Nature of Bipolar Treatments

Bipolar disorder is a condition that usually requires long-term treatment. Since it is a relapsing and often chronic condition, bipolar treatments go beyond medication and therapy sessions to effectively prevent episodes. To stay symptoms free, doctors recommend patients to join bipolar support groups as part of an effective treatment strategy. Along with medication and lifestyle changes, the social support provided by support groups allows patients to turn to the right people who are knowledgeable and understands the true nature of their brain disorder and relate to other people who are fighting the same battles against bipolar disorder.

The Role of Bipolar Support Groups

For bipolar disorder patients, every day is a battle against the disease. Not only are episodic bipolar symptoms challenging to the person afflicted. It also affects their entire families, friends, work and other relations. It would be helpful for both the patients and their families to talk with other people who are going through the same issues and things that they face due to the disease.

Active participation to support groups for bipolar disorder is seen as a crucial part of the healing process. This will not only facilitate quality bonding time between the family and the patient but also educate both parties on the nature of the disease and gain better understanding of the actions and behavior of the patient. Support groups offer great opportunities for patients and families to gain awareness and learn how to maintain harmony in living with the twists and turns of bipolar symptoms. This segment of treatment convinces patients that the disease does not need to overrule their lives. Support groups allow patients to relate and socialize with fellow patients, which is helpful in regaining self-confidence and in motivating them to endure the demands of their treatment regimen. This explains why bipolar support groups are included in strategically planned bipolar treatments.

Benefits of Bipolar Support Groups

Research has shown that psycho education, psychotherapy and mood-stabilizing medications combined with antipsychotic medications make up the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder. Support groups do not only facilitate interaction or dialog and form a concerned community for people living with the disease. They also promote awareness through psycho-education, which is often facilitated by a fellow patient or a knowledgeable bipolar expert.

For mild cases, a lifelong therapy with mood-stabilizers is important in dramatically decreasing the suffering and suicide risks of patients. However, most patients are non compliant, stopping their rounds of medications after a year. The social support and encouragement that patients get from their participation to bipolar support groups is helpful in enduring the rounds of recommended treatment.

Support Groups for patients can be a link to living a normal life.

Active participation in bipolar support groups provides patients with the right motivation, positive reinforcements and greater chances of living a normal life.

Bipolar disorder typically requires long-term treatment since it is a chronic and relapsing type of mental illness. Patients work with an experienced psychiatrist to effectively navigate through the twists and turns of the disease. Medications are usually prescribed to prevent the onset of manic or depressive episodes and manage its symptoms. Medication alone does not guarantee full recovery. To ensure effective treatment, medications are usually combined with other forms of treatment such as undergoing therapy, making lifestyle changes and joining bipolar support groups. Bipolar support groups are basically a community of bipolar patients as well as their families, which aims to spread awareness and offer guidance among people affected by bipolar disease.

What is Bipolar Disorder
Treatment Options

Prescription medicines such as anti-anxiety, sedatives, antidepressant, antipsychotics, calcium channel blockers and other mood stabilizing drugs are used to help patients control extreme mood swings. Psychological therapies, which include Gestalt therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, talk therapy and family and marriage counseling, are recommended to help increase the patient's compliance to his medications and prevent complications like developing anxiety problems and other behavioral disorders.

Depending on the severity of the case, psychiatric hospitalization may be recommended for patients who require 24-hour care. Outpatient programs are also becoming common. This way, patients agree to participate in treatment programs during the day but return to their own homes at night. Along with the usual treatment routine, participation to social groups like bipolar support groups is often recommended.

What are Bipolar Support Groups?

Bipolar disorder treatments pose certain challenges not only among patients but also to their families. Being able to talk with people who are undergoing the same experiences gives them the ideal support system where they can share tips and local resources for the best treatment available in their area. Bipolar support groups are basically comprised with people who are living with bipolar disorder. The main focus of social groups like bipolar support groups is to share awareness and provide of positive reinforcements for individuals who are coping with the disease.

Impact of Bipolar Support Groups to Treatment

Bipolar support groups give out help and encouragement to people who are living with bipolar disorder. They support bipolar disorder patients as well as their families by educating them and guiding them through treatment.

Participation to social support groups like bipolar support groups allows bipolar sufferers to become survivors. Surrounding them with people who are also suffering similar bipolar experiences helps establish a strong supportive environment that will continuously and consistently motivate them to comply with the requirements of their treatment. This way, support groups give bipolar patients a greater chance of living a normal life.

