Bipolar Treatment

About Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Bipolar disorder is often a lifelong condition, but with the right treatment and support, individuals can successfully manage symptoms and live fulfilling lives. Treatment focuses on stabilizing mood swings, reducing symptoms, and preventing relapses. Your treatment plan may include one or more of the following:

Medications

Mood-stabilizing medications are often the first step in treatment. These help regulate extreme mood shifts and can be adjusted as needed by your healthcare provider.

Continued Treatment

Even when you feel well, ongoing treatment is essential. Stopping medication or skipping regular care can increase the risk of relapse, leading to severe episodes of depression or mania.

Bipolar Treatment Programs

Your doctor may recommend a day treatment program that offers structured support, therapy, and coping strategies. These programs can help you manage symptoms and stay on track with your recovery.

Substance Abuse Treatment

If you’re also dealing with substance use issues, addressing them is a key part of bipolar disorder management. Drugs and alcohol can make symptoms harder to control and may interfere with medication effectiveness.

Hospitalization

In severe situations—such as suicidal thoughts, dangerous behavior, or losing touch with reality—hospitalization may be necessary. A hospital setting can provide intensive psychiatric care in a safe and supportive environment.

Therapy, Education & Support

In addition to medication, psychotherapy (talk therapy) plays a major role in managing bipolar disorder. Therapy helps you understand triggers, develop coping strategies, and maintain healthy routines. Education and support groups can also provide valuable guidance for both patients and families

Who Is Affected By Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder affects about 5.7 million adults in the United States, which is 2.6% of all Americans over 18 years old.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the median age at which bipolar disorder begins is 25 years. However, the illness can begin as early as childhood and as late as the 40s or 50s.
Bipolar illness affects both men and women equally and can be found in all races, ages, and social classes.
Bipolar disorder affects more than two thirds of those who have at least one relative suffering from the condition or with uni polar major depressive disorder. This indicates that there is a genetic component to the disorder.

Finding The Right Medication

It will take some trial and error to find the right medication during your Bipolar Disorder Treatment. There are many other options if one does not work for you and is considered a normal occurrence for most patients.

It takes patience as some medications take weeks or months to fully kick in. Your doctor will usually only change one medication at a time to ensure that you get the best possible treatment outcome. Your symptoms are subject to change and your medication may need to be adjusted.

Some medications may include:

Mood stabilizers To control manic and hypo manic episodes, you’ll usually need mood-stabilizing medication. Some examples of mood stabilizers are lithium, depakene, divalproex salt, carmazepine, and lamotrigine.
Antipsychotics In cases where depression or mania persists despite treatment with other medications, an antipsychotic drug may be prescribed. These medications may be prescribed by your doctor alone or in combination with mood stabilizers.
Antidepressants To help with depression, your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant. An antidepressant may sometimes cause a manic episode. It is usually prescribed in combination with a mood stabilizer, or a antipsychotic.
Antidepressant-antipsychotic The medication Symbyax combines the antidepressant fluoxetine and the antipsychotic olanzapine. It is used as a depression treatment, and mood stabilizer.
Anxiety medications These benzodiazepines can help with anxiety and sleep problems, but they are generally only used for a short time.

There Are Other Bipolar Disorder Treatment Options

ECT is an electro-convulsive treatment that involves passing electrical currents through the brain, purposely causing a short seizure. ECT may cause brain chemistry changes that could reverse the symptoms of some mental illnesses altogether. If you are unable to take antidepressants due to health reasons, or are at risk of suicide, ECT might be an option.

For those who have not responded to antidepressants, trans cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is also currently being studied and could soon be a newly introduced treatment option. Other treatment options can always be explored depending on your needs.

Find Bipolar Disorder Treatment Options

R.I.S.E offers personalized medication assisted treatment programs for Bipolar Disorder treatment. Contact our team of substance abuse and mental health treatment professionals today to schedule your consultation with us!