Medications Part 2

They can actually be treated in a number of ways, though. Your doctor has several ways to go.

He may decide to give you antidepressants. Antidepressants are ideal for treating depression specifically and therefore often work with bipolar patients. These medications include a line of medications including:

• Paraxetine which is marketed as Paxil
• Buprpion which is marketed as Wellbutrin
• Fluoxetine which is marketed as both Proza and Sarafem
• Sertraline which is marketed as Zoloft

In addition to these, your doctor has the ability to provide you with antipsychotic medications if he deems that you need them. This includes two types including risperidone as Risperdal and olanzapine as Zyprexa.

Some medications have been created to treat both the depressive and the mania symptoms that you face with bipolar disorder. For example, just recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved quetiapine as Seroquel to treat both extents of your condition.

Yet, there are some concerns about medications that treat bipolar. There are some health risks that you can take on because you are taking these medications.

Medications

There are a number of different medications available that your doctor can prescribe to deliver some help to you. Medications have the goal of helping to regulate your mood swings.

The most common types of medications for mood control include Lithium in name brands such as Lithobid and Eskalith. These work as mood stabilizers and are actually one of the first tools to work against manic episodes. They are your first line of defense in regards to your mood swings.

In addition to these, there are other medications that are used to help stabilize the mood. Anti seizure medications in particular actually provide the help that’s needed. These include medications like valproic acid with the brand name of Depakene. Divalproex, Iamotrigine also provide this same help.

They work as mood regulators. A less commonly used anti seizure medication is that of Topiramate which is sold as Topamax.

Yet, there is more help needed in the maintenance of the mood swings brought on by bipolar disorder. You probably will face episodes of depression and often times doctors find it important to handle these symptoms carefully.

Your Doctor’s Bipolar Treatment

As we’ve discussed, the first thing that you need to do is to talk with your doctor to determine what is affecting you. If it is in fact bipolar disorder, then there are several treatment options that your doctors will recommend to you.

The process of treating bipolar will come from two main forms, from your doctor that is. The first need is that of medication. The second is that of psychotherapy. The combination of these things has been effective in helping millions of people to improve their lives even while suffering from bipolar.

There is no cure for bipolar, but with the right treatments for the condition, you can increase your quality of life and keep yourself safe, too.

It is the combination of both medication and additional psychotherapy help that is the best route to go. Later, we will talk about other things that you can do beyond your doctor’s care that can also aid in your improvement.

The Stress Goes Farther 2

This happens easily during depressive phases especially when an individual is having a severe episode. Without the protection they need from a loved one, they can let their suicidal thoughts take control. Because of this isolation, it is important for those that have loved ones in this condition to provide them with the care that they need to keep them safe.

As you can see, the complications of bipolar disorder can be quite severe. Because many people that suffer from this condition simply do not realize that they have it, it can easily escalate and even put people in danger just doing the things that they do everyday.

The risk of driving a car, for example is very real. If a mania or depressive mood change happens, the person can easily loose control of the car. Even worse, they may make the wrong decisions in traffic, putting others at danger along with them. This scenario can be played out with many other situations in your life too.

Getting help, though, can really improve your outlook on life and reduce your risks and complications significantly.

The Stress Goes Farther

Even beyond the physical risks that you place yourself under when you face bipolar, there are the just as devastating effects that it has on your relationships.

Many people with bipolar will have trouble holding onto relationships. They may move from one person to the next quickly because of the mood swings that they deal with. In addition, those that are suffering from bipolar often times make mistakes with dealing with others. They simply are confused as to what the true emotion is supposed to be during any such situations.

In addition to this many with bipolar also have financial problems to boot. They do not make the right decisions regarding money, spending on credit and making choices in products. With this comes a number of problems from having to file bankruptcy to having to burden other family members with this problem.

Sometimes, a mania episode can trigger a shopping spree. Or a depressive episode can do the same just in the wrong way.

Still, one of the worst effects of bipolar is the way that people who have it treat themselves. Many find that the only way to cope with what is happening to them is to isolate themselves from everyone.

Bipolar Symptoms

For some, the length of time between depressive symptoms and mania symptoms can be very short. You could move from one symptom to the next quickly, leading to confusion and even health scares. This rapid cycling in itself will cause you quite a bit of grief.

It can get even worse, too. It is possible, believe it or not, to be in a state of depression as well as in mania at the same time. When this happens, the end result is that your mind and emotions are completely wrapped in each other. You are agitated and annoyed. You are unable to sleep or eat. You can’t get your thoughts to be organized.

Even worse, when this happens, people are more likely to think about suicide. This can be very dangerous because people in this state of mind are not thinking rationally at all and can make the wrong decision.

Another problem is that of psychosis. Bipolar symptoms that combine both mania and depression symptoms can lead to psychosis. This is a very serious mental illness in which your personality is completely disorganized. You are impaired with what is real and what is not. You are hallucinating and you are delusional. Even those that very strongly believe in things can end up making decisions the other way.

Why Should I Get Help Anyway?

Bipolar is a mental illness. It is not like a cold that will go away. It is not like a broken leg which will heal on its own. Without the attention of a professional, your bipolar can and will get worse.

What happens to you will be unique. There is no way of knowing if your condition will worsen quickly or at all. But, research shows that those that do not seek help for their condition will find complications do exist for them and for their family members.

If you have bipolar, other conditions can make it even worse. For example, if you are trying to deal with anxiety, you will have a hard time doing so because of bipolar. In conditions where this is life threatening, for example if you are suffering from alcoholism, this can be a very serious problem.

If you can’t keep yourself off of alcohol, then your life may be in danger. Not only will the alcohol cause problems for your health, but bipolar can make you think irrationally and you could put yourself in dangerous situations. For this reason, seeking help is a must.