What You Need to Know About Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Treating bipolar disorder is absolutely essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are a few different treatment options, from medication, to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), to psychotherapy ("talk" therapy). No matter what options are explored, there are a few things to bear in mind. Here are the top ten things to know about treatment of bipolar disorder.

1. Symptoms will not disappear overnight. Some people expect that, with the use of medications, symptoms will magically level out. This is not even remotely the case. It can take up to six weeks at a single dosage for some medications to take effect. Until that time, symptoms may still be present.

2. Symptoms will not disappear completely. Very few people manage to permanently escape mood episodes after seeking treatment. Therefore, it is terribly unlikely that the symptoms will simply go away forever.

3. The side effects of some of the medicinal treatments are unpleasant. This is one reason why many bipolar disorder patients go off of their medications. It is very important to keep taking medications unless told otherwise by a doctor. The side effects may go away with time.

4. ECT is rarely, if ever, the first course of treatment. This particular type of therapy is usually reserved for patients that do not respond well to medications.

5. After receiving ECT, maintenance drugs will often be used to prevent relapse and the need for more ECT treatments.

6. Medications are usually used during periods of stability as maintenance drugs. Therefore, a bipolar disorder patient does not need to be in the midst of a mood episode to be taking medications.

7. Psychotherapy is an integral part of any course of treatment. It is very important to find a trustworthy and genuinely caring therapist before beginning any serious course or therapy.

8. Some of the medications for bipolar disorder are very expensive. Many health insurance companies cover part of the cost, but the co-pay varies from company to company.

9. Drinking alcoholic beverages is generally inadvisable for bipolar disorder patients because alcohol is a depressants. However, alcohol also interacts with many of the medications used to treat bipolar disorder, so it is important to speak with a physician or psychiatrist before indulging in alcoholic beverages while receiving treatment.

10. Family members of an individual with bipolar disorder may also want to attend therapy sessions to clear the air of any resentment caused by side effects and behaviors characteristic of bipolar disorder.

Treating bipolar disorder is becoming less and less of a hassle with new medications and methods of treatment, but there are still some complications that cannot be completely avoided. It is very important to follow any guideline prescribed by a psychiatrist or other health professional, regardless of what it says on this list. Treatments are very personalized.

Source:

National Institute of Mental Health. 2009. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index