Medications For Bipolar Disorder

If you have bipolar disorder, taking medication is the answer to reducing the frequency and severity of mood episodes, but it may not the only treatment option. Bipolar medications are very effective when used with therapy and healthy lifestyle choices, including diet, exercise, and developing a social support system. These factors play an important role in managing symptoms of mania and depression for some people.

Finding the right drug or drug combination can take time, so it’s important to work closely with your doctor and therapist. It’s also important to re-evaluate your medication frequently as the optimum dose may change over time as you adopt a healthier lifestyle.

If you have bipolar disorder, medication will be the foundation of your treatment plan. Medication can bring mania and depression under control and prevent relapse once your mood has stabilized. Long-term medication treatment especially with unpleasant side effects is necessary and since Bipolar Disorder is biological the optimum treatment..  A diabetic needs to take insulin in order to stay healthy taking medication for bipolar disorder will help you maintain a stable mood.

However, you cannot expect medication alone to solve all your problems. There are other options you can take to manage your symptoms and reduce the amount of medication required. Medication is most effective when used in combination with other bipolar disorder treatments, including therapy, self-help coping strategies, and healthy lifestyle.

 The treatment for bipolar depression is different than for regular depression.  Antidepressants can actually trigger a manic episode and rapid cycling. Mood stabilizers are tried first and an antidepressant may be added to them.

Your lifestyle has an effect on your symptoms. If you make healthy choices, you may be able to reduce the amount of medication you need.  Natural mood stabilizers that don’t require a prescription include keeping a sleep schedule, exercising regularly, practicing relaxation techniques, and developing a solid support system.

Research shows that therapy is beneficial and Bipolars who take medication recover much faster and control their moods better if they also get therapy. Therapy gives you the skills to cope with life's difficulties, monitor your progress, and deal with the problems bipolar disorder is causing in your personal and professional life.

Bipolar Disorder is a congenital and having a relapse is very high if you stop taking your medication. Suddenly stopping medication is especially dangerous. Talk to your doctor before you make any changes. Your doctor can help you make any adjustments if you feel you no longer need medication.  That just shows that the medication is effective and is working.

It can take a while to find the right medication and dose. Everyone responds to medication differently, so you may have to try several drugs before you find the one that works for you. What works for one persons body chemistry may not work for you.

Once you've discovered the right bipolar disorder drug or combination of drugs, it may still take time to find the optimal dose. In the case of mood stabilizing medications such as lithium, there is a small difference between a beneficial dose and a toxic dose.  Take medication exactly as prescribed.   Continue taking your medication even after you feel better. Frequent office visits to re-evaluate your medication needs and monitoring of symptoms and side effects will have to be made.  When you start a new medication learn how and when to take it.  Report any change in your medication situation, such as pregnancy.

You may be tempted to stop taking medication if you're experiencing side effects. Or  you may want to stop taking your pills because you feel much better and don't think you need them anymore.  Stopping maintenance medication comes with a high risk of relapse.

 Talk to your doctor before you make any medication changes. If you don't like the way the drug makes you feel or if it's not working, there are other options.

Keep track any side effects you experience. When they occur, and how bad they are.  Your doctor may have suggestions for minimizing the side effects. If side effects are severe, your doctor may switch you to another drug or change the dose.

Always check for drug interactions before taking another prescription medication, over-the-counter drug, or herbal supplement. Drug interactions can cause side effects or make your bipolar disorder medication less effective.   Certain foods and beverage can also cause problems.

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Mood stabilizers are medications that help control the highs and lows of bipolar disorder. They are treatment, both for mania and depression. Lithium is the oldest and most well-known mood stabilizer. It is highly effective for treating mania.

Lithium can also help bipolar depression. It is not as effective for mixed episodes or rapid cycling forms of bipolar disorder. Lithium takes from one to two weeks to reach its full effect.

If you take lithium, it’s important to have regular blood tests to make sure your dose is in the effective range. Doses that are too high can be toxic.

