Also referred to as manic depression bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by disruptions in mood, from a feeling of crushing depression switching to a high of mania. In some cases, the afflicted person shows the symptom of both depression and mania at the same time.
Bipolar disorder is not curable although it can be treated to help the person with the illness gain control of his/her mood episodes. Many factors are considered first before the treatment and foremost of them is an accurate and complete diagnosis. A wrong diagnosis will result in mistreatment that could make the circumstances worse for the patient.
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder
It is quite difficult even for a professional medical practitioner to make a diagnosis for bipolar disorder. One problem is that most people with the illness only seek help when they are in the depressive stage. When in manic or elevated mood they tend not to realize the problem and thus would not think of seeking any help.
The typical diagnostic exams given for bipolar disorder are psychological evaluation, medical history and physical exam.
A psychological evaluation involves three key components that will determine the diagnosis: the symptoms, the trajectory or pattern of the illness, and family history.
A complete medical history of the person is required by the doctor in order to rule out other factors that do not necessarily contribute to the disorder.
Physical exam includes blood tests, Thyroid profile, EEG and CT and MRI scan of the brain.
Classes of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder I - This is the most severe type where the affected person experiences manic episodes and/or episodes of major depression.
Bipolar disorder II - The disorder is characterized by a hypomanic episode which is a lesser form of mania and also at least one major depressive episode. Those with this type of disorder are at most risk of committing suicide because their depressive episodes are more intense than the manic episodes.
Cyclothymia - The individual who suffers from this illness had both episodes of both hypomania and mild depression or what is termed as dysthymic in medical language.
A bipolar disorder cannot be diagnosed as cyclothymia if there is a history of manic or major depression.
The Treatment
The treatment for bipolar disorder is focused on effective long term management of the condition and restoring back to normal the person's mood when he/she is experiencing an episode.
The most effective method of treating bipolar disorder is a combination of medication and therapy.
Medication Mood stabilizers, notably lithium is commonly prescribed by the physician for all types of bipolar disorder before any other drug. It has been proven effective but not for all.
Antidepressants are prescribed only when the person is in a depressed mood and should not be taken in a manic episode. The drug Prozac is an example of an antidepressant.
Anticonvulsant drugs are administered orally for the control of seizures particularly on manic episodes. Valproic acid is one type of this medicine.
It is important to note that the drugs used for bipolar disorder medications have significant side effects including weight gain. Also, they should be taken with the prescription of a competent physician.
Therapies
Medication alone is not effective if not combined with some form of therapy, and neither is therapy alone can be effective if not combined with medication. Here are some therapies for treating bipolar disorder:
Behavioral therapy- This therapy involves the psychiatrist or a trained specialist determining a patient's negative behavior that causes stress and make his life miserable, and replacing the undesirable behavior with a positive one.
Cognitive therapy - While behavior therapy replaces negative behavior with positive ones, cognitive therapy identifies and modify thinking patterns associated with mood shifts.
Interpersonal therapy - Aims to reduce the stress on the patient by focusing on his interactions with the important people in his life and solving whatever interpersonal problems that exist between them.
Social Rhythm therapy - The gist of the therapy is to help the patient get back and manage his day to day activities such as sleep schedule, house work, exercise or doing shopping.
Bipolar disorder is not curable although it can be treated to help the person with the illness gain control of his/her mood episodes. Many factors are considered first before the treatment and foremost of them is an accurate and complete diagnosis. A wrong diagnosis will result in mistreatment that could make the circumstances worse for the patient.
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder
It is quite difficult even for a professional medical practitioner to make a diagnosis for bipolar disorder. One problem is that most people with the illness only seek help when they are in the depressive stage. When in manic or elevated mood they tend not to realize the problem and thus would not think of seeking any help.
The typical diagnostic exams given for bipolar disorder are psychological evaluation, medical history and physical exam.
A psychological evaluation involves three key components that will determine the diagnosis: the symptoms, the trajectory or pattern of the illness, and family history.
A complete medical history of the person is required by the doctor in order to rule out other factors that do not necessarily contribute to the disorder.
Physical exam includes blood tests, Thyroid profile, EEG and CT and MRI scan of the brain.
Classes of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder I - This is the most severe type where the affected person experiences manic episodes and/or episodes of major depression.
Bipolar disorder II - The disorder is characterized by a hypomanic episode which is a lesser form of mania and also at least one major depressive episode. Those with this type of disorder are at most risk of committing suicide because their depressive episodes are more intense than the manic episodes.
Cyclothymia - The individual who suffers from this illness had both episodes of both hypomania and mild depression or what is termed as dysthymic in medical language.
A bipolar disorder cannot be diagnosed as cyclothymia if there is a history of manic or major depression.
The Treatment
The treatment for bipolar disorder is focused on effective long term management of the condition and restoring back to normal the person's mood when he/she is experiencing an episode.
The most effective method of treating bipolar disorder is a combination of medication and therapy.
Medication Mood stabilizers, notably lithium is commonly prescribed by the physician for all types of bipolar disorder before any other drug. It has been proven effective but not for all.
Antidepressants are prescribed only when the person is in a depressed mood and should not be taken in a manic episode. The drug Prozac is an example of an antidepressant.
Anticonvulsant drugs are administered orally for the control of seizures particularly on manic episodes. Valproic acid is one type of this medicine.
It is important to note that the drugs used for bipolar disorder medications have significant side effects including weight gain. Also, they should be taken with the prescription of a competent physician.
Therapies
Medication alone is not effective if not combined with some form of therapy, and neither is therapy alone can be effective if not combined with medication. Here are some therapies for treating bipolar disorder:
Behavioral therapy- This therapy involves the psychiatrist or a trained specialist determining a patient's negative behavior that causes stress and make his life miserable, and replacing the undesirable behavior with a positive one.
Cognitive therapy - While behavior therapy replaces negative behavior with positive ones, cognitive therapy identifies and modify thinking patterns associated with mood shifts.
Interpersonal therapy - Aims to reduce the stress on the patient by focusing on his interactions with the important people in his life and solving whatever interpersonal problems that exist between them.
Social Rhythm therapy - The gist of the therapy is to help the patient get back and manage his day to day activities such as sleep schedule, house work, exercise or doing shopping.
Carlos Cayanan also writes articles for Hubpages ( http://hubpages.com/profile/juncolt ), and Blogger ( http://juncolt.blogspot.com/ ). He is an engineering graduate with a passion for writing about technology and health. Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carlos_Cayanan |
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