| Bipolar disorder treatment is not new. Men of | | | | usually tried first, because antidepressants |
| medicine were treating for it before they | | | | can trigger manic episodes or rapid-cycling. |
| even knew what it was. Yet every year new | | | | If an antidepressant must be used, there are |
| medications and methodologies are added to | | | | certain ones which are less likely to cause |
| the bipolar disorder treatment. | | | | these problems. One of these is bupropion. |
| | | | |
| Although first recognized in the second | | | | The treatment of psychotic symptoms has |
| century A.D., bipolar disorder has struggled | | | | evolved quickly in modern times. At first, |
| as a diagnosis to become accepted. Bipolar | | | | there were powerful anti-psychotics. The |
| disorder treatment up to and through the | | | | first of these were said to put the mind in a |
| 1960's, if any, was usually comprised of | | | | "mental strait-jacket". They virtually |
| either locking the patient away or leaving | | | | stopped all thought. They also had an intense |
| him or her to fend for him or herself. | | | | side effects known as tardive dyskinesia. |
| | | | This causes permanent neurological damages. |
| In the 1970's manic-depression, as it was | | | | Researchers, then were trying to find |
| then called, began to become seen as an | | | | alternatives that would cause less, or even |
| accepted diagnosis and therefore, bipolar | | | | no, damage in bipolar disorder treatment. |
| disorder treatment began in earnest. At that | | | | |
| time, laws were enacted and standards set to | | | | Other anti-psychotics were tried, and found |
| help those who sought bipolar disorder | | | | to have fewer neurological effects. The |
| treatment. | | | | newest of these medications are actually |
| | | | relatively safe when used as prescribed. They |
| In bipolar disorder treatment, the first | | | | are also very helpful in bipolar disorder |
| thought may be the use of medications. They | | | | treatment both in psychotic episodes and even |
| are, actually, a powerful tool in the | | | | in simple mania. Some of the newer ones are |
| management of the disorder. One only needs | | | | risperidone and olanzapine. |
| look at the vast array of medications that is | | | | |
| available to see that medication has been | | | | Talk therapy is also used in bipolar disorder |
| extensively used in bipolar disorder | | | | treatment. It can be useful to help a person |
| treatment. | | | | to recognize and deal with symptoms of the |
| | | | disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy can |
| Lithium carbonate was the first major | | | | help a person to identify destructive |
| breakthrough in the medications for bipolar | | | | patterns of thinking and behavior, and help |
| disorder treatment. It belongs to a class of | | | | him or her to act in ways that will have a |
| medications called "mood stabilizers". These | | | | positive influence on his or her disease |
| medications help to prevent or ease manic | | | | process. |
| episodes. They also help to ward off the | | | | |
| extremes of depression, such as suicide. | | | | Other types of talk therapy are used in |
| | | | bipolar disorder treatment to help a person |
| Bipolar disorder treatment may also include | | | | to deal with the devastating consequences of |
| the use of other mood stabilizers that were | | | | the illness and to explore the history of |
| originally used as anticonvulsants. These | | | | that person's disease. Talk therapy has been |
| have been shown to have a great effect on | | | | used successfully in bipolar disorder |
| mood. Some of these, such as valproic acid | | | | treatment. |
| and carbamazepine, are tried and true. | | | | |
| Lamotrigine, gabapentin, and topiramate have | | | | All of these components constitute a lifelong |
| also been used for this purpose but not | | | | process. Medication and talk therapy can |
| conclusively proven effective. | | | | contribute to effective bipolar disorder |
| | | | treatment today. No one knows what science |
| Caution must be taken in the use of | | | | will bring to bipolar disorder treatment in |
| antidepressant therapy as a part of bipolar | | | | the future. |
| disorder treatment. Mood stabilizers are | | | | |