It is important to get blood tests every two to three months, since many things can cause your lithium levels to change. Even taking a different brand of lithium can lead to different blood levels. Make sure that you go for the blood tests whenever they are needed.

Anticonvulsants are used in the treatment of bipolar disorder as mood stabilizers. Originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy, they have been shown to relieve the symptoms of mania and reduce mood swings.

The new focus in bipolar depression treatment is on optimizing the dose of mood stabilizers. If you can stop your mood cycling, you might stop having depressive episodes entirely. If you are able to stop the mood cycling, but symptoms of depression remain, the following medications may help:Lamictal (lamotrigine) Seroquel (quetiapine) Zyprexa (olanzapine)

The new Atypical antipsychotics have been shown to help Bipolar I Disorder which has psychotic tendencies.  These medications have side effects which should be considered before starting any medication regimen.  Only you and your doctor can decide on the benefits of medication on your Bipolar Disorder

For the Bipolar patient medication is the best treatment to stop the debilitating moodswings but with newer medications being discovered everyday the person should find relief in a short amount of time with little or no side effects.  Medication is lifelong but the benefits of having  symptoms for life or managing them with medcation sometimes outweighs the risks.

Bipolar Disorder Self Help

Bipolar self help is the most potent form of managing Bipolar Disorder that a person can learn.  Depression, and bipolar disorder are an extremely debilitating illnesses. Bipolar disorder is a hereditary illness for which there is no cure.

When you can become aware of the signs of an oncoming episode you are better prepared to manage the symptoms.   Some of the depressive symptoms are as follows: change in sleeping patterns; change in appetite; loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable, decrease in energy and a drastic  decrease in the ability to concentrate.

The depressed persons world is one  of hopelessness, helplessness and feelings of worthlessness. Depression not only affects the person with the disorder but also the family members and friends.

You need to know what the signs of depression are  You may know someone who is suffering from depression. Depression does not have to be endured there are treatment methods, and medications but with self help you maximize the chances of a full recovery..


 You have the power to effect the changes in your treatment plan.. With personal commitment the effect of debilitating mental health disorders can be lessened.

Information on severe depression can be found in books, on the internet and in pamphlets. These self help tools for bipolar disorder sufferers; including manic depression therapy; clinical depression; anxiety disorder ; offering help with depression and resolutions of depression personal problems.

If it is someone that you know and want to help; a depressed person with bipolar disorder and support them through any episodes he or she might endure know what to look for. Some signs to look for are withdrawal and isolation, poor grooming practices, weight change, substance abuse, low self esteem, crying fits, and loss of ability to function.


Behaviors consistent with bipolar disorder are euphoric moods in clinical manic state; aggression may be seen with euphoria; difficulty in focusing and in concentrating; flight of ideas; rapid and pressured speech;  seeming over involvement in projects; making frequent phone calls; poor judgment lack of insight; and hypsexuality..

Bipolar disorder in children is hard to diagnose. The diagnosis is based on family history and mental status, as bipolar disorder is thought to be genetic and it generally starts from mid-adolescence to early adulthood.

Some factors of adolescent bipolar disorder are intermittent sleep disturbances, agitation, moody and in the very young child there will be extended temper tantrums.

It is best to catch the signs early, because the illness is always easier to treat if caught early on. The mental health warning signs in pre-adolescent children are: difficulty getting to sleep; refusal to go to school regularly; unexplained temper tantrums; hyperactive behaviors; inability to sustain concentration on activities; steady decline in school performance and opposition to authority figures; persistent nightmares and hallucinations.

Self help tapes and books are available to individuals and their families which, when used conscientiously, can assist a person in crisis through his or her emotional distress, and  reduce the debilitating effects of the illness.

Be aware that none of these self help aids are a replacement for medical diagnosis and treatment.  They are considered aids to enhance treatment with medications and or psychotherapy.  Only a trained doctor can diagnosis and treat Bipolar Disorder.