What Medications Best Treat Bipolar Disorder?

What Medications Best Treat Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar-disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is an abnormal condition that negatively affects an individual’s mood to the point where he or she cannot live a normal life if it is left untreated. These mood swings manifest from mania to depression, depending if the mood is high or low. This chronic mental illness is far more severe than simply feeling happy or sad, which is why it can affect an individual's daily routine and an individual’s relationships.

Unlike treatments for physical illnesses or pathological conditions, bipolar disorder treatments are more complex, as they often require a combination of different treatment approaches.

Bipolar disorder cannot be treated with a single treatment, as it is difficult to control the signs and symptoms of the condition with only one approach.

A combination of medications and psychotherapy is found to be the most effective approach to treating individuals with bipolar disorder. However, it is important to keep in mind that patients with bipolar disorder may require more than one prescription to manage the symptoms.

A class of medications known as mood stabilizers is typically prescribed to control mood episodes, such as mania, hypomania, and depression. Lithium carbonate is the most common example of a mood stabilizer that is used to treat bipolar disorder. It can be used for extended periods of time, usually for more than six months.

Some other classes of medications, such as anticonvulsants and antipsychotics may also be added to the treatment method for bipolar patients, depending on the patient’s response to other treatments and the severity of his or her condition. There is no unequivocal consensus over the specific guidelines for treating bipolar disorder, as the treatments differ depending on the individual’s response. However, a family physician working in collaboration with a psychiatrist can hammer out specific treatment strategies to help stabilize the patient’s condition in the long run.

A family doctor can provide an insight on the condition and its long-term health impacts, which will play a vital role in keeping the symptoms under control, while minimizing the adverse health effects and social impacts.

The following are a few general guidlines that have been developed in order to help doctors treat bipolar disorder more effectively: ●

The manic episodes should be treated with lithium, divalproex, or an atypical antipsychotic agent.

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Bipolar depression should be treated with quetiapine, olanzapine and fluoxetine combination, or lamotrigine.

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The patient should be closely monitored during therapy sessions.

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Proper psychotherapy should be an indispensable part of treatment to prevent the symptoms from coming back, and it can ensure the patients are adhering to the prescribed treatment plan.

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Antidepressants should be prescribed only by an expert who specializes in bipolar disorder.

Finding the Best Medication is a Collaborative Effort To this day there is still no single medication that can effectively manage the symptoms of this chronic mental disorder. Finding the right medication takes time, as it is commonly a series of trial and error. It is a collaborative effort between the patient, psychiatrist, and family doctor to determine what works best for the patient.

It is important to monitor that the patient is receiving optimum doses of his or her medication.

Certain medications for bipolar disorder have a narrow difference between effective and toxic doses. Therefore, monitoring a patient regularly and making needed dose adjustments based on the patient’s response is absolutely necessary.

The Bottom Line Bipolar disorder is a chronic and sometimes lifelong mental illness that requires individualized approaches while selecting effective medications. An effective treatment strategy involves active participation between the patient, family doctor, psychiatrist, and other family members.

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