When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities.
Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year.
While most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any.
In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
There are several types of bipolar and related disorders.
They may include mania or hypomania and depression.
Symptoms can cause unpredictable changes in mood and behavior, resulting in significant distress and difficulty in life.
Bipolar II disorder is not a milder form of bipolar I disorder, but a separate diagnosis.
Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.
Mania and hypomania are two distinct types of episodes, but they have the same symptoms.
Mania may also trigger a break from reality (psychosis) and require hospitalization.
The timing of symptoms may include diagnostic labels such as mixed or rapid cycling.
In addition, bipolar symptoms may occur during pregnancy or change with the seasons.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder can be difficult to identify in children and teens.
And moods can rapidly shift during episodes.
Some children may have periods without mood symptoms between episodes.
If you have any symptoms of depression or mania, see your doctor or mental health professional.
Bipolar disorder doesn’t get better on its own.
Suicidal thoughts and behavior are common among people with bipolar disorder.
Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Some conditions can worsen bipolar disorder symptoms or make treatment less successful.
Referral to a child psychiatrist with experience in bipolar disorder is recommended.
You may have a treatment team that also includes a psychologist, social worker and psychiatric nurse.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition.
Treatment is directed at managing symptoms.
A number of medications are used to treat bipolar disorder.
The types and doses of medications prescribed are based on your particular symptoms.
Medications may include:
Finding the right medication or medications for you will likely take some trial and error.
If one doesn’t work well for you, there are several others to try.
This process requires patience, as some medications need weeks to months to take full effect.
Medications also may need to be adjusted as your symptoms change.
Talk to your doctor or mental health professional if you have bothersome side effects.
Don’t make changes or stop taking your medications.
If you stop your medication, you may experience withdrawal effects or your symptoms may worsen or return.
You may become very depressed, feel suicidal, or go into a manic or hypomanic episode.
If you think you’re gonna wanna make a change, call your doctor.
Certain medications, such as valproic acid and divalproex sodium, should not be used during pregnancy.
Also, birth control medications may lose effectiveness when taken along with certain bipolar disorder medications.
Discuss treatment options with your doctor before you become pregnant, if possible.
Several types of therapy may be helpful.
These include:
Depending on your needs, other treatments may be added to your depression therapy.
ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.
Your doctor will likely ask you a number of questions.
Be ready to answer them to reserve time to go over any points you want to focus on.
Here are some steps to take:
Coping with bipolar disorder can be challenging.
Here are some strategies that can help:
There’s no sure way to prevent bipolar disorder.
