Bipolar Paper

Bryanna Harrington

14 December 2015

Bipolar Disorder Treatments

        That girl is crazy. She needs help. She must be bipolar. Bipolar disorder also can be identified as manic depression. It claims the lives of ten million Americans. It contains two extremes emotions; the patients have stages where they are manic and others where they are depressed. In 1875 Jules Falret gave those two symptoms a name, which is manic depression. When a person is manic they usually have a lot of energy and could make decisions that are not usual to the person. When a person is depressed it the opposite of being manic because they usually lack energy and have somber thoughts that could at its worse lead to suicide. Back in the late 1600s they treated bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses by calling them witches and burning them at the stake. Nowadays bipolar patients are treated in a more dignified manner. Still one question still remains; what is the best way treat bipolar disorder?

        There is a growing number of bipolar patients that are refusing to take medication. And a lot of them are looking for different kinds of therapies that could help treat them. A kind of therapy that they can find useful is group therapy. A benefit of group therapy is seeing that even though people have different issues and varied ways of coping, there are basic struggles we all share as humans. This is important to lessen the sense of isolation and aloneness (Fennell). Having one on one therapy is helpful too. In many ways therapy is better than medication to treat the many symptoms of bipolar disorder. Many people agree that, “Medication may help ease certain symptoms, but it comes with side effects. Furthermore, it cannot solve the “big picture” problems. Medication won’t fix your relationships, help you figure out what to do with your life, or give you insight into why you continue to do things you know are bad for you”(Smith).

Therapy is good to help the symptoms of bipolar disorder but having short-term treatment seems not to work as well. Nicholas Bakalar wrote that, “Psychotherapy for as long as nine months is significantly more effective than short-term treatment for alleviating depression associated with bipolar disease, new research suggests”.  There are many kinds of long-term therapies that could help you. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on challenging and controlling negative thoughts. In interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, patients concentrate on making stable daily routines and having healthy relationships. Family therapy engages family members to help solve problems related to the illness, like failing to take medication properly, and to reduce negative family interactions (Bakalar). These types of therapy can help persons suffering from Bipolar Disorder because they can help them find support from others and can help them figure out how to support them selves.

          Another way to heal the symptoms of bipolar disorder is self-medication. Some people choose to use food as their medication of choice. Eating things like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin and mineral supplements can help with depression. "One study found that countries with low fish consumption"(low in omega-3s) "coincided with high depression rates"(Psych). Another way to fight off the symptoms of bipolar disorder is to get aerobic exercise on the regular. This helps restore regular sleep and eating patterns. It also raises energy levels, generates endorphins, and boosts serotonin levels (Psych). Getting the proper amount of sleep is important to stop a manic episode. Going to sleep and a regular hour helps you find balance (Psych). Using religion also helps says Madeline Vann, participating in religious organizations and activities can protect against negative moods. Other research shows that when people are depressed or going through a downward cycle, they are likely to isolate themselves from all kinds of social activities, including those related to spirituality. That shows that religion could help someone with bipolar when they are feeling manic or social but when they are really depressed religion does not help as much as you would think. Those ways of self-medicating doesn't include alcohol or drugs. There are some, "studies have suggested that people with bipolar disorder may use alcohol during manic episodes in an attempt at self–medication"(Sonne). This shows how some bipolar suffers may think that drinking helps them stay on the good side of their disease but, "it appears that alcoholism may adversely affect the course and prognosis of bipolar disorder, leading to more frequent hospitalizations"(Sonne). This shows that using alcohol as a treatment for bipolar disorder can actually make situations worse because you then have to treat bipolar disorder and the alcoholism.  

         Another way to treat symptoms of bipolar disorder is to take doctor prescribed medication. Emily Martin in her book Bipolar Expeditions says that, “the rate of prescriptions for antidepressants and antipsychotics...had recently increased about two and a half times, from 51,003.000 in 1991 to 133,782,000 in 1998”(Martin 13). That shows that the number of people taking prescribed medications is still rising. Taking medication you do not need because of misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder could lead to increased use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, that some people think is linked to an increased risk of suicide (Los Angeles). Even though, “Every morning, 4-1/2 million Americans wake up and take an anti-depressant called Prozac, a pill that helps them get through another day”(honolulu). That quote shows that Prozac does work for many sufferers of mental illness but Prozac does not work for everyone. Everyone is different, so you may have to try several types of bipolar medication at several differ doses before you find the cocktail that is right for you (Smith, Robinson). These medications are also a major money maker and so republicans in 2004 prevented the lowering of domestic prices for drugs by blocking European countries from selling cheaper drugs to the United States and also delaying competition from generic drugs(Martin 13). Jeanne Segal Ph.D seems to think that, you may be tempted to stop taking your bipolar medication if your feeling side effects or if you are feeling great and you think that you do not need them anymore. However, stopping routine medication use can lead to relapse. It is also important to know that, “mixing certain foods and beverages with your bipolar medication can also cause problems”(Smith, Robinson).

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