Saturday, April 23, 2011

Treatment Facility of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is also sometimes known as manic depression (this mania is a distinct period of an elevated mood, depending on its severity) but these disorders are basically mood disorders; and these mood disorders does not require depression to be available to happen, this disorder can occur without depression as well but the persistent and prolonged mood disorder definitely lead towards depression.  It has different levels which are generally referred as bipolar spectrum, subdivided in to bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia and other types on the basis of nature and severity.

There is no exact cause of bipolar disorder, yet the stress level is a important variable for triggering it. Some medical experts say that I may be the imbalance of brain chemicals. However the causes differ from individual to individual.

People with bipolar disorder use a type of thinking known as over generalization. Overgeneralizations that are fixed in overly negative direction. Thus a person with bipolar disorder may experience two distinct moods; very up or very down.

Treatment Facility:
The best treatment facility for bipolar disorder along with the medication is counseling/psychotherapy. However as this disorder have different levels/ subtypes, so it depends on the individuals level that which treatment will suit him/her.

For initial level; antipsychotic drugs or benzodiazepine can be given.
Mood stabilizers are also helpful to control mood swings.
And extreme cases ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) can also be used.

Depression in Bipolar Disorder:
When bipolar disorder involves an element of depression in it, then it becomes controversial. Because for treating depression antidepressants are important but for treating bipolar antidepressants can be dangerous and can lead to Hypomania which is next version of mania.

For example one a research study says that in such a situation antidepressants medications for treating depression can lead to more risk of suicidal thinking and behavior.

However combination of medication can be used.  For example antipsychotic drug Zyprexa with the antidepressant Zoloft.

A study has shown that 75% of the individuals in facing the problem of depression in bipolar disorder get the treatment of electroconvulsive (ECT). Also two very important treatments can also be used for the treatment of such disorder;

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and Repetitive Transcranial magnetic stimulation (RTMS).
In bipolar disorder with depression psychotherapy alone is not sufficient to treat. It is often suggested with medication.

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