Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that impacts less than one percent of the population, but for the people who experience this condition and their loved ones, it can present big challenges. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health, in Charleston, West Virginia, we think it’s important for our patients, their families, and the broader community to have a basic understanding of this behavioral health diagnosis.
A Rollercoaster Ