How to treat bipolar disorder

CBT for bipolar disorder can help you change the distorted thinking patterns that arise during mood episodes. Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health condition that involves extreme shifts in mood and energy levels. The disorder requires a long-term treatment plan that usually includes CBT aims to help you identify and change these unhelpful thought patterns. CBT is a type of psychotherapy that helps you identify and change distorted or unhelpful thinking. The idea with CBT for CBT is goal-oriented and typically focuses on current problems in your life rather than working through your childhood or past experiences. During sessions, your therapist helps you move forward with new, healthier coping skills. CBT has been extensively researched and shown to improve symptoms of various psychiatric conditions, including the following: • • • • bipolar disorder • • • • • • Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health disorder affecting more than CBT for bipolar disorder is based on the idea that changes in mood and thinking during depressive and manic episodes can influence behavior. • improving • reducing • decreasing relapse rate • improving psychosocial functioning Researchers stated that improvements in depression and mania were more significant when CBT treatment was 90 minutes or longer per session. In one • fewer hospitalizations • lower rates of stopping lithium against medical advice • fewer episodes due to inconsistent lithium use In general, CBT uses the following appr...

CE credits: 1 Learning objectives: After reading this article, CE candidates will be able to: • Discuss how psychologists’ understanding of bipolar disorder has changed over the past 3 decades. • Describe mood states, symptoms, and diagnostic criteria for the four bipolar spectrum disorders. • List front-line pharmacological and psychological treatments for bipolar disorder. For more information on earning CE credit for this article, go to In the 1990s, bipolar disorder was seen as a severe, rare, incurable condition found only in adults. Medication, primarily lithium, was the sole treatment offered to most patients. Today, experts are learning that the disorder is more common—affecting about 4% of U.S. children and adults—and presents along a diverse continuum. More than half of patients have their first mood symptoms in childhood or adolescence, a full range of treatments exist, and people with the condition can survive and thrive (Moreira, A. L., et al., ournal of Clinical Psychiatry, Vol. 80, No. 3, 2019). “The more we study bipolar disorder, the more we appreciate its complexity, especially around the onset of symptoms and in the underserved,” said Manpreet K. Singh, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. “There isn’t going to be a single genetic marker, research tool, or treatment plan that resolves this complexity.” Psychologists and psychiatrists studying bipolar disorder are characterizing complexities of the condi...

• Feelings of sadness • Emotional numbness or emptiness • Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness • Feelings of guilt or shame • Preoccupation with personal failures or losses • Worry or anxiety • Indifference or • Withdrawal and isolation • Restlessness or a feeling of moving in slow motion • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions • A tendency to speak slowly, forget what they were saying, or feeling like there’s nothing to say • Difficulty going about their day or doing simple things • Low • Fatigue and tiredness • Changes in appetite and weight • Insomnia or hypersomnia • Thoughts of self-harm or If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. For more mental health resources, see our Causes of Bipolar Depression These are some of the factors that can contribute to the risk of developing bipolar disorder: • Biological factors: People who have bipolar disorder may have differences in the structure and functioning of their brain. • Genetic factors: Bipolar disorder usually has a strong • Seasonal factors: Some people may find that their bipolar disorder is seasonal, says Dr. Daramus. According to a 2013 study, depressive episodes are more common in winter; whereas, manic episodes are more common in summer. • Emotional factors: Having relationship problems or emotional issues can increase the likelihood of experiencing a depressive episode, according ...

Bipolar disorder is treated with three main classes of medication: mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and, while their safety and effectiveness for the condition are sometimes controversial, Typically, treatment entails a combination of at least one mood-stabilizing drug and/or atypical antipsychotic, plus Depakote or generically as divalproex). Lithium carbonate can be remarkably effective in reducing mania, although doctors still do not know precisely how it works. Lithium ( Valproic acid ( ), another antiepileptic drug, has been shown to have value for Other antiepileptic drugs, such as ), ( ) can take full effect, which may be from one to several weeks. Another antipsychotic, . Some of these drugs can potentially become toxic if doses get too high. Therefore, they need to be monitored periodically with While antidepressants remain widely prescribed for bipolar depression, most antidepressants have not been adequately studied in patients with bipolar depression. In general, your doctor may try to keep the use of antidepressants limited and brief. Long-term treatment with antidepressants in bipolar disorder tends to be recommended only when the initial response is clear-cut and there are no current or emerging signs of mania or Some antidepressants -- given alone or in combination with other drugs -- may trigger a manic episode or cause cycles between depression and mania to be more rapid. If an antidepressant is not clearly having a beneficial effect for bipolar depressi...

Bipolar disorders are common, recurrent mental health conditions of variable severity that are difficult to diagnose. Affected individuals have higher rates of other mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and comorbid chronic medical illnesses. New diagnostic criteria and specifiers with attention on mixed features and anxious distress aid the physician in recognizing episode severity and prognosis. Physicians should consider bipolar disorder in any patient presenting with depression. Pharmacotherapy with mood stabilizers, such as lithium, anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics, is a first-line treatment that should be continued indefinitely because of the risk of patient relapse. Active lifestyle approaches include good nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and proper weight management. Monotherapy with antidepressants is contraindicated during episodes with mixed features, manic episodes, and in bipolar I disorder. Ongoing management involves monitoring for suicidal ideation, substance use disorders, treatment adherence, and recognizing medical complications of pharmacotherapy. Psychotherapy is a useful adjunct to pharmacotherapy. Patients and their support systems should be educated about the chronic nature of this illness, possible relapse, suicidality, environmental triggers (e.g., seasonal light changes, shift work, other circadian disruption), and the effectiveness of early intervention to reduce complications. Clinical recommendation Evidence rating Comments ...