Finding a Bipolar Support Group

Contacts for bipolar support groups in the USA are available at the local offices of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). Check out for the listings of local NAMI chapters as well as its local chapter websites. Also, you may check the support group listings at the local offices of US Department of Health and Social Services as well as the National Mental Health Association.

In Canada, valuable resources include the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, the Canadian Mental Health Association. For other countries, you may check some international support organization such as the Manic Depression Fellowship, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, the Dutch Association for Manic-Depressives and the German Society for Bipolar Disorder. Check the Worldwide Support Organization List for more bipolar support group contacts and information.

Therapy Session

Immediate diagnosis and proper treatment for bipolar manic depression disorder gives each and every patient the best chance to living a normal life. There are a number of options available for bipolar treatments which are specifically designed to help diagnosed patients control their chronic and episodic mood swings. They also provide all the necessary means to prevent cases such as marital breakups, job loss, and alcohol or drug abuse, which are most likely to happen if the disease is left untreated. Noncompliance to bipolar manic depression treatments is the number one treatment concern. Untreated bipolar disorder eventually progresses to difficulties in concentration as well as abnormal behaviors that can severely affect the patient's behavior, relations, job and overall daily life.

What is Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar manic depression or bipolar is one of psychiatric illnesses that cause significant disruptions to a person's life and lifestyle. It is a type of mood disorder, characterized by experiencing occasional highs and lows of moods or mood swings which can go from feeling very sad and despairingly helpless to feeling like being on top of the world. As the name implies, it refers to episodes of sudden shift between two opposite poles of moods, sadness to euphoria or vice versa. Such episodes greatly influence one's behavior, which explains the necessity of complying to proper bipolar treatments. Depression symptoms may cause life-threatening consequences like suicidal thoughts, actual act of suicides or even murder or homicide. On the other hand, extreme mania can lead to dangerous risk-taking behaviors like aggressiveness and homicidal tendencies. In the event of mixed state, a person diagnosed of bipolar disorder may experience symptoms of both mania and depression.

Causes and Symptoms

One way of determining the right kind of bipolar treatment is the evaluation of the causes of bipolar manic depression or bipolar disorder. The condition may be passed on through genes as it tends to run in families. Such abnormality is shown as a genetic abnormality, which progresses to the chemical imbalances of the brain. The multi-faceted causes of bipolar disorder include abnormal brain activities such as the over secretion of cortisol (stress hormone) and abnormal hyperactivity of on the brain sections that rule over emotion and movement. Exposure to infectious agents like the Borna virus and herpes simplex 2 virus was also linked to bipolar manic depression cases.

Symptoms usually appear during the adolescence period to early adulthood and can continue till old age. Failure to comply with necessary bipolar treatments will only make patients suffer throughout their lifetime.

Bipolar manic depression Treatments

Patients may be advised to follow a combination of bipolar treatments to effectively take control over their bipolar symptoms. Medical treatment usually involves medications such as mood stabilizers. This usually goes with counseling schedules with a therapist. Counseling period does not only involve the patient but also their families and friends, helping everyone get through the disease altogether. Group therapy or one on one session may be included with outpatient visits. Patients who pose danger to themselves may require psychiatric hospitalization to receive proper monitoring of medications as well as the effect of such medications.

Each patient has unique response to treatment. Hence, what may be effective to one may not be as effective to another bipolar sufferer. It is important to consult a medical professional to be guided in selecting the right combination of treatment and in setting a clear road to recovery.

With early bipolar treatment families can live a normal life.

In the United States alone, 5.7 million adults are diagnosed with  bipolar manic depressive disorder. Also, of the 3.4 million American children and adolescents diagnosed of depression are highly likely to experience bipolar depression or bipolar manic depressive disorder symptoms. The National Health Institute of Mental Health (NHIMH) also states that the condition can reduce up to 9.2 years life span caused by suicide or self-destructive behavior. Hence, bipolar depression or bipolar manic depressive disorder is one of the leading causes of human disability.

Symptoms of Bipolar – Depression
Definition

Bipolar manic depressive disorder is a psychiatric illness that causes unusual and sudden changes to mood, activity and energy levels, which affect an individual's ability to carry out their day to day tasks. Manic depression symptoms go from feeling very sad, helpless and despaired  to shift of feeling euphoric happiness, being overly active and practically on top of the world. The problem with manic episodes is it may severe relationships, affect job and school performance, or even cause suicide.

