Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Bipolar Disorder is more than just going through a cycle of a lot of ups and downs, and it often coexists with Anxiety Disorders that require treatment. The presence of an Anxiety Disorder can make Bipolar Disorders worse.
Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is characterized by periods of extreme mania (when the person is elated, highly energized and easily irritated) and extreme depression (when the person is sad, indifferent, listless, or hopeless). Often the manic episodes consist of a variety of tasks or projects getting started without being completed. Let’s delve a little further into Bipolar Disorder with the help of one of the best therapists for Bipolar Disorder in Los Angeles.
Typical behaviors of Bipolar Disorders are:
- Bipolar I Disorder: This is defined by manic episodes lasting seven days or more in duration. Often, depressive episodes also occur at this time, sometimes lasting two weeks or more. The manic episodes can be so severe that they require hospitalization so that the person suffering from them doesn’t hurt themselves or anyone else around them. The manic episodes are so intense that they can cause a break from reality, or psychosis, in some cases.
- Bipolar II Disorder: This is also defined by similar episodes of mania and depression as occur in bipolar I, but with less severity and intensity. The episodes do persist, but may only last for a day or two and symptoms often do not require hospitalization. It is still a very scary mental health condition, however it is not as severe as Bipolar I. Individuals who suffer from Bipolar II are also more likely to experience longer depressive periods, and sometimes, more intense ones, which can cause impairment in their daily lives.
- Cyclothymic Disorder: This particular expression of bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of mania and periods of depression lasting for at least 2 years (or 1 year if the sufferer is an adolescent or a child) and are induced by drugs used for treatment for a different condition (the bipolar disorder is essentially a side effect). The symptoms in these cases are generally not as severe and in fact do not fully meet the requirements for a manic or hypomanic (less severe mania), or depressive episodes characteristic of Bipolar I or II.
Our Approach To Bipolar Disorder
So what does this all mean, exactly? Bipolar Disorder is a diagnosable Mental Health Condition, so it goes a little further than simply being “hyper” or “amped up” or “down”. Your best Licensed Clinical Psychologist for Bipolar Disorder in Los Angeles can help you further with a solid diagnosis. People who suffer from Bipolar Disorder often experience delusions, hallucinations, and feelings of being on top of the world or invincible. It is treatable with counseling services, medications and other treatments.
Bipolar Disorder patients have been known to exhibit wildly inappropriate behaviors during manic periods, such as jumping off the tops of buildings because they think that they can fly, stealing TVs or cars, robbing banks, and the like. Beverly Hills counseling services can help. Often, the individual with Bipolar Disorder doesn’t even have a conscious understanding of what they’re doing, or an ability to recall it afterwards. It is utterly exhausting.
Patients with Bipolar Disorders often feel that they get a lot done during their manic episodes, but because they lack the focus to concentrate on a single task at a time, they often get a lot of things started, but not finished. Their attention span is erratic and they lack the ability to apply their energy in a fashion conducive to completing tasks or projects. This can lead to a pretty disheartening crash when the manic period subsides and they look around at everything that actually didn’t get done.
Depressive periods are similarly characterized. During depressive periods, the person is withdrawn, antisocial, and often, simply sleeps all the time. Depressive episodes can wipe out the person suffering from Bipolar Disorder so much that they sleep for days on end. It can be frightening to witness this as the Bipolar Disorder patient is so out of touch with reality that it can be almost impossible to wake or rouse them. This can lead to a terrifying experience, especially if a child is trying to wake their parent or guardian and is unable to. Untreated Bipolar Disorders can be very worrisome, which is why we always recommend that you see the best psychologist in Los Angeles for treatment.
