{"id":7985,"date":"2019-05-24T12:21:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T17:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/goodyear-village-az-cdp\/the-most-effective-therapies-for-treating-bipolar-disorder\/"},"modified":"2019-06-12T12:19:50","modified_gmt":"2019-06-12T17:19:50","slug":"the-most-effective-therapies-for-treating-bipolar-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/goodyear-village-az-cdp\/the-most-effective-therapies-for-treating-bipolar-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Effective Therapies for Treating Bipolar Disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or maybe your loved one has. And you\u2019re wondering, what\u2019s the best treatment? What actually works? What the heck do I do? <\/em><\/p>\n

Because bipolar disorder is a chronic, complex condition, managing it can feel overwhelming and downright confusing. But thankfully there are effective, research-based treatments that really work.<\/p>\n

Medication is the mainstay of treatment. However, the best way to treat bipolar disorder is with a comprehensive approach, which includes \u201congoing psychosocial interventions to help maintain health and to respond to breakthrough symptoms when they occur,\u201d according to Candida Fink, MD, a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with a private practice in Westchester, N.Y.<\/p>\n

She noted that bipolar disorder is often thought of as a \u201ckind of monolithic entity.\u201d But \u201cbipolar disorder comes in a range of severity and symptom patterns.\u00a0Different people will respond to different treatments\u2014both medical and psychosocial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding the right treatment for each person takes time, consistent effort, and good communication with their treatment team, said Dr. Fink, co-author of several\u00a0books on bipolar disorder<\/a>. (This treatment team typically consists of a psychiatrist and a therapist.)<\/p>\n

But again, the great news is that successful treatments are available. Alisha L. Brosse, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and director of the Sutherland Bipolar Center at the University of Colorado Boulder<\/a>, noted that these science-backed treatments have a lot in common. For instance, they include psychoeducation (educating the person and their loved ones about bipolar disorder), along with \u201csome suggestions for behaviors that can help stabilize mood\u2014like limiting mood-altering substances, and keeping a regular sleep-wake cycle and daily routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below, you\u2019ll learn about these treatments, along with how you can get help and what strategies you can try on your own.<\/p>\n

Evidence-Based Psychotherapy<\/h3>\n

\u201cOne of the best ways to understand what scientific evidence is telling us about the most effective treatments for a condition is to examine international treatment guidelines,\u201d said Erin E. Michalak, Ph.D, a professor of psychiatry<\/a> at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and founder and director of CREST.BD<\/a>, a multidisciplinary collaborative network of researchers, healthcare providers, people living with bipolar disorder, their family members, and supporters.<\/p>\n

In 2018, the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) and International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) published these guidelines<\/a> for treating patients with bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n

According to the guidelines, the first-line treatment is psychoeducation, which is provided either individually or in a group setting. Michalak noted that psychoeducation typically includes educating the person with bipolar disorder and\/or their family about the nature of the illness, its treatments, and key coping strategies.<\/p>\n

The second-line treatment is either cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or family-focused therapy (FFT). Both treatments are used as maintenance therapies, and may be helpful for people who are currently depressed.<\/p>\n

Brosse, who has a private practice<\/a> in Boulder, Colo., noted that how CBT is conducted will depend on different variables, such as your goals, current mood state and functioning, and knowledge of bipolar disorder (or lack thereof). Generally, CBT focuses on helping individuals learn practical skills and strategies to decrease symptoms, improve social, academic, and occupational functioning, and improve quality of life, she said.<\/p>\n

Brosse noted that in FFT, loved ones learn how bipolar disorder manifests in their family member, which \u201coften results in more open and productive conversations about bipolar disorder, and more accurate attributions. For example, family members may be less likely to over attribute something to bipolar disorder (e.g., \u201cYou seem happy, you must be manic!\u201d), and less likely to attack a person\u2019s character (e.g., \u201cYou\u2019re lazy\u201d) when the person is actually depressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

FFT also includes helping families develop a concrete relapse prevention plan, and improve communication and problem-solving skills, which are especially vital during a mood episode or after a recent one, Brosse said.<\/p>\n

Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) is recommended as a third-line treatment and also might be helpful for depressive episodes, Michalak said. IPSRT was specifically developed to treat bipolar disorder. According to Fink, \u201cIPSRT is a variation on\u2026interpersonal therapy, which focuses on the work of grieving for the loss of the \u2018healthy self,\u2019\u00a0and then it integrates the role of interpersonal conflict and events as risks or protective factors for mood episodes.\u201d The primary goal, she said, is to maintain routines and rhythms in your daily life and interactions with others.<\/p>\n

