Saturday, March 23, 2024

How To Fight Bipolar Depression

From Patient To Therapist

How to Cope with Bipolar Depression

Once I got healthier, I started noticing that some of my family and friends were struggling too, whether they were diagnosed or undiagnosed. Most of them were undiagnosed, because they weren’t going to get help. That’s what led me to become a therapist, get my master’s degree in mental health counseling, and also pursue my PhD in international psychology.

A lot of the clients that I work with are men of color. I can’t expect them to come in and be completely vulnerable with me in a traditional therapeutic setting. I can’t come at them with a textbook solution. The textbook wasn’t written by us, or even for us. I have to meet them where they are and make them comfortable.

I incorporate physical activity, whether it’s going to the gym and shooting basketballs, or going to the local trail and walking the trail. Especially when I’m working with young boys, playing games is how I build trust with them.

How To Fight Bipolar Disorder/depression

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Treatment Of Bipolar Depression

As noted, depressive, dysthymic, and mixed states account for the majority of illness-burden in BD, and are strongly predicted by initial depressive, mixed, or anxious episodes . Remarkably few treatments are proved to be highly and consistently effective in acute episodes of bipolar depression, and there is even less evidence supporting substantial long-term protection from recurrences . In particular, there is continued controversy about the value and risks of antidepressant drugs in bipolar depression . Lack of highly effective treatments encourages widespread drug-combinations and other off-label treatments largely untested for effectiveness and safety.

Table 4 Placebo-controlled trials for acute depression in bipolar disorder

Relative paucity of experimental treatment studies for bipolar depression may reflect a broadly accepted view that major depression is similar in its clinical characteristics as well as treatment responses in BD and MDD . Instead, their characteristics differ, e.g., in family history, sex-distribution, onset-age, long-term diagnostic stability, episode duration, recurrence rates, and treatment-responses . The assumption of similarity probably contributes to the rarity of direct comparisons of treatment responses with depression in BD vs. MDD, and leaves bipolar depression as a leading challenge for psychiatric therapeutics .

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What Is Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder and mental health condition that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior. These shifts can last for hours, days, weeks or months and interrupt your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are a few types of bipolar disorder, which involve experiencing significant fluctuations in mood referred to as hypomanic/manic and depressive episodes. However, people with bipolar disorder arent always in a hypomanic/manic or depressive state. They also experience periods of normal mood, known as euthymia.

Manic episodes

A key feature of bipolar I disorder is manic episodes. To meet the criteria for bipolar I disorder, you must have had at least one manic episode in your life for at least a week with or without ever experiencing a depressive episode.

Mania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, as well as extreme changes in emotions, thoughts, energy, talkativeness and activity level. This highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior is a change from your usual self and is noticeable by others.

People with certain types of bipolar such as bipolar II disorder experience hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania. It doesnt last as long as manic episodes and it doesnt interfere with daily functioning as much.

Depressive episodes

  • Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.

How To Beat Depression: 8 Things To Do Every Day

Creating awareness for fighting mental illness

Trying to beat depression? Small daily efforts can be more effective than sweeping changes.

Depression isnt something youre able to turn off like a switch. It doesnt go away just because someone tells you to toughen up or because you had a moment of laughter during the day.

When you live with depression, you know it often isnt about the big moments in life. Sometimes, its all those quiet minutes of the day no one else sees.

When these moments feel like an eternity, there are ways you can loosen the hold depression has on daily life.

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Tip : Monitor Your Symptoms And Moods

In order to stay well, its important to be closely attuned to the way you feel. By the time obvious symptoms of mania or depression appear, it is often too late to intercept the mood swing, so keep a close watch for subtle changes in your mood, sleeping patterns, energy level, and thoughts. If you catch the problem early and act swiftly, you may be able to prevent a minor mood change from turning into a full-blown episode of mania or depression.

Watching Your Favorite Tv Series

Its easy to get lost in a TV shows story arc. Maybe you have a favorite TV series you like to watch whose characters are super relatable. Or maybe you prefer to watch reruns of your favorite childhood show. Whatever the case may be, curling up on the couch or in your bed and watching some TV might make the tough stuff youre going through a bit more bearable.

Watching X-Files. For 10 years its always been my go-to when it comes to a bad episode, Brittany T. wrote.

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What Medications Are Used To Treat Bipolar Disorder

Certain medications can help manage symptoms of bipolar disorder. You may need to try several different medications, with guidance from your healthcare provider, before finding what works best.

Medications healthcare providers generally prescribe to treat bipolar disorder include:

  • Mood stabilizers.
  • Second-generation neuroleptics .
  • Antidepressants.

