Manic Depression (Bipolar): Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Bipolar disorder, previously referred to as manic depression, is a serious mental health disorder that can affect someone in many different ways. This is a mental health disorder that consists of extreme emotional highs and lows, often referred to as manic and depressive episodes. Like so, manic depression causes shifts in a person's mood and energy. The treatment for manic depression is medication and therapy. Together, these things help you to understand the best way to handle your manic depression and work through your symptoms. West Coast Recovery Centers offers treatment for mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder to help make your mental health more manageable.

As you learn more about your mental health, you will be able to notice the signs and symptoms that may indicate a need for professional treatment. Understanding bipolar disorder will give you the skills to identify when you need help.  People who struggle with bipolar disorder may find themselves struggling at work, school, or in their day-to-day lives. Moreover, the intensity of bipolar disorder can be difficult to handle without treatment. 

What Is Manic Depression?

As stated by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes clear shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration.”  People who have bipolar disorder struggle with two distinct episodes: depressive and manic episodes. Depressive episodes include feelings of depression, hopelessness, and numbness. People may isolate during depressive episodes. On the other hand, manic episodes are characterized by prolonged feelings of energy, feeling “up”, and acting impulsively. Both of these episodes can inform significant issues in someone's life, especially when they co-exist in tandem. 

Bipolar disorder can cause someone issues in many areas of life. It can affect your job, relationships and overall quality of life.  If you struggle with depression and mania, you may have one of two different disorders. Bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 each have different diagnosing criteria, but both deal with periods of depression and periods of mania. These disorders can be diagnosed by mental health professionals, which is the first step in getting treatment. 

What to Watch Out For

The common symptoms to watch for in bipolar disorder relate to the two moods and episodes that may happen. Often, people may not realize they are struggling with a certain episode until it gets severe. Mania may feel positive when someone first experiences it, but it is important to note that treatment should be sought if you notice yourself experiencing mania, as symptoms can become unmanageable. Some symptoms of a manic episode include:

• Feelings of elation, or being “up”
• Feeling restless, jumpy, or wired
• Not sleeping
• Having a short temper
• Feeling irritable, or having racing thoughts
• Acting impulsively, or engaging in risky behavior (spending money, unsafe sex, eating or drinking in excess, using substances) 

The other set of symptoms to watch out for surfaces during a depressive episode. People who are struggling with depression may struggle to reach out or get help. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should reach out for help or to a loved one. A depressive episode may include:

• Feeling sad, hopeless, or worthless
• Isolating from others
• Having little energy, sleeping too much
• Lack of interest in your usual activities
• Thinking about death or suicide

It is important to get treatment if you notice any of these symptoms in yourself. When you are experiencing manic depression, there is the ability to get help. Getting treatment will give you back control over your struggles and teach you what you need.

Treatment Options

Getting treatment for bipolar disorder may feel overwhelming. If you have struggled with your mental health, reaching out for help can be hard.  It is important to note that while treatment may be overwhelming at first, it can greatly increase your quality of life. Therapy is an effective treatment for mental health struggles. Talk therapy gives you the means to work through your issues and find coping skills that work for you. 

Another form of treatment that is effective for manic depression is medication management. Psychiatric medications can help manage the intensity of your emotions and symptoms. While they will not erase all of your struggles, they will make it so you can engage in therapy and treatment to make a positive difference in your care. A combination of medication and therapy from your care providers will give you the skills you need to succeed. 

West Coast Recovery Centers offers mental health treatment for various mental health conditions. We can work with you to create a treatment plan that will best serve you. This includes finding what sort of therapy is the most effective for you and connecting you to medication providers to manage your symptoms. Bipolar disorder can not be erased, but the episodes and symptoms can be effectively managed with a proper care team. 

If you are struggling with fluctuating moods and difficulty managing them, it may be important to look into whether or not you are struggling with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depression, consists of people experiencing episodes of mania and depression. These intense ups and downs can greatly affect an individual's life. If you are struggling with feelings of mania and depression, treatment can give you the tools that you need to work through them. Treatment for bipolar disorder could include therapy and medication management. Together, these can make your struggles manageable. To learn more about the different forms of bipolar treatment, West Coast Recovery Centers has the information. Call us today at (760) 492-6509.