Bipolar Treatments

Bipolar disorder is a medical condition in which the patient experiences periods of intense happiness followed by periods of intense sadness and depression.  Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5% of the population in the United States on a daily basis.  The diagnoses for bipolar disorder came around the 1850s when French physicians identified the symptoms that classify the disease today.  There is no cure for bipolar disorder, however there are many treatments available that can help to both suppress the symptoms and help the patient live a normal life.  There are two main treatment types available: medication and therapy.

MEDICATION TREATMENT

The most common method for treating and coping with bipolar disorder is via medication.  There are hundreds of brands of medications available to treat bipolar disorder, but they all have the same basic ingredients.  Inside most bipolar medications you will find lithium carbonate and Lamotrigine.  Lamotrigine is used to help block the brains receptors that cause depression, and lithium carbonate is believed to help reduce the risk of suicide in patients with bipolar disorder.

Medication is almost always prescribed by a physician after a patient has spent some time in the hospital.  In addition, there are preventive medications that can be obtained over the counter.  These are often advertised on the television and while they won’t work as effectively as true bipolar medications, they won’t have the adverse side effects of the true medications.

THERAPY TREATMENT

The other popular treatment for bipolar disorder is therapy.  Therapy can be in a multitude of formats, ranging from group therapy to one-on-one counseling to professional psychiatric therapy.  Therapy often takes place inside of a hospital or clinical setting.  In addition, therapy is often prescribed by an experienced physician before it actually takes place.  When a patient is about to be released from the hospital because of bipolar disorder, they are often prescribed a mix of medication as well as therapy.  This combination ensures they can get over the symptoms and keep them away for the long term.

The two main treatments for bipolar disorder are therapy and medication.  As with most psychological disorders, a mixture of medication and therapy is often the route most doctors use to cure the symptoms.  It is important to know that the easiest way to defeat bipolar disorder is to have it diagnosed as soon as possible and be as aggressive as possible in regards to the treatment.