Bipolar Disorder Symptoms
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by periods of severe depression and hypomania and/or manic episodes depending on the type of bipolar disorder one is diagnosed with. To determine if a person has bipolar disorder a medical professional may evaluate the following:
- Physical examination
- Psychiatric assessments
- Mood tracking
- Evaluating symptoms against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
This condition is usually diagnosed by a psychiatrist but may be diagnosed by another mental health professional such as a therapist. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition. Treatment is directed at managing symptoms. Depending on your needs, treatment may include:
- Medications
- Talk-therapy
- Hospitalization or inpatient/outpatient programs
- Substance abuse treatment
Medications
There are various medications used to treat bipolar disorder. The dosage and choice of medication needs to be determined by a medical professional and will be dependent on the type and severity of your symptoms.
According to the Mayo Clinic, these medications may include:
Mood Stabilizers
The Center for Addition and Mental Health states “how mood stabilizers work is not fully understood. It is thought that the drugs work in diverse ways to bring stability and calm to areas of the brain that have become overstimulated and overactive, or to prevent this state from developing.” Mood stabilizers take several weeks to reach their full effect. As a result, many professionals use antipsychotics to treat acute symptoms of bipolar disorder as they work much faster than mood stabilizers.
Antipsychotics
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Antipsychotic drugs treat psychosis, a collection of symptoms that affect your ability to tell what is real and what is not. These drugs are a critical part of treating conditions that involve psychosis such as severe bipolar disorder. Without them, many of these conditions are so disruptive or severe that they need 24/7 psychiatric care.” It should be noted that taking an antipsychotic drug does not necessarily mean that you experience symptoms of psychosis. It can be used to mitigate symptoms of mood destabilization as well, which is the more common result of bipolar disorder.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are typically used to treat severe depression or major depressive disorder. Because half of the symptoms of bipolar disorder are depressive symptoms, some patients respond well to SSRIs or other types of antidepressant medications. Though it is not known exactly how antidepressants work, the National Health Services U.K. states, “It is thought that antidepressants work by increasing levels of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and noradrenaline, are linked to mood and emotion.”
Anxiety medications
Commonly, people with bipolar disorder will also experience symptoms of anxiety. Due to this comorbidity, many patients seek treatment to mitigate anxiety symptoms. These medications are often used when patients are experiencing both mania symptoms and depressive symptoms simultaneously. Anxiety medications can calm the brain down to make treatment more effective.
Finding the Right Medication for Bipolar Disorder
It is common for people with bipolar disorder to struggle, at first, to find the right medication or combination of medications. Through a trial-and-error process, a psychiatrist will be able to help you find the right combination of meds to successfully treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
Side Effects of Bipolar Medication
It is common for bipolar medication to cause some side effects. Antipsychotic drugs, for instance, can have intense feelings of jitteriness, destabilization, or other impacts. If you find that you are feeling abnormal, consult your psychiatrist to be sure you are on the right medication.
If you feel like your medication is not working, be sure not to suddenly stop taking your recommended dose without consulting your psychiatrist first. You may suddenly experience withdrawal symptoms or worse, experience feelings of suicidality, severe depression, or a hypomanic or manic episode. You want to avoid returning to symptoms that were making it hard to function in the first place.
If you are struggling with bipolar disorder, do not wait to seek help. Unmedicated bipolar disorder can prove extremely dangerous for you and the people around you.