Leadership & Managing Someone With Bipolar Disorder
Managing bipolar disorder is not only demanding on those who are diagnosed with it but also a challenge for their loved ones. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, is a mental health and brain disorder that affects approximately 1 percent of the population, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Medication and therapy are mostly used to treat this mental illness.
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What is Bipolar Disorder?
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Bipolar disorder often develops during late teens or early adult years. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the symptoms of bipolar disorder are "unusually intense emotional states that occur in distinct periods called 'mood disorders.'" Depressive and/or manic episodes are exhibited by people with the disorder.
Management
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The first step in managing bipolar disorder is to get a diagnosis. Often when a diagnosis is made, a physician will go through treatment options, which more often than not involve some form of medication. However, even when medication is prescribed, according to Psychology Today, 50 percent of people with bipolar disorder do not take their prescribed medication. Leadership and managing someone with bipolar disorder often means not only watching that person's moods and health, but also making sure that prescribed medication is being taken.
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Medication
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Lithium is usually the first choice of medication for the treatment of bipolar disorder, according to NIMH. It is a mood stabilizing drug and was the first of its kind to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the 1970s, according to NIMH. It is often coupled with antidepressant medication. Depakote, or valproic acid, is another mood stabilizing drug used as an alternative to lithium. It is also an anticonvulsant drug to treat seizure disorders. According to NIMH, it was approved by the FDA in 1995.
Therapy
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Psychotherapy, or "talk" therapy is another treatment option for people with bipolar disorder and is often coupled with medication. According to the NIMH, psychotherapy can involve cognitive behavioral therapy, in which people with bipolar disorder learn to think in a positive manner; family-focused therapy, which teaches family members strategies to cope with the disorder; interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, which helps people with bipolar disorder manage a regular routine that is key to controlling episodes of mania; and, psychoeducation, a learning tool that teaches people with bipolar and their family members about the disorder and its treatment options.
Facts
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According to Psychology Today, it takes an average of 20 years for person to receive a correct diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
37 percent of patients with bipolar disorder are often mistakenly diagnosed with unipolar depression.
According to Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychiatrist and author of the book "Touched by Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament," 25 to 50 percent of patients with bipolar disorder attempt suicide at least once.
The risk of suicide is the highest among people with bipolar disorder than any other mental health illness.
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References
- Photo Credit thinking depressed image by Frenk_Danielle Kaufmann from Fotolia.com
