What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes unusual and extreme shifts in your mood, energy levels, and ability to do everyday activities. They include periods of extreme highs, also called mania, and lows, called depression, both of which last anywhere from several days to weeks.
Some patients experience these episodes often, others have them a few times a year. In either case, patients with bipolar disorder have difficulty maintaining relationships and holding down a job.
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?
Patients with bipolar disorder experience episodes of unusually extreme emotions and behaviors called mania, hypomania (a less severe level of mania), and depression.
If you’re experiencing a period of mania, you may have symptoms like:
- Being abnormally upbeat
- Feeling jumpy or wired
- Feeling irritable
- Feelings of euphoria
- Decreased need to sleep
- Unusual talkativeness
- Racing thoughts
- Being easily distracted
- Poor or risky decision-making
If you’re in a depressive episode, you may have symptoms like:
- Feeling sad, hopeless, or worthless
- Loss of interest in everything
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Insomnia or sleeping too much
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Feeling excessive guilt
- Decreased concentration and productivity
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Severe cases of bipolar disorder are also accompanied by psychosis-like delusions and hallucinations. Many patients with bipolar disorder also have other illnesses like anxiety disorder, substance abuse, or an eating disorder.
How do you treat bipolar disorder?
While bipolar disorder is a life-long condition, the practice can help you gain control over your mood swings and accompanying symptoms. An effective treatment plan usually combines medication and psychotherapy sessions.
At the practice, your therapist uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to educate you about your bipolar disorder and help you recognize the warning signs of oncoming episodes. CBT also teaches you coping strategies to manage the effects of your extreme moods and to take constructive action in the face of either your mania or depression.
The practice coordinates your therapy sessions with a psychiatrist who provides medication to manage your symptoms. The staff also helps you communicate the positive and negative effects of your medication so your psychiatrist can adjust your dosage as needed.
To learn more about the various ways CBT and Queens Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Psychology, PLLC, can help you manage your bipolar disorder, call the office today or use the online booking tool to make an appointment.
