Your friends introduced you to a new member in your theater actors guild. She easily caught everybodys attention with her energy and extraordinary cheeriness. That nights practice has ended and everybody was raring to get home. However, your new found friend surprisingly invited you to go the disco. You declined but gave her your home number instead. You awoke to a call and heard her sobbing on the phone. She was ranting about how miserable her life is and how she just wants to end her life right there and then! Nobody would want to be in this shocking situation but what you just read is a reality of a brain disorder called bipolar mania or manic-depressive illness.

All about Bipolar Mania

Characterized by manic as well as depressive episodes is the biological disorder, bipolar mania. A person with bipolar disorder shows symptoms of extreme exhilaration at one moment than severe depression the next. Particularly, manic signs and symptoms include amplified energy, poor judgment, restiveness, disturbing behavior and a reduced need for sleep. On the other hand, the depressive state is recognized by feelings of hopelessness, intense grief and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities among others. An alarming fact of bipolar is that an individual may resort to suicide if it goes unattended.

Statistics have shown that bipolar mania is affecting a major number of individuals in the United States. Millions of her total population have been recorded to be affected with bipolar mania. Everybody wishes that it would not happen to themselves or their loved ones but if it somehow does, they must get ready with all the vital information especially on how to get the best hep available.

Bipolar Treatment Modalities

Though bipolar mania is a long term challenge, the condition can be treated through a combination of approaches. The first is through the medical method. Mood stabilizers are the medications available for this condition. The more common one is Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid) while others are prescribed with anticonvulsant medicines such as valproate (Depakote) or carbamazepine (Tegretol). On top of this, individuals with bipolar mania also see mental health professionals for cognitive or behavioral psychotherapy. Psychosocial approaches to bipolar mania are deemed important to recovery as it involves psychoeducation, family therapy and interpersonal therapy.

The Bipolar Support Groups

On the other hand, no medical or psychological approach is successful if its not used in conjunction with other methods. Joining bipolar support groups is an invaluable resource for an individual with bipolar mania. Bipolar support groups are very educational because various discussions about the disorder are made at length. More than the information though is the sharing of true-to-life experiences that makes the group relate well to each other.

Bipolar sufferers wont have to feel alone or alienated from others anymore while in a bipolar support group as it offers a warm environment to them. Bipolar support groups also give the opportunity to speak openly about the pains and hardships while gaining recognition from others. The group can collectively brainstorm about local resources and how to obtain support from the government.

Intelligent Prognosis

Its important that a person with bipolar mania can or can not cope with the disorder. The real question though is whether they get into a bipolar support group which will see them through the process. This is the real determinant which has treatment value. Individuals with bipolar mania are on their way to a fully-functioning life with the right kind of help from the right kind of people.

Tags: Mental Health

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