Symptoms

Bipolar manic depressive disorder symptoms include high levels of energy, inability to sleep, having big plans for activities, being restless, uneasy and talkative. Bipolar depression symptoms include low energy phases with negative emotions such as feelings of guilt, hopelessness, loss of appetite, anxiety and guilt. A patient may experience several of these symptoms for a few days, weeks or even months.

Bipolar symptoms can occur at a very young age, but most usually occur during late teen or early adult years.  According to the Bipolar disorder statistics, women are three times more prone to experiencing bipolar episodes than men. The National Health Institute of Mental Health also states that having a bipolar disorder history in the family may increase one's risk of developing bipolar symptoms.

Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosis involves physical examinations, interview, lab tests like blood work and brain scans and evaluation of the patient's medical history. After a complete diagnostic evaluation, the doctor may provide referral to a trained mental health specialist such as a psychiatrist, who is more experienced in handling bipolar disorder. Proper and immediate diagnosis is extremely important in helping bipolar manic depressive disorder sufferers lead a normal life. It will also help provide the right kind of treatment that will reduce the frequency or severity of the symptoms.

Treatment

A combination of medication and psychotherapy is usually recommended to effectively prevent relapse of bipolar manic depressive disorder episodes. Mood stabilizers (lithium, valproic acid, and anticonvulsants), atypical antipsychotic (olanzapine, aripiprazolw, quetiapine, risperidone) and antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed among bipolar patients. These are usually prescribed by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. In some cases, sleep medications or sedatives are recommended to patients having trouble sleeping. Psychotherapy or ‘talk therapy' provides support, guidance and education among bipolar patients as well as their families. It involves several approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, intrapersonal and social rhythm therapy and psycho education.

Warning

There are other illnesses that may coexist with bipolar manic depressive disorder, making it more difficult to diagnose and treatment. Substance abuse may prolong or trigger bipolar symptoms and cause behavioral problems associated with bipolar manic disorder. Anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress, social phobia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may overlap with bipolar disorder. Also, people suffering this condition have higher risks of developing thyroid disease, migraine headaches, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other physical illnesses. Hence, seeking professional help upon experiencing symptoms of bipolar depressive or bipolar manic disorder is advised.

Other Options Besides Medication

There are many types of Bipolar disorder treatments available these days. While some of these treatments use the conventional methods of bipolar medication, there are others which use alternative forms of bipolar disorder treatments.

Bipolar disorder does not only affect the individual but his entire family. It can cripple him; at times make him dependent on drugs and even incapable of forming any kind of relationships. Many a times the bipolar medication used is just symptomatic which means that it just treats the symptom but not the disease.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania alternating with depression. The person becomes elated for no reason and then can become depressed for no reason. Some people attribute it to the imbalance of brain chemicals and neurological wiring while there are other schools of thought which believe that the cause is something else.

Allopathy or conventional bipolar disorder treatments have a lot of side effects. Therefore, people are trying to search for new alternative bipolar disorder treatments which are safe and effective. Here are some of the treatments which are being tried and tested by people across the world:

• Hypnotism: Hypnotherapy is now known to help patients with bipolar disorder. A good hypnotherapist can help you to take care of the vicious stress cycles which are instrumental in activating those dreaded manic and depressive behaviors. Moreover, with hypnotherapy you learn to control your mind which helps you to prevent rapid changes in your mental state and stay "normal".

• Expressive therapies: Many a times, those people are more likely to get bipolar disorder who are unable to express themselves without inhibitions. This leads to bottling up of their emotions. In such cases, alternative bipolar disorder treatments like expressive therapies which include arts like sculpting, painting and drawing can help in expressing yourself and releasing that pent up energy.

• Dance: Dancing is known to help your body in releasing endorphins which help you to feel happier. It helps you to balance your physical, emotional and cognitive aspects of your personality.

• Music therapy: Music is also a well known healer. Listening to the right kind of music helps in releasing endorphins in your body which lower your blood pressure, pulse rate and help in relaxing your breathing patterns.

• Other treatments: Alternative bipolar disorder treatments also include the ancient systems of medicine and healing practiced by our ancestors across the world. These include Ayurveda, Shiatsu, Reiki, Yoga and Acupuncture. These treatments do not involve any kind of bipolar medications but work quite effectively. They help in restoring the balance in your mental, emotional and physical body which in turn helps you to fight with the problem.

Conclusion

These are some of the bipolar disorder treatments which do not require the use of conventional bipolar medication. However, before trying any of these treatments, it's important to consult your doctor and get a complete check up done. Your doctor will be able to understand the extent and the degree of the problem and advise you accordingly.

