Life presents the ups and down that everyone feels at some point, but there are people that suffer from depression which is a whole other animal. Depression affects many people on a daily basis. The symptoms of depression can cripple a person’s ability to do the normal everyday activities that they were once able to do. Someone that is bipolar is languished with bipolar depression that may cause them to lose even more control of their symptoms that may eventually require hospitalization.
Bipolar disorder is a diagnosis for someone that has unusual shifts in mood and energy which affects their activity levels to carry out their everyday tasks. One of the primary differences in someone who has major depressive disorder rather than someone with bipolar depression is that being bipolar not only means that they have difficulty with depression, they also have manic episodes that can happen before or after depression sets in what is called rapid cycling. The manic episodes can involve extremely high energy and irritability combined that may cause an individual to start spiraling out of control and then just crash into a depressive state.
Bipolar depression can be characterized by the abnormal lows which can keep someone from reaching their full potential due to the symptoms that occur during this state. Intense anxiety can cause trouble breathing, panic attacks, worried thoughts, fear of leaving the house, or the constant anticipation of harming themselves or their loved ones. The manifestation of bipolar depression can create signs of psychosis when someone starts hearing voices, seeing things that are not there, paranoia of thinking that people are talking about you when they are not, or immense physical agitation.
Treatment for bipolar depression needs to be administered differently since most people experience more depression and less mania. An important aspect to consider is to look for ways that curbs the symptoms of bipolar depression without exacerbating mania. Using an antidepressant such as Prozac, is not necessarily an option because mania can ensue with the effects of that type of medication. The object is to treat both of the “poles” of bipolar to heed better results with medication that has been proven to work such as Lamictal, Seroquel, or Latuda. Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (ISRT) is another way that has yielded great results in bipolar depression. This type of therapy implements the necessity of having a regular sleep schedule, a daily routine, maintaining a healthy diet, and having consistent day-to-day activities.
Finding a treatment that works for each person is crucial. Depression in any capacity is serious and should not be taken lightly. Each individual should start by talking with a therapist or a doctor to gauge the severity of the symptoms to get the right medical care for each specific condition.
If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol or drug addiction, Renewal Recovery Solutions can give you the support that you need to get sober. Our clinical staff and counselors can integrate a model for recovery that combines therapy and discovery to heed lasting results.
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