If youre taking medication for bipolar disorder, you should:

  • Talk with your healthcare provider to understand the risks, side effects and benefits of the medication.
  • Tell your healthcare provider about any prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications or supplements youre already taking.
  • Tell your healthcare provider right away if youre experiencing concerning side effects. They may need to change your dose or try a different medication.
  • Remember that medication for bipolar disorder must be taken consistently, as prescribed.

Mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder

People with bipolar disorder typically need mood-stabilizing medication to manage manic or hypomanic episodes.

Types of mood stabilizers and their brand names include:

Thyroid gland and kidney problems can sometimes develop when taking lithium, so your healthcare provider will monitor the function of your thyroid and kidneys, as well as monitor the levels of lithium in your blood, as levels can easily become too high.

The following are signs of lithium toxicity . Call your healthcare provider immediately or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

Who Does Bipolar Disorder Affect

What it is Like to Have Bipolar, Manic Depression

Bipolar disorder can affect anyone. The average age of onset is 25 years, but, more rarely, it can start as early as early childhood or as late as in your 40s or 50s.

Although bipolar disorder affects people assigned female at birth and people assigned male at birth in equal numbers, the condition tends to affect them differently.

People AFAB with bipolar disorder may switch moods more quickly. When people with bipolar disorder experience four or more manic or depressive episodes in a year, this is called rapid cycling. Varying levels of sex hormones and thyroid hormones, together with the tendency for people AFAB to be prescribed antidepressants, may contribute to the more rapid cycling in this population.

People AFAB with bipolar disorder may also experience more periods of depression than people AMAB.

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What If Im Not Happy With My Treatment

If you arent happy with your treatment you can:

  • talk to your doctor about your treatment options,
  • ask for a second opinion,
  • get an advocate to help you speak to your doctor,
  • contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service , or
  • make a complaint.

There is more information about these options below.

How can I speak to my doctor about my treatment options?

You can speak to your doctor about your treatment. Explain why you arent happy with it. You could ask what other treatments you could try.

Tell your doctor if there is a type of treatment that you would like to try. Doctors should listen to your preference. If you arent given this treatment, ask your doctor to explain why it isnt suitable for you.

Whats a second opinion?

A second opinion means that you would like a different doctor to give their opinion about what treatment you should have. You can also ask for a second opinion if you disagree with your diagnosis.

You dont have a right to a second opinion. But your doctor should listen to your reason for wanting a second opinion.

What is advocacy?

An advocate is independent from the mental health service. They are free to use. They can be useful if you find it difficult to get your views heard.

There are different types of advocates available. Community advocates can support you to get a health professional to listen to your concerns. And help you to get the treatment that you would like. NHS complaints advocates can help you if you want to complain about the NHS.

Mania: The Highs Of Bipolar Disorder

Symptoms of mania include

  • heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence
  • excessive irritability, aggressive behavior
  • grandiose thoughts, inflated sense of self-importance
  • racing speech, racing thoughts, flight of ideas
  • impulsiveness, poor judgment, easily distracted
  • reckless behavior and
  • in the most severe cases, delusions and hallucinations.

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Types Of Bipolar Disorder

There are several types of bipolar disorder. Each kind is defined by the length, frequency, and pattern of episodes of mania and depression. Mood swings that come with bipolar disorder are usually more severe than ordinary mood swings and symptoms can last weeks or months, severely disrupting a persons life. For example, depression can make a person unable to get out of bed or go to work or mania can cause a person to go for days without sleep.

Natural Remedies For Treating Bipolar Disorder

7 Steps to Prevent and Manage Violence in Bipolar Patients ...

Bipolar disorder involves extreme shifts in mood, energy, and levels of activity. Medications can help people manage symptoms, but these can have adverse effects. A number of natural remedies may also help.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimate that around 2.6 percent of people in the United States have bipolar disorder, and nearly 83 percent of cases are severe. On average, it starts when a person is 25 years old.

A person with bipolar disorder experiences times of severe depression and times of mania, or high mood. The risks during a low mood include an inability to function at work and in other areas of life.

During mania, the person may be at risk of making reckless decisions. If the mood becomes too high or low, psychosis can develop.

There is no cure for bipolar disorder, but treatment enables people to manage it. Some lifestyle adaptations can also help, alongside the medication.

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Antidepressants And Mood Switching

There is widespread concern that antidepressant treatment for bipolar depression risks switching into potentially dangerous agitation or mania, especially in BD-I . Such risk is more associated with the long-term BD course-pattern of depression followed by mania before a stable interval than the opposite . However, it is difficult to distinguish spontaneous from antidepressant-associated switching in BD, mean rates of which are similar . Though it is plausible to expect mood-stabilizing and antipsychotic drugs to prevent mood-switching with antidepressants, required randomized comparisons are lacking . Trials of antidepressants have found little difference in risk of new mania between antidepressants and placebo, with or without a mood-stabilizer included, although exposure times were short . However, one study found that switching in BD was 2.8-times greater within 9 months after adding an antidepressant, but not if a mood-stabilizer also was used , and switching risk was increased in the rare long-term trials with an antidepressant included in treatment .

