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Medicine Or Talk Therapy: Common Bipolar Disorder Treatments

By: Scott Shurian

It is not forever that you or your loved one will suffer from the destructive symptoms of bipolar disorder. There are ways to combat this illness such as undergoing bipolar disorder treatment.

There are two types of bipolar disorder treatment, pharmacological and psychotherapeutic.

Pharmacological treatment refers to the use of medicine. Commonly, medicines are used to stabilize intense mood swings caused by depression and mania. Some medications are also prescribed to control attacks of severe anxiety. Pharmacological treatment is categorized into five such as:

1. Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives
There are different types of sedatives which gives relief to individuals with bipolar disorder. This type of medication is used to help the patient achieve the amount of sleep he needs. Sedatives also help patients lessen their apprehension. Most importantly, it helps them control severe episodes of manic.

Some known sedatives used for bipolar disorder are hypnotics, tranquilizers, anxiolytics and benzodiazepines.

2. Antidepressants
Antidepressants are widely and regularly prescribed to people with bipolar disorder. There are different types of antidepressants.


  • Atypical antidepressant is an example of antidepressant which is chemically not related to other antidepressants. Some examples under this type are Desyrel, Remeron and Wellbutrin.

  • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors or commonly referred to as MAOIs helps ease the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Manerix, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate are some drugs under this type.

  • Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors or SNRIs is a type of antidepressants which concentrates on a neurotransmitter.

  • Selective Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors or SSNRIs like the above-mentioned types of antidepressants help patients' sufferings from the many symptoms of bipolar disorder. Some known drugs related to this are Cymbalta and Effexor.

  • Common examples of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs are Celexa, Paxil, Lexapro, Prozac, Luvox and Zoloft.

  • Tricyclics antidepressant includes Anafranil, Elavil, Asendin, Norpramin, Aventyl, and Adapin.



3. Antipsychotics
This type of pharmacological treatment is referred to as "neuroleptic drugs." Common antipsychotics are sometimes termed as "major tranquilizers," because its chief responsibility is to put under sedation the patient taking it.
There are three major types of antipsychotic drugs such as atypical, typical and dopamine partial agonists. Other options for antipsychotic drugs are Symbyax and Tetrabenazine.

4. Mood Stabilizers
Mood stabilizer is a type of medication to minister "mood disorders." There are a lot of drugs to stabilize mood to use for individuals with bipolar disorder. "Lithium carbonate" is the first mood stabilizer to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is also widely used.
There are some mood stabilizers out in the market today which are not yet approved by the FDA. There are possible uneventful consequences when taking unapproved drugs. Hence it is important to consult with your physician the stabilizer that is well suited for you and is FDA approved.

5. Calcium Channel Blockers
If an individual's bipolar disorder is negligible and manageable, then calcium channel blockers may be appropriate.
The major function of calcium channel blockers is to drop the blood pressure. Additionally, it slows down the transmission of electrical activity inside the heart which then results to lowered heart rate.

There are three major categories under calcium channel blockers such as Dihydropyridine, Phenylalkylamine, and Benzonthiazepine.
Medications should be prescribed by psychiatrists proficient in analysis and treatment of mental disorders.

Another type of bipolar disorder treatment is psychotherapy which is sometimes referred to as "talk therapy."

This type of treatment encourages the patient to openly talk about the possible causes of depression. You will also have the chance to communicate about the factors which trigger incidents of bipolar disorder.

Upon knowing the causes and triggers of manic depression, then you will arrive at achievable solutions to administer or evade triggers.

There are two kinds of psychotherapy. Interpersonal therapy has a goal to help you modify your behavior so that you will have a positive relation to other people. On the other hand, cognitive-behavioral therapy aims to assess your belief and feelings that should lead you to alter your response to different events.

The pains and sufferings caused by bipolar disorder can be generally treated. Patience and perseverance is needed during the treatment period since most of the time patients undergo a long-term medication either pharmacological or psychotherapy.

Article Source: http://medicalhealthtreatments.com

Scott Shurian has a father that suffers fro Bipolar disorder, and has written about this illness extensively at Bipolar Disorder Uncovered

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