The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Bi Polar Illness?

Answer 1

Bi polar illness can be a debilitating and misunderstood condition, often affecting not only the life of the person with the illness, but also family and friends. It can be very difficult to diagnose bi polar illness, and there is a certain stigma attached to the disease itself since so many of the symptoms are commonly experienced in the general population. Treatment of the illness is equally difficult and often involves a combination of therapy and multiple drugs to treat the illness during its various stages.

The symptoms of bi polar illness are periods of severe depression that are interspersed with periods of high activity, also called mania or hypomania. Since both states are frequently encountered by healthy individuals, the diagnosis of bi polar disease must be made carefully and usually over a long period of time with some observation. While there are some chemical markers in a bi polar individual, they are not conclusive and provide very little assistance when making a diagnosis. In general, however, individuals with the disease have repeated and extended periods of depression and hypomania that make normal daily activities difficult or impossible.

The treatment for bi polar disorder can range from therapy to medication, or a combination of both. In extreme cases, hospitalization can occur when the mood swings result in suicide attempts or erratic and dangerous behavior. Therapy involves monitoring moods, looking for any environmental triggers, and sometimes behavioral therapy to change associations. Medication generally involves anti-depressants like SSRIs, but can also include other drugs. In acute cases, medications for depression and hypomania are prescribed together so they can be taken as needed.

For people living with bi polar illness, the key to good mental health is consistent treatment and a stable maintenance regime. This is sometimes difficult since changes in mood might lead an individual to forego taking medication, leading to an unhealthy spiral downward. In some cases, however, regular therapy combined with moderate anti-depressants and steady self monitoring can allow an individual with bi polar illness to lead a mostly normal life. Experimental treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy and full spectrum light therapy, have been tested, but have mixed or inconclusive results.