The Use of ECT – Electroshock

Electroshock (ECT) was first introduced in the 30s, but due the bad publicity of ECT therapy, and the negative portrayals in movie, electroshock therapy frightened so many people after that and has come to be used as a last resort for bipolar treatment. Today, however, ECT has been refined and is becoming very popular.

Treating patients with ECT treatment is quite useful when:

1. Bipolar medication is not working.

2. There is an urgent needed to intervene, e.g. suicide risk or severe cases of psychosis.

3. The use of bipolar medication may be too risky, e.g. women who are pregnant.

With the use of modern ECT techniques, the risk of memory problems has been reduced significantly. The only drawback with this type of treatment is, it is quite expensive and often requires more treatments.

Anti Convulsant Drugs

• Valproate (Depakote): is and anti-convulsant medicine and used as a mood-stabilizer.

• Depakote: first approved in 1995 by the Food and Drug Aadministration (FDA) for treatment of mania. Doctors use this medicine on stubborn mania symptoms.

• Seroquel: brand name for Quetiapine was approved by the FDA to treat both bipolar mania and bipolar depression. The only problem with this medication is the side effects, which many people find difficult to tolerate.

• Prozac and Lexapro: increasingly unpopular because it is both dangerous, ineffective and can trigger bipolar mania symptoms.

Using diet – as  Bipolar Treatment

With the problem of fast foods and what have you in our food; diet and nutrition has been increasingly recognized as an effective way of treating bipolar depressive symptoms. You can discover for yourself the power of using diet for stabilizing moods and weights. Some proven natural supplements in managing bipolar depression symptoms are:

1. Fish oil: A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that – Omega-3 fatty acid which is found in fish oil, is good for treating bipolar depression.

2. Folic acid: For building white blood cells – These acids can be found in leafy vegetables, certain fruits, liver, liver products, baker's yeast and some breakfast cereals.

3. Inositol: member of the vitamin B complex and high concentration of inositol can be found in grains, beans, nuts and fruits.

Transcranial (TMS) magnetic stimulation.

Magnetic stimulation (TMS) is when strong magnetic pulses are induced with weak electric currents on specific parts of the human brain tissue. Not like the ECT method, patients always remain awake and alert because there is no use of anesthetic. The benefits of this type of treatment is, the magnetic pulses are not strong enough to cause seizures, and secondly memories are not lost.

Bipolar treatments for bipolar

When on a bipolar treatment always consult your doctor for anything, from changing your bipolar medication to even changing your doctor. There are lots of bipolar treatment available but what may work for some may not work for others. The word we always emphasize is be PATIENT and be HONEST with your medication.

Around the world, medication is the standard and most proven treatment for bipolar. Some patients can be maintained on a single drug, but many others have to use a combination of prescribed medications, some call "med cocktail", to stabilize the disorder. These drugs depend on a few factors, the person's unique mood symptoms, their body and brain makeup and some unforeseen factors like other medicine being taken for other conditions. Here are some resources and important information on understanding these prescribed drugs.

• Zyprexa – Olanzapine

This was the first FDA (Food and Drug Administration approved antipsychotic medication for the treatment of bipolar mania. Research has shown that it is in line with Lithium for the use of mixed episodes. However, weight gain is the side effect of this medication.

• Risperidone (Risperdal)

Risperidone has a similar effect as Lithium. This medicine works well for a long-term stability. Side effects such as weight gain can be a concern.

• Clozapine (Clozaril)

Usually works to reduce bipolar symptoms and has been very successful in the treatment of difficult cases. The only concern is that it may reduce blood cell count.

• Quetiapine (Seroquel)

This is a fairly new medicine which is used to treat intense mania and rapid-moods cycles.

• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Recently used medication for bipolar with similar results is also used for very severe mania symptoms. It can have a swift effect on the symptoms.

• Valproate (Depakote)

Approved by the FDA in 1995, it became the first anticonvulsant drug for treating bipolar mania. For those who are going through rapid cycle, this drug is often used as a first line treatment.

• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)

Not yet approved by FDA to treat mania, many have found its side effects very difficult to endure.

• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

This is a second-generation drug to treat convulsions, while it is still in the experimental stage, it is fairly good alternative medication.

• Gabapentin (Neurontin)

This drug comes under the anticonvulsant drugs and is mostly used with other prescribed medications to bring a more desired result.

• Topiramate (Topamax)

This is the newest anticonvulsant in the market, which goes together with therapy. Although it may seem to create some problems with the mind functioning, it has no side effect especially with weight gain.

