Bipolar Treatment
Medication is the mainstay of
treatment of Bipolar I disorder. Acute illness with full-blown mania often
requires hospitalization.
In bipolar II treatment may be quite different; medication may or may not be
used. Psychotherapy especially cognitive behavioral treatment is an
important aspect of treatment.
In these articles you will learn here about both medications and
psychological treatments for bipolar disorders.
What is a Mood Stabilizer Medication?
Virginia J. Duffy PhD, Nurse Practitioner in
Psychiatry
Mood stabilizers are medications that are used with
Bipolar I disorder. They are used to help keep a person’s mood in a middle
ground. The extremes of mania and depression are part of the struggle for
those with Bipolar I disorder.
It is important to remember that mood stabilizers are used for prevention
and do not work quickly to treat either end of the mood continuum. When
someone is manic they often need an antipsychotic to help them calm down
more quickly. The antipsychotic can sometimes be discontinued after a few
weeks or months once the mood stabilizer has been in the person’s system for
a while.
Treating depression with mood stabilizers is more difficult. Most mood
stabilizers are not effective at managing depression. Antidepressant use in
Bipolar I is a concern as it can “switch” a person to mania. This does not
usually occur if the patient is taking a concurrent mood stabilizer.
What are the Mood Stabilizers Drugs?
The “Gold Standard of mood stabilizers is still Lithium
Carbonate (LiCo3). It is the drug that is used as a comparison when
evaluating the effects of other mood stabilizers. Lithium is an electrically
charged atom that occurs naturally in the body. All of the mood stabilizers
except LiCo3 are in the anticonvulsant class. The ones most commonly used
include:
• Valproic Acid (Depakote)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• Lamotrigine (lamictal)
All mood stabilizers will require some type of blood work when starting them
and for maintenance.
AntiPsychotic Medications: What You Need to Know
Antipsychotic Medications for Treatment of Bipolar Disorder
This site is
entirely funded by Dr. Duffy Please send any email correspondence
to:
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