In addition, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy<\/a> (MBCT) has shown some benefits in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in bipolar disorder, Fink said. Also, \u201cwhile not specifically identified as effective in bipolar disorder, dialectical behavior therapy<\/a> (DBT) is commonly adapted in work with those living with bipolar disorder because of the support it provides for both mood regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Substance use disorders also commonly co-occur with bipolar disorder, so it\u2019s vital to treat these conditions, along with any medical conditions, Fink added.<\/p>\n

Importantly, these treatments are in addition to <\/em>taking medication, and there\u2019s currently no therapy that helps with mania, Michalak said.<\/p>\n

How to Find Professional Help<\/h3>\n

To find a therapist, Fink recommended starting with your primary care provider, a local mental health association, a medical center with an outpatient psychiatry department, or an organization such as the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance<\/a> (DBSA) or National Alliance on Mental Health<\/a> (NAMI). If you have insurance, Fink also noted that it\u2019s important to ask your insurance company about coverage and providers.<\/p>\n

Because finding therapists who specialize in the above treatments can be tough, Brosse recommended asking therapists these questions: \u201cCan you tell me about your experience treating people with bipolar disorder?\u00a0I\u2019m looking for a therapist who can help me learn all the ins-and-outs of my bipolar disorder, and can give me specific skills to help me better manage my moods and prevent relapse. Do you work in this way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding the right therapist for you can take time. The key is to pick someone you feel comfortable with who has experience treating people with bipolar disorder. Keep in mind that it\u2019s totally normal to work with several therapists before finding a therapist you like.<\/p>\n

Self-Management Techniques<\/h3>\n

According to Michalak, until recently, research hadn\u2019t focused much on self-management techniques as a complement to medication and psychotherapy. Self-management techniques are defined as: \u201cthe plans and\/or routines<\/a> that a person with bipolar disorder uses to promote health and quality of life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Michalak and colleagues are conducting this kind of research\u2014specifically focusing on web-based programs and applications. For instance, they\u2019ve used some of their research findings<\/a> to develop the website http:\/\/www.bdwellness.com<\/a>, which features strategies to successfully manage bipolar disorder. Michalak believes that such resources are especially helpful when they\u2019re co-designed by people with lived experience with bipolar disorder, and include social support and interaction.<\/p>\n

Brosse also underscored that individuals with bipolar disorder can do so much in effectively managing the condition. You can start by looking for patterns around your mood episodes\u2014and reducing your risk. For instance, you\u2019ve realized that transitions trigger your episodes. When a transition is coming up\u2014moving, starting a new job\u2014you focus on \u201cdecreasing other risk factors and increasing protective factors.\u201d Maybe, Brosse said, you see your therapist more often, return to therapy, or start therapy. Maybe you\u2019re especially intentional with keeping a consistent sleep-wake schedule, not drinking alcohol, and taking more frequent walks.<\/p>\n

As a whole, you might cultivate supportive relationships, eat nutrient-rich foods, and exercise, she said.<\/p>\n

You also can use various skills, such as \u201copposite action,\u201d Brosse said. For instance, when people with bipolar disorder get depressed, they tend to withdraw from others and do less. In this case, the opposite action is to \u201cactivate,\u201d and keep social engagements on your calendar, exercise, and engage in tasks that give you a sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, during mania, the opposite action is to \u201cde-activate,\u201d decelerating your impulsivity and goal-directed behavior. This might look like disengaging from people and projects, sitting in silence in a dark room, and sleeping, she said.<\/p>\n

Brosse also wanted readers to know that sometimes you can do all the right things, and a depressive, manic, or hypomanic episode still surfaces. This is when it\u2019s critical to practice self-compassion (or have compassion for your loved one).<\/p>\n

Be kind, patient, tender, and gentle with yourself\u2014yes, similar to how you\u2019d treat a friend or child. You deserve these things, even when you\u2019re convinced you deserve the exact opposite.<\/p>\n

Fink suggested tracking your mood (and, like Brosse above, regulating your sleep). \u201cApps are available for both of these and may be helpful for some people.\u201d A favorite app of her patients\u2019 is eMoods<\/a>. She\u2019s also recommended T2 Mood tracker<\/a>, and noted that Moodtrack<\/a> is a social media kind of platform that you can use only for yourself or share (by following others and having followers).<\/p>\n

Fink emphasized the importance of speaking up with your treatment providers if something isn\u2019t working for you. After all, \u201cyou can try other things.\u201d Also, \u201csometimes, what is working at one point won\u2019t continue to be needed, or won\u2019t work as well\u2014 and a changing or evolving treatment plan is much more the rule than the exception.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>

Visit Original Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or maybe your loved one has. And you\u2019re wondering, what\u2019s the best treatment? What actually works? What the heck do I do? Because bipolar disorder is a chronic, complex condition, managing it can feel overwhelming and downright confusing. But thankfully there are effective, research-based <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a>
Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger<\/a> May 24, 2019<\/p>\n

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