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

The first antipsychotic medication to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of mania. It is quite as effective as Lithium to treat mixed episodes of bipolar, but weight gain is the main problem with this drug.

• Risperidone (Risperdal)

Similar to Lithium, it seems to work very well in long-term stability, but weight gain is a great concern with this medication.

• Clozapine (Clozaril)

This medicine is well known for its speed to reduce the bipolar symptoms. It has been very successful in the treatment of difficult cases. The only concern is it may bring down the count of blood cells.

• Quetiapine (Seroquel)

Seroquel is fairly new, used in severe mania and rapid-cycling. The side effects include dry mouth constipation and many more.

• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Used for severe mania symptoms, it has been proven to act swiftly to stabilize bipolar mania. The side effects can be constipation, vomiting and for women the stopping of menstrual period to difficulty getting pregnant.

Final Words

As with any bipolar medication, most people do tolerate it quite well with no side effects. But if side effects do happen, please consult your doctor or a healthcare provider.

We meet negative behaviors like aggression, provocation, and intrusive behaviors on a daily basis. We meet these behaviors in our homes with members of our own families, on the road to work, at work or out on the streets. These behaviors, though negative in nature, have an important purpose in our human lives. It is a defensive mechanism between members of different species and normally takes a variety of forms among humans which can be physical, mental or verbal. These negative behaviors are usually intended to cause pain or harm to another person and often originate from outside catalyst, but have a very distinct internal character. But with people who have bipolar symptoms of aggression, there may be no outside stimuli and no internal character.

Biology of Aggression in the Brain

Scientists, using a variety of techniques and experiments, have been able to explore the relationships between various parts of the body and aggression. It has then been suggested that neurotransmitters is a significant cause of aggressive behaviors, with some people found to lack a gene that produces enzymes called monoamine oxidase-a (MAOA). These enzymes break down significant transmitters in the brain and if the transmitters are not broken down, especially the serotonin, it will build up the serotonin level causing a person to act aggressive or have violent behaviors. We can only hope that over time we can locate the exact organic causes of these behaviors and understand these neurotransmitters and how they function. We must not dismiss aggressive or violent behaviors with a biological explanation because it really has a biological aspect to it.

Treatments for the Disorder

Most people with this mental disorder take prescribed drugs to prevent bipolar symptoms from reoccurring. Because there are unknown factors with this mental illness, lots of people will tell you that medication alone is usually not enough to fully control these aggressions showing as a bipolar symptom. Other treatment strategies for bipolar include a combination of bipolar medication, therapy, social support and lifestyle changes.

Bipolar Depression and Medication

The brain must maintain a delicate balance of neurochemicals within itself, if it rises high it causes mania and if it goes low – depression. But with a bipolar patient the brain cannot do its job correctly and the power to effectively regulate intense emotions. Bipolar medications are designed to change or alter the brain chemicals (neurochemicals) and so help bipolar patients manage their emotions and behaviors in their everyday life.

Combining Medicated Drugs

Because bipolar symptoms may show itself as mania, depression, hypomania or bipolar 2, most people being treated for bipolar disorder take three to four medications simultaneously. These combinations of prescribed medication are often essential to sufficiently treat the wide collection of problems seen in this mental illness.

Antidepressant Drugs

Antidepressants have been traditionally used to treat bipolar but it may not work very well, trigger a mania episode or increase mood cycling for bipolar victims. Because of the long term high risks it poses, this antidepressant medication should be combined with a mood stabilizer such as lithium or valproic acid. Some mood stabilizers include: Lamictal, Seroquel, Zyprexa and Symbyax (a combination of olanzapine and antidepressant).

Ask for Help

It is important to manage your behaviors and your temper. There may be occasional outbursts, but if your aggressive behavior continues for more than several days, consult your mental health professional, it may be bipolar.

Non bipolar individuals do not understand the different world bipolar patients live in. These people see the world in a very different way because the chemical signals in the brain are either sending the wrong signals or not at all. It can be compared to two people looking in on an accident, both individuals have seen the same accident, but differ in their perceptions and emotions.

Those with the condition are paranoid with life and have the notion that people cannot feel what they are going through and understand  a bipolar mood swing. Bipolar patients look at life from an ugly perspective they feel ugly and see themselves as looking ugly. Danger seems to be everywhere, colors look weird and they hate being in a  crowd with lots of  energy. The thought of feeling good can terrify them. Those living with a bipolar victim can offer a great support  by lending a listening ear. These victims can be your very own children, parents, cousins or other members of a nuclear family. You as a family can form the first bipolar support group to help them look at why they think the way they think, feel and what it is that makes them see the world as it is.

