Manic symptoms may include:
-
overly inflated self-esteem
-
decreased need for rest and sleep
-
increasingly distracted or irritable
-
increased aggressive or destructive behavior
-
increased talkativeness
-
increased energy level
-
uses uncharacteristically poor judgment, and
-
increased denial.
Dr. Bills says some people will try to self-manage their extreme moods with depressants like alcohol to bring them down, and stimulants like cocaine to pick them up.
Symptoms usually appear when a person is in his or her teens—though it can show up later in life. Evaluations for bipolar disorder are recommended if there’s a family history.
Treatment for bipolar disorder
There are three important treatments for bipolar disorder:
-
lifestyle changes
-
therapy, and
-
medication.
Dr. Bills says making better lifestyle choices is extremely important in treating manic depression.
Moods can be controlled by maintaining a consistent sleep pattern, eating regular healthy meals, reducing caffeine intake, following a daily routine and recognizing warning signs of things that may cause mood changes.
Regular therapy with a mental health specialist will help the person work through difficult challenges, change any distorted views of themselves and their environment, avoid stressors, and make good choices to maintain relationships.
Support groups are helpful for patients and their families to work through many of these common issues together and offer another helping hand.
Mood stabilizers like Lithium, Valproic Acid and Lamotragine are the most common medications used in bipolar treatment. While they are effective, Dr. Bills says medication alone is not enough.
“Basically, a person with bipolar disorder must manage his or her ailment every day, no differently than a person with diabetes,” Dr. Bills says. “It is something he or she will deal with for a lifetime.”
Charting their moods is one way patients can manage their illness more effectively and help their doctors treat them and track their progress.
Still, it’s often misunderstood and can be very frustrating for the person living with it, and for others closely involved.
As with all mental illness, stigma is associated with this disease, and it can make interaction with co-workers, friends and family a challenge. So it’s important that those close to a person with bipolar disorder understand the seriousness of the illness, but also that with diagnosis and proper treatment, people with bipolar disorder can control their moods and lead productive lives.
For more information about bipolar disorder: