Understanding a Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, (NIMH), there is an estimated 2.8% of adults in America that has received a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis within the past year, and an estimated 4.4% of adults in America, that has experienced Bipolar Disorder symptoms at some point in their lives.

Bipolar Disorder, also referred to as Manic Depressive Disorder, is a disorder that is characterized by extremely dramatic changes in mood, energy, and activity levels that begin to interfere with day-to-day functioning and tasks such as (work, school, and home).

If an individual has received a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis, this article may provide helpful insight and information on this mental health diagnosis. This article is going to explore the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, its causes and demographics, the process of receiving a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis, and treatment options.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder.

In order to get a clear understanding of what is a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis, it would be helpful to gain an understanding of what are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?  Bipolar Disorder produces severe shifts in mood that ranges from extreme mania, to hypomania, to major depression and to the point of these extreme shifts in mood and behaviors negatively impacting an individual’s daily life functions and activities.

These extreme manic and depressive episodes each have their own set of symptoms, and those symptoms are as follows:

Manic symptoms.

The symptoms of a manic episode in an individual with a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis includes:

• Hyperactivity or increasingly high energy levels.
• Abnormal happy or irritable moods.
• Exaggerated sense of well-being or self-confidence (euphoria).
• Easily distracted.
• Disrupted sleep patterns or the decreased need for sleep.
• Engaging in risky or impulsive behaviors.
• Poor decision making such as going on a shopping spree or making silly investments.
• Unable to control or stop racing thoughts.
• Sudden changes in speech patterns, such as fast or forceful speech.

Depressive symptoms.

The symptoms of a depressive episode in an individual with a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis includes:

• Decreased energy levels.
• Feeling extremely sad, empty, hopeless or worthless.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Restlessness or slowed behavior.
• Excessive inappropriate guilt.
• Distractedness or indecisiveness.
• Significant unintentional weight loss or weight gain.
• Increased need for sleep or insomnia.
• Losing interest in enjoyable activities.
• Decreased sex drive.

Now, upon exploring the different kinds of episodes of a Bipolar Disorder and their symptoms, we will address some of the different causes of Bipolar Disorder.

The causes of bipolar disorder.

Upon receiving a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis, an individual may be wondering what are some of the different causes?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), doctors have not yet fully determined the exact cause of Bipolar Disorder. However, Research suggests that some of the causes of Bipolar Disorder is a combination of Genetic Predisposition, Brain Structure, and Environmental Factors.

Genetic makeup.

It is common for Bipolar Disorder to stem from a Genetic Predisposition in families. If an individual has a parent or close relative that have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, the individual’s chances of also receiving a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis are higher.

It has been reported that Genetic Predisposition is definitely a factor in what causes Bipolar Disorder, and that people with certain genes are more likely to develop symptoms that leads to a Bipolar Diagnosis than others. 

Brain structure.

Researchers are learning that those who have received a bipolar disorder diagnosis may have a different brain structure than those who don’t have bipolar disorder. These physical changes in the brain and brain chemistry predispose certain people to develop this condition. However, research is still limited regarding the significance of these brain changes.

Environment.

Stressful events or major life transitional changes can sometimes trigger Bipolar Disorder in an individual. This may be due to the loss of a loved one or even a medical issue. Research shows that 60% of individuals with Bipolar Disorder are chemically-dependent on drugs or alcohol, which may also play a role in manic or depressive episodes.

Individuals who struggle with Seasonal Depression or Anxiety Disorders are also at higher risk of developing Bipolar Disorder symptoms.

The process of receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis.

At this point, if an individual or someone that they care about has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, it would be helpful to get an understanding of what the diagnosis process entails.

To determine if someone meets the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) criteria for Bipolar Disorder, it is recommended that the individual first undergo the following evaluations that will include:

Physical exam: Your doctor is typically the first person you’ll talk to about your symptoms. He or she will first conduct a physical exam and lab tests to see if there is anything else that could be causing your symptoms.

Psychiatric assessment: Once your doctor eliminates all other causes of your symptoms, he or she will refer you to a Licensed Psychiatrist. The Psychiatrist will complete their own evaluation, asking you about your thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns. They may also have you fill out a Psychological Self-assessment or Questionnaire. With your permission, your Psychiatrist may also want to ask your family members and close friends about your symptoms as well.

Mood charting: Your psychiatrist may request that you keep a daily record of your moods, feelings, thoughts, sleep patterns or any other factors that will help narrow down the diagnosis.

Bipolar Disorder criteria check: Your Psychiatrist more than likely will compare their findings (your symptoms and habits) with the standard Diagnostic criteria for Bipolar Disorder or other related disorders.

We have examined what a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis is, the different symptoms and causes, and the process of receiving a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis. We will now present what treatment options are available for Bipolar Disorder.

Treatment options.

A Bipolar Disorder is a lifelong condition, so when it comes to choosing the right treatment option for you, it’s best to initiate an open conversation with your Primary Care Provider or Psychiatrist. Two of the most common forms of treatment that are recommended for treatment of Bipolar Disorder symptoms are medication and psychotherapy.

Medication.

Three of the most common types of medications that are prescribed for treating Bipolar Disorder are mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants. We will examine each of those prescription categories below.

Mood stabilizers: Mood stabilizers are prescribed to help control manic or hypomanic bipolar disorder episodes. Some examples of mood stabilizers include: 

• Lithium (Lithobid)
• Valproic Acid (Depakene)
• Divalproex Sodium (Depakote)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro)
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Antipsychotics: Antipsychotics may be prescribed to help with depressive and manic symptoms. These types of medications are usually prescribed when other medications haven’t worked. Examples of antipsychotics include: 

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• Risperidone (Risperdal)
• Quetiapine (Seroquel)
• Aripiprazole (Abilify)
• Ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Lurasidone (Latuda)
• Asenapine (Saphris)

Anti-depressants: Antidepressants help with depression and the depressive symptoms that come with Bipolar Disorder. Because antidepressants can sometimes trigger a manic episode, they are usually prescribed with a mood stabilizer or an antipsychotic. Some common examples of antidepressants include:

• Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Fluozetine (Prozac, Sarafem)
• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)
• Parozetine (Paxil, Pexeva, Bridelle)
• Fluvoxamine (Luvox)

As with any medication, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants do come with a list of side effects. Some of these medications may even worsen Bipolar symptoms. Because of this, it is vital that one have an open and honest conversation with their Primary Care Provider about any concerns or side effects that you may experience while taking these medications.

Psychotherapy.

There are a few different types of psychotherapy modalities that can be very beneficial for those who have a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis, and they are as follows: Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychoeducation, and Family-Focused Therapy (FFT).

Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT): This type of therapy focuses on stabilizing your daily rhythms like sleeping, waking and mealtimes. The thought process behind this form of psychotherapy is that consistent routines are beneficial for mood management for individuals who have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The focus of CBT is to help you recognize unhealthy or negative beliefs or thought patterns about yourself so that you can replace them with positive beliefs and thought patterns. CBT is helpful in identifying what triggers your Bipolar episodes and can teach you healthy coping strategies.

Psychoeducation: Psychoeducation is defined as a therapy intervention that provides patients and their loved ones with information and skills to better understand and cope with their mental or physical illness. This intervention involves systematic, structured, and didactic knowledge to transfer, and integrate emotional and motivational aspects and tools encouraging the participation of the Client. Psychoeducation’s purpose is to improve adherence to treatment, manage stress and symptoms, enhance social and familial integration, and decrease the need for hospitalization.

Family-focused Therapy (FFT): Family-focused Therapy is centered around cultivating open communication between family members. This treatment precept is based upon the individual’s relationship with their family is crucial for their successful treatment and management of Bipolar Disorder symptoms.

Reach out for help if you need it.

At Seattle Christian Counseling, we want to offer you a safe and healthy space to explore techniques and strategies to address your feelings, and emotions and mental challenges and learn how to move forward in your wellness journey in a wholesome way.