Whats The Difference Between Borderline Personality Disorder And Bipolar Disorder

While borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder have similar symptoms and are often confused for each other, theyre distinct conditions.

BPD involves a longstanding pattern of abrupt, moment-to-moment swings in moods, behavior and self-image that are often triggered by conflicts in interactions with other people. Nonsuicidal self-injury is also common in BPD but not in bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is different from BPD because it involves distinct, longer-lasting episodes of mania/hypomania and/or depression. Several things can trigger manic or depressive episodes, such as sleep changes, stress, medications and substance use.

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How To Fight Depression

Its true that being in a depressed mood is hard. Its also true that you cant just snap out of it. Luckily there are things you can do put yourself on the path to recovery.

Depression saps your energy, hope as well as drive. As a result its hard to take the steps you need to get better.

Even thinking about what you have to do seems to be exhausting. As a result it may be hard to take action.

The things that help the most are the ones that are the hardest to do.

Recovering from depression isnt quick or easy. However you have more power to fight depression than you realize.

Its still important to work with a therapist, but it also helps to do things on your own as well.

Tips For Fighting Depression

Here are some tips for fighting depression.

These tips are intended to be a part of your overall recovery. Also theyre not meant to replace professional help.

Tips Include:

1. Staying Connected With Others:

Its really hard to stay connected these days because of social distancing. As a result more people suffer from a depressed mood than ever before.

Lack of social connection over the short term is normal. However when its over the long-term you might have problems with anxiety as well as clinical depression.

Having a depressed mood might be caused by another issue such as bipolar disorder or social anxiety. When this happens not being connected makes depression symptoms worse.

2. Do Whatever Makes You Feel Good:
3. Get Your Body Moving:
4. Eat A Healthier Diet:

Develop An Emergency Plan

Bipolar disorder: how we can work together to fight the stigma

If you do feel your symptoms worsening or a manic or depressive episode beginning, have a plan in place for how youll deal with it. You should create a crisis plan when you feel good because youll be more rational and clear-headed.

Your emergency or crisis plan should include the people youll reach out to for support. It should also include what youll do if you start to experience severe symptoms such as suicidal thoughts. Remind yourself of what medications you need to take, and who to contact if an out-of-control emergency situation arises.

The Recovery Village provides treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders like bipolar disorder. If you or a loved one are struggling with bipolar disorder and substance abuse, contact us to learn more about treatment.

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What Does It Mean If Your Partner Is Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition marked by intense mood changes. People with the illness switch back and forth from mania or hypomania to having episodes of depression.

The lifelong condition tends to run in families, although the cause of bipolar disease is unknown. However, it can often be successfully managed through treatment. There are two primary types of bipolar disorder:

Spend Time With Friends And Family

You may have a busy schedule, but remember to take time for yourself every day. Go out with friends or family, watch funny shows and movies, engage in physical activity .

It is important for your well-being to feel that you are surrounded by people who support you and love you. In order to beat your depression, it is important that you get out of the house and see the people who care about you the most.

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Alcohol Tobacco And Other Drugs

The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSAs 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.

Why Is Bipolar Disorder No Longer Called Manic

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In the last few decades, the medical world, especially the field of psychiatry, has intentionally made a shift from using manic-depressive illness or manic depression to describe bipolar disorder. There are several reasons for this shift, including:

  • Healthcare providers used to use manic depression to describe a wide range of mental health conditions. As mental health condition classification systems, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , have become more sophisticated, the new term bipolar disorder allows for more clarity in diagnosis.
  • Theres a lot of stigma and negativity associated with the terms manic and mania, especially due to the use of maniac. Similarly, people use the term depression casually to describe periods of sadness that dont qualify as clinical depression. Using bipolar disorder takes the focus away from these two words. Bipolar disorder is more of a clinical, medical term and less emotionally loaded than manic depression.
  • The term manic depression excludes the cyclothymic or hypomanic versions of the condition.

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Create A Morning Pampering Routine

When you live with depression, you may notice your personal care starts to decline. You might start by skipping the shower. Brushing your hair may feel like a chore. Maybe you dont remember when you last brushed your teeth.

A small, cross-sectional study found married women who self-pampered were less likely to experience depression compared to married women who didnt self-pamper.

Its possible, however, like with diet, that people who pamper themselves more are more likely to have other beneficial mental and physical behaviors, which might explain lower rates of depression.

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