Bipolar Treatment: Importance Of Accurate Diagnosis
Bipolar disorder or manic depression requires prolonged treatment. There are times when the patient actually feels normal and shows no external signs of the illness. But that doesn't mean the treatment can be stopped midway! In fact this is one common mistake that many patients and their families do. And the result is equally hurting. The most important aspect of treating an ailment starts with accurate diagnosis. Bipolar illness is no exception. In fact, an effective bipolar treatment begin with diagnosing the symptoms and then analyzing the medical history of the patient before starting any form of medication or therapy.
Mood swings and prolonged episodes of depression are common features observed in most bipolar disorder patients. The more it is left unattended, the serious could be its consequences. To help patients overcome this manic illness, an early diagnosis is of utmost necessity. But only a seasoned specialist can distinguish between ordinary mood swings and those which indicate a bipolar illness. Again bipolar illness can be of different types. till now only 3 forms are known to occur viz – type I disorder , type II disorder, and cyclothymia. While all three forms of illness are characterized by depression, its extent vary from person to person and from one type to the other. Depending on the symptoms and the extent of occurrence, physicians are able to diagnose the different types of bipolar illness.
* If the patient's medical history show at least a single instance of manic depression or illness, it is diagnosed as bipolar I disorder. However, a single instance of depression may not be conclusive enough to infer that the person is a manic patient. Various other factors like the medical history of the patients' family, chronic illness (if any) are also researched upon before coming to conclusion.
* Bipolar II disorder is characterized by hypnomania and major episodes of depression. It is the physicians and psychological therapists who after investigating the reasons behind such hypnomanic episodes can infer about the particular type of illness and start proper bipolar treatment.
* People diagnosed with cyclothymia do not frequently experience depression, conversely there are cases of repeated depressive episodes stretching over a period of time, even 2 to 3 years! Therapists believe that cyclothymia patients experience what is called 'borderline' disorder. The probability of such patients turning into manic disorder patients is high. Hence, monitoring and psychological counseling of such patients is an absolute necessity.
Proper bipolar disorder therapy can only be conducted under the watchful guidance of an experienced psychotherapist. Someone with considerable experience in bipolar treatment, applying psychotherapy, as well as a successful track record of helping patients return back to normal life, would be an ideal choice. Thats what psychologist and author John D. Gartner from Baltimore is known for! He is renowned for treating people 'at all levels of the bipolar spectrum.'
Mood swings and prolonged episodes of depression are common features observed in most bipolar disorder patients. The more it is left unattended, the serious could be its consequences. To help patients overcome this manic illness, an early diagnosis is of utmost necessity. But only a seasoned specialist can distinguish between ordinary mood swings and those which indicate a bipolar illness. Again bipolar illness can be of different types. till now only 3 forms are known to occur viz – type I disorder , type II disorder, and cyclothymia. While all three forms of illness are characterized by depression, its extent vary from person to person and from one type to the other. Depending on the symptoms and the extent of occurrence, physicians are able to diagnose the different types of bipolar illness.
* If the patient's medical history show at least a single instance of manic depression or illness, it is diagnosed as bipolar I disorder. However, a single instance of depression may not be conclusive enough to infer that the person is a manic patient. Various other factors like the medical history of the patients' family, chronic illness (if any) are also researched upon before coming to conclusion.
* Bipolar II disorder is characterized by hypnomania and major episodes of depression. It is the physicians and psychological therapists who after investigating the reasons behind such hypnomanic episodes can infer about the particular type of illness and start proper bipolar treatment.
* People diagnosed with cyclothymia do not frequently experience depression, conversely there are cases of repeated depressive episodes stretching over a period of time, even 2 to 3 years! Therapists believe that cyclothymia patients experience what is called 'borderline' disorder. The probability of such patients turning into manic disorder patients is high. Hence, monitoring and psychological counseling of such patients is an absolute necessity.
Proper bipolar disorder therapy can only be conducted under the watchful guidance of an experienced psychotherapist. Someone with considerable experience in bipolar treatment, applying psychotherapy, as well as a successful track record of helping patients return back to normal life, would be an ideal choice. Thats what psychologist and author John D. Gartner from Baltimore is known for! He is renowned for treating people 'at all levels of the bipolar spectrum.'
