Modern day sufferers of Manic Depression or Bipolar are not just treated with a pill or a psychiatrist. A combination of medication and psychotherapy is used to manage the disorder. Due to the different emotional states those with Manic Depression experience, sufferers are given medication to treat both the ‘manic’ states and the ‘depressive’ states.
Emotional State Stabilisation Medication
Drugs that help someone regain control over their emotions and moods are sometimes referred to as ‘mood stabilizers.’ These medications help reduce the effects of the extreme highs and lows experienced by Manic Depression and Bipolar sufferers.
For those experiencing a ‘manic’ state, Lithium was once the primary medication administered to Manic Depressives. Lithium also happens to be a highly toxic drug that can be dangerous in large doses and is also a natural element and cannot be capitalised on by the pharmaceutical companies. Thus these days there are far more medications that can be used to treat Manic Depression and Bipolar including Deparkote, Topamax, Tegretol, Zyprexa, Abilify, Haldol, Risperdal and Geodon. Not all of these medications will work on a particular patient and sometimes only a combination is effective. It takes some time to find the right balance and dosage during the early stages of treatment.
Medications for the ‘depressive’ state include Symbyax, Serowual and Lamictal. It is important to note that regular anti-depressants are often ineffective for those suffering from Manic Depression or Bipolar as they can have they effect of inducing a ‘manic’ state.
Therapy as Treatment of Manic Depression
Therapy is increasingly used to help sufferers of Manic Depression and Bipolar cope with their disorder. Therapy can be as simple as going over a patients day, checking how they are responding to the medication and how it is improving their life. Whether the side effects are affecting a patients mental state in other ways can also be discussed.
Stress and lifestyle can trigger highs and lows in Manic Depression and Bipolar sufferers so therapy can also help a patient manage these factors as well. Therapy can act as a support or crutch for a patient, helping them in ways that medication cannot.
Conclusion
Manic Depression and Bipolar is not a disorder that can be fixed with a daily pill in the morning. It is a disorder that needs to be worked on every day to be managed. Controlling Manic Depression symptoms is just the first step, therapy in combination with correct medication is what is needed to keep the disorder at bay. With the help of modern day medicine and therapists it is still very possible to live a normal and productive life while suffering from Manic Depression or Bipolar.