First Line of Support

Those living with a bipolar person must realize that they are the first people that must know what to do to support their relative who is a bipolar patient. There are two kinds of people we often come across, those who know they are sick and need help and others who cannot admit they are sick and so do not want to seek help. When bipolar medications is not working well, people will look for other alternative to make them better and so will ask anybody for help. You can help greatly as a friend or relative by spending time with them, talking and listening. By doing this, they begin to share their emotions and deepest thoughts – we don’t realize that they also want company.

Charting

Either as a parent or caregiver you as a bipolar supporter must first track the sick person’s day. Chart down their attitudes, moods and their behaviors and at what time of the day for this will be helpful especially if certain behaviors are happening at certain times of the day and for your sessions together. You must not rely on them to do this because they are not capable due to the short term memory problem.

Throwing Back

“Tracking” comes in handy when it comes to feedback sessions as it will allow you to tell them what happened and how they have reacted to certain situations. If they did something really good; it is important to convey how well they have handled the situation and also bring to their attention what they use to do before. Bipolar patients need to see what they are doing wrong and then CAREFULLY bring it to their attention, understanding the problem as a supporter and not aggravate the problem even more. If they are doing something right they need to know what it is and learn for themselves what they did, capitalize and continue doing it.

Giving Your Ears

Most people would rather talk offering suggestions than offering a listening ear. You as a bipolar supporter can just listen and ask questions to allow them to express  all that is in their mind. Even if you can’t help just listen and talk, for anybody that listens is a great help. You don’t have to have a direct clear answer; most people just want people to listen to them.

It is not easy to diagnose bipolar symptoms effectively with bipolar medication. The illness itself poses a lot of unforeseen difficulties and doctors have to go by trial and error which we will discuss below.

There is no magic pill; it is just a matter of finding the right mix of drugs that allows you to function once again in your life. Each of us are different when it comes to bipolar medications. The truth of the matter is what works for some may not work for others.

Treatment of Mania or Hypomania

There are various medications used in the treatment of hypomania or mania but doctors will take a number of factors first. Not only do different drugs have different effects, people react to them in very different ways so doctors will be involved in a little trial and error basis and this will take some time.

Mania and Hypomania Medications

Lithium is a simple naturally occurring salt known to be effective in people with classic symptoms of mania or hypomania. As a medication it is prescribed either as lithium carbonate (Camcolit, Liskonum, Priadel) or lithium citrate (Li-liquid, Priadel liquid). For rapid cycling bipolar, lithium is not the first choice, sodium valproate or semi-sodium (Depakote) is used as a replacement.

Using Mood Stabilizers in Treating Bipolar Depression

The new focus in bipolar depression treatment is on optimizing the dose of mood stabilizers. The term ‘mood stabilizer' is frequently used to describe the pharmacological effects of certain medication and the following medications may help:

* Lamictal (lamotrigine) is used to delay the time and occurrence of mood episodes in depression, mania, hypomania or mixed episodes.

* Seroquel (quetiapine) an antipsychotic medication and works by changing the actions of chemicals in the brain.

* Zyprexa: (olanzapine) is believed to work by opposing the action of serotonin and dopamine transmission, two of the brain's important chemical messengers. Serotonin is involved in the regulation of sleep, appetite, sexual desire, and mood, while dopamine helps control movement, cognition, and motivation.

* Symbyax: (a pill that combines olanzapine with the antidepressant fluoxetine) work by blocking receptors for several neurotransmitters (chemicals that nerves use to communicate with each other)

The Use of Benzodiazepine

Mood stabilizers and antidepressants can take up to several weeks to reach their full affect. While waiting for your medication to work, some doctors may prescribe benzodiazepine to relieve any symptoms of anxiety, agitation, or insomnia you might be having. Benzodiazepines are fast-acting sedatives which work within 30 minutes to an hour. Because of their high addictive potential, benzodiazepines should only be used until your mood stabilizer or antidepressant begins to work. Those with a history of substance abuse should be particularly cautious.

Warning to Mothers with Bipolar Symptoms

All these bipolar medications is not recommended during the first 3 months of pregnancy and women with bipolar symptoms taking birth-control pills must be warned; these pills may alter the breakdown of other medications in the body. Also mothers who are planning to breast-feed; small amounts of medication, the estrogen can pass into the breast milk which can affect the baby very badly.