23 May Understanding And Managing Bipolar Disorders
Have you, or a loved one, been diagnosed with bipolar disorder? This diagnosis can lead to a lot of confusion as you struggle to understand just what the disorder is and how it may affect your life and your family.
Other questions may arise regarding what steps you should take next to manage symptoms and what treatment option will be best. If a teen you care about has been diagnosed, an excellent first step is to contact ViewPoint Center, an outstanding residential and assessment program near Salt Lake City for teens that need help with mental health care.
The compassionate and competent team at ViewPoint will provide you with a thoroughly comprehensive assessment to answer your questions and guide you and your teen (ages 12-17) forward on the right path to continued care and an opportunity to live their best life.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Growing increasingly more common, over three million cases of bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) are diagnosed in the United States every year. Extreme mood changes characterize this mental health condition. While it can be diagnosed at any stage of life, it is most typically diagnosed in teens and young adults.
While the exact cause of bipolar disorder isn’t known, it is likely caused by a combination of things like genetic makeup, environment, and altered brain chemistry or structure.
Some symptoms of the disorder are “manic” episodes of emotional highs that involve extreme energy, needing less sleep, and being out of touch with reality in extreme cases. The other side of the disorder is “depressive” episodes, manifested in a lack of energy and motivation and a marked loss of interest in daily activities, possibly even accompanied by suicidal thoughts.
Both manic and depressive episodes can last for weeks or even months at a time and, if left untreated, can have a powerful negative impact on the life of the person diagnosed and the lives of all those who love them.
It is important to note that bipolar disorder is not something that a person can self-diagnose or treat without medical help. It needs to be diagnosed by a professional and treated by professionals. If you have any symptoms of mania or depression, see a mental health professional or your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Getting treatment at the earliest sign of any mental health disorder is vitally important. Pay attention to any warning signs or symptoms and address them right away. Avoid drugs and alcohol as they can increase the symptoms, and be sure to take any medication prescribed as it was meant to be taken.
Types of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is not just one easily defined condition. There are several different types of this and related disorders, including the following:
Bipolar 1 – where a person has at least one manic episode preceded or followed by a hypomanic or major depressive episode.
Bipolar 2 – where a person had a major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode. It is not a milder form of bipolar but an entirely different diagnosis and disorder.
Cyclothymic disorder – where (for children and teens) a person has had one year with many periods of depressive or hypomania symptoms.
Other types –where a person can have symptoms induced by alcohol or drug abuse or by medical conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, Cushing’s Disease, or even a stroke.
Mania and hypomania can involve being abnormally upbeat and active. They also have extra energy/agitation, exhibit extreme talkativeness and racing thoughts, are easily distracted, make poor decisions, or even suffer a break from reality that requires hospitalization (psychosis).
On the other side of the disorder are the depressive episodes where the person suffers from extremely depressed moods, loss of interest in usual activities, weight loss or gain, insomnia or wanting to sleep too often, physical and mental fatigue, and even thoughts of suicide.
My Teenager has Been Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Now what?
Now is the time to call ViewPoint Center and ask about the assessment for a full comprehensive diagnosis and options for the best therapy to treat them.
ViewPoint is not just a clinical hospital. This facility offers an outstanding short-term residential program that allows your child to be adequately assessed and a personalized plan for continued care created specifically for their needs.
Not only will the knowledgeable team address the medical aspects, developing medication and treatment plans, but they also address other needs. Teenagers with a bipolar diagnosis may have a sense of social responsibility.
Teaching time management skills, accountability, positive self-discipline, goal setting, healthy fitness, and organizational skills help them face the world with a confident, positive attitude upon completion of the program.
Their Master Treatment Plan involves a dedicated and professional team supporting your child and training you to best support your child through the challenges you may face. They help provide a straightforward course of action that will allow you and your teen to face the future confidently.
Mental health challenges may seem impossible when newly diagnosed. Professional help from a skilled professional team can help put the mind at ease when a teenager is first diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The ViewPoint Center can help many families in their 8-week-long program assess the issue and craft a personalized care plan. Treatment may include medication and therapy, providing helpful support to ensure that your child continues to thrive after leaving the facility and returning to their usual lifestyle.
Their program even provides educational programs to ensure that your teen continues to learn and may even advance more quickly in their schoolwork throughout the program.