Mental illnesses are difficult to treat and understand as people who suffer from mental illness appear normal otherwise. It is up to the people who are close to the person to notice the small changes in the person ways of living and urge the person to seek a medical opinion. Of all the mental conditions, bipolar is the severe sickness that needs immediate medical treatment. In the medical terms, bipolar disorder is a mental condition of a manic-depressive illness, that causes brain disorder, episodes of unusual mood swings, and an unwillingness of the person to do his routine daily activities.
The Types of Bipolar Condition
The four types of bipolar disorder are Bipolar 1 Disorder where the manic attacks last for 7 days and more and need immediate treatment. The Bipolar II disorder where a person faces severe depression but not a full-blown emotional meltdown as discussed in the above Bipolar 1 Disorder. The Cyclothymic Disorder where the depressive mood swings last for 2 years and more. The last type is the Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorders that are conditions that are not covered under the first three types.
The Symptoms
The symptoms of bipolar disorder include mood swings that make the person either severely depressive or aggressive. The reason this condition is difficult to treat is often people are unable to pick it up as a sickness and consider it as a mood swing. In reality, people who suffer from this condition may feel depressive and hopeless while at the same time they can get into a state where they feel extremely energized for no clear reason. That is why doctors urge close family and friends to keep a check on their loved one to check if he or she exhibits unusual behavior. Without proper medical treatment of bipolar disorder, the patient condition will get severe and worsen to an extent where they develop severe mania and mental disorders.
Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
The first step to the treatment for this mental condition is to get a complete diagnosis of the condition. Doctors help people suffering from this condition to have a healthy and happy life. However, reaching out to the licensed mental health doctor is the first step that a patient must take to get control over the situation.
The doctor performs a complete medical examination to check out all conditions and rule out any mental problems that are not a part of the sickness the patient is suffering from. If the doctor is unable to diagnose the problem the patients are referred to other psychologists and psychiatrist to check the patient condition. These people have experience and medical skills to check the patient and recommend a treatment plan that included both medications and personal and group therapies.
Your family doctor is in the best place to recommend you the best treatment facilities in your area that specializes in treating people suffering from bipolar disorder. The road to recovery is long however if the patient is quick to seek a good treatment plan at a reputed health facility the chances of getting back to normal routine life increases.