Most people with bipolar disorder-even those with the most severe forms-can achieve significant results with proper treatment. Mood swings and the related symptoms that accompany bipolar can be greatly stabilized. However, it is an ongoing illness, which requires long-term preventative care. The most effective strategy for treating bipolar combines medication and psychosocial treatment.
The hardest obstacle in treating people with bipolar is gaining their trust. Many people are in denial that they have a mental illness. By admitting they have bipolar disorder, many feel it makes them appear less than normal and out casted. Paranoia plays a role in this to some degree. People with bipolar have a tendency to be suspicious of people, they don’t trust people’s motives, and they feel persecuted. They may even act grandiose. They lack insight to the illness and therefore cannot tell that their personality has changed. They believe there is nothing wrong with them and the problems others have with their behaviors are not their problem.
In most cases, bipolar disorder is much better controlled if treatment is continuous than if it is on and off. But even when there are no breaks in treatment, mood changes can occur and should be reported immediately to the doctor. Working closely with the psychiatrist and communicating openly about treatment concerns and options can make all the difference in treatment effectiveness.
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My daughter is bipolar and her emotions are all over the board. She can go from cute and angelic to hateful demonic behavior in seconds. She is also very paranoid. When she is on her meds, she's tolerable, but without them, it's a nightmare. She has claimed all along that it's not her that has the problems, it's everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI've known 3 people who were bi-polar. None of them thought they had a problem. 2 of them spent more time off of meds than on. Only 1 of them was able to hold a job for any length of time, and that was the one who was consistent with the meds. They were all paranoid too, to some degree.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if a person who is bi-polar ever realizes it on their own and seeks treatment or is it always because a family member pushes them to seek help. I also wonder how many people with this disease go undetected and untreated. I work with a man that I believe has this disorder. He has no family and as far as I can tell, he has no close friends.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm sure you know, if the treatment is off and on, it's generally because of the patient and not the care giver. I knew my husband suffered from depression when I married him. It wasn't until 3 years later that it got so bad that I insisted that he seek help. He didn't believe the doctors diagnosis and he fights me over meds and counseling all the time. Frankly, I'm not sure I can face a life of this. Love is not always enough, particularly when it appears to be so one sided.
ReplyDeleteWhen my son turned 16 he started having bouts of depression. I was so worried about the depression that the upswing didn't strike me as odd. It was a coworker of mine who finally made me realize that the pattern pointed to bipolar disease. She was right. Now, my son is receiving treatment and is doing much better. I'm grateful to my co-worker for having the courage to suggest that I talk to a doctor about my son.
ReplyDeleteIf you can get the bipolar person to comply with the meds and the therapy, it works well. At times, most of them will go through periods of denial, refusal to attend sessions and non compliance with meds. It takes a firm and loving person to keep them on the straight and narrow.
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