Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes intense changes in a person’s mood, energy and ability to function. People with bipolar disorder are often misdiagnosed with depression, because symptoms of both conditions can be similar. Although people with bipolar disorder may be misunderstood and called moody or crazy, their condition is a serious illness that can be caused by genetics, a chemical imbalance in the brain or other factors.

Bipolar disorder can be debilitating, but once a patient receives the appropriate diagnosis, he or she can often manage the illness and live a healthy life. The psychiatric team at Beaufort Memorial offers a unique and comprehensive approach to care that focuses on condition assessment, medication management and specific lifestyle changes to improve the illness. They collaborate on your treatment plan alongside your primary care physician, specialists, and your family or community support services.

Our board-certified primary care providers can refer you for services at Beaufort Memorial Sea Island Psychiatry. Find a provider accepting new patients.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are four main types of bipolar disorder. Each type has a different intensity of symptoms.

• Bipolar I disorder: A person with bipolar I disorder will experience episodes of mania that may become severe. These episodes may become severe and the person may require hospitalization. Along with episodes of mania, the person may experience depressive symptoms that last two weeks.
• Bipolar II disorder: People with this disorder cycle through depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. A hypomanic episode is a milder form of mania that allows a person to still function. Patients diagnosed with bipolar II disorder may not experience full-blown manic episodes, as patients with bipolar I disorder do.
• Cyclothymic disorder: This form of bipolar disorder is characterized by a long-term unstable mood state. A person may experience hypomanic symptoms or depressive symptoms for at least two years.
• “Unspecified” bipolar disorder: People who fall into this category do not have the other types of bipolar disorder but still experience abnormal changes in mood.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

A patient with bipolar disorder may have alternating periods of mania or depression. Some common symptoms of mania are:

• Behaving recklessly, for example, spending a lot of money or engaging in risky sexual acts or substance misuse
• Difficulty focusing
• Feeling excited, wired, irritable or sensitive
• Loss of appetite
• Speaking very quickly
• Trouble falling asleep or lack of desire to sleep

Some common depressive symptoms include:

• Absence of sex drive
• Crying easily
• Difficulty focusing and making decisions
• Fatigue
• Feeling sad or hopeless
• Loss of interest in favorite activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Unexpected weight gain or weight loss

Bipolar Disorder Treatment

At Beaufort Memorial Sea Island Psychiatry, our providers take a whole-body approach to bipolar disorder treatment. Our psychiatrists begin with a complete mental and physical health assessment before creating a personalized treatment plan for your bipolar disorder and any underlying medical conditions.

We may recommend one or more of these treatments based on your specific diagnosis:

• Medications — Your health care provider may prescribe a combination of mood stabilizers to prevent a manic episode and an antidepressant to help with depressive symptoms. Your provider will take special consideration before prescribing any medication to ensure it’s a good fit for you.
• Psychotherapy — This is also called talk therapy. During psychotherapy, a therapist will use a combination of techniques to help you recognize and change any harmful thoughts or behaviors. These techniques could include cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy. Psychotherapy sessions can be done in an individual, family or group setting.
• Lifestyle changes — The main focus of treatment will be making specific lifestyle changes to improve both your physical and mental health. Adults may struggle with substance abuse or weight gain as the illness progresses, and they experience more frequent and longer depressive episodes. Your provider will come up with strategies to help you overcome addictions, get better sleep, lose weight, exercise more and improve nutrition.
• Brain stimulation — Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe procedure that provides relief from severe symptoms. It’s used when medications do not help treat bipolar disorder. During the procedure, the brain is electrically stimulated to release neurochemicals the body needs to treat depression. Most patients have two to three weekly sessions for two to four weeks.