Understanding Bipolar Disorder: How Therapy Can Help

Have you ever felt long periods of excess energy and periods where you are so tired you can’t get out of bed for days? You may be experiencing symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. In this post, you will gain some information about what Bipolar Disorder is, and how it can be managed.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by extreme shifts in mood. These moods are separated into manic episodes which are also called highs, and depressive episodes which can be called (lows). These extreme phases can last days, or even weeks and can be very disruptive to your routine and daily life.

A “Manic” Episode May Include:

Grandiose thinking
Intense feelings of euphoria, excitement, or happiness
Appearing abnormally jumpy or wired
Having excessive energy
Insomnia or restlessness (a decreased need for sleep)
Speaking fast or being unusually talkative
Having racing or jumbled thoughts
Distractibility
Inflated self-esteem
Doing impulsive, uncharacteristic, or risky things like having unsafe sex or spending a lot of money
Increased agitation and irritability
Hypomania

A “Depressive” Episode May Include:

Feeling down, sad, worried, worthless, anxious, guilty, empty, or hopeless
Lack of interest, or no interest, in activities
Feeling tired, low energy
Forgetfulness
Indecisiveness
Difficulty concentrating
Changes in sleep, either sleeping too much or too little
Changes in appetite, either eating too much or too little
Thoughts of death and/or suicide

Will Bipolar Disorder Go Away if I Don’t Seek Help?

Short answer, no. Bipolar Disorder is a lifelong diagnosis and will never fully go away without support. Oftentimes, symptoms of bipolar disorder can get worse if it goes unmanaged. The most effective ways of managing bipolar disorder are medication and psychotherapy. Medications can help with managing the highs and lows that come with manic and depressive episodes. Psychotherapy can help with understanding the emotions, feelings and behaviours that come with the diagnosis.

Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

As mentioned previously the best course of treatment for bipolar is medication in combination with psychotherapy. The most commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder are mood stabilizers, antidepressants and antipsychotic medications. Speak to your doctor about if medications are the right option for you.

A therapist can work with you to help guide you in navigating and noticing your period of mania and depression. By utilizing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT, your therapist can work with you to begin disentangling your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. In doing so, your own unhelpful negative thoughts will be challenged and reframed into positive thoughts.

Here are a few other things you can do to help manage your own symptoms in combination with medication and therapy.

Maintain a routine of exercise. Try your best to do some form of physical exercise every day, whether that be jogging or yoga. This can help with easing your thoughts and creating a routine for yourself.
Eating wholesome, nutritious foods. Avoid processed foods and try to implement more protein into your diet.
Sleep. Try your best to sleep 8 hours each night and go to bed around the same time each night.
Journal. Journaling can be a helpful tool for tracking your mood and also a place to unpack and create space from your thoughts.

Conclusion

Now that you know what Bipolar Disorder is and how it can be managed, it is important that you continue your journey of self-improvement and growth. Speak to one of our therapists today for a free 15-minute consultation to find out how they can help you.