Bipolar Disorder

Are you one of the 5.7 million Americans who live with bipolar disorder? Seek new and better treatment for your illness at Jehovahs Behavioral Care, led by Grace Fomunung, PMHNP, in Lilburn, Georgia. Through a combination of therapy and medication, you can lead a normal life with bipolar disorder. Find out how Jehovahs Behavioral Care can transform your life by scheduling an appointment online or over the phone today.

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression or manic-depressive disorder, is a mental illness that causes extreme shifts in a person’s energy, mood, activity levels, and concentration. These shifts are often uncontrollable and unexpected, making it hard for a person to maintain relationships and carry out daily functions. 

What are bipolar disorder mood shifts?

Bipolar mood shifts broadly include manic episodes, depressive episodes, or hypomanic episodes (less severe manic periods).

Manic and hypomanic episodes both feature three or more of the following symptoms (with varying degrees of severity):

• Feeling unusually upbeat, wired, or jumpy 
• An elevated sense of self-confidence and well-being
• Racing thoughts
• Decreased need for sleep
• Distractibility
• Increased levels of agitation, energy, or activity
• Abnormal talkativeness
• Poor decision-making (sexually risky behavior, spending sprees, ill-advised investments, etc.)

Depressive episodes cause symptoms like:

• Feeling sad, hopeless, or indifferent
• Irritability 
• Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Oversleeping
• Fatigue
• Feeling unusually forgetful
• Difficulty making decisions or concentrating
• Feeling incapable of doing simple tasks
• A lack of interest in activities
• Thinking about death or suicide

Depressive episodes can also make you speak very slowly and feel like you can’t think of anything to say.

Is there more than one type of bipolar disorder?

There are three main types of bipolar disorder, which include:

Bipolar I disorder

Bipolar I disorder is characterized by: 

• Manic episodes that last for at least seven days, or 
• Manic symptoms that are so severe that the person experiencing them needs immediate medical intervention, and
• Depressive episodes that last at least two weeks
• Mixed episodes with both manic and depressive symptoms
  
  

Bipolar II disorder

Bipolar II disorder typically causes a cycle of depressive and hypomanic episodes.

Cyclothymic disorder

Also known as cyclothymia, cyclothymic disorder causes recurrent hypomanic symptoms that aren’t severe or frequent enough to qualify as episodes.

How do you treat bipolar disorder?

Typically, bipolar disorder is treated by a combination of medication and psychotherapy, during which a therapist helps you develop the tools to identify and control thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. 

The most common medications prescribed for bipolar disorder include mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants balanced with mood stabilizers, and, occasionally, medications that help regulate sleep and anxiety.

Bipolar disorder can feel isolating, but you’re not alone. Get help managing your symptoms and living life to the fullest by working with Jehovahs Behavioral Care. Book a consultation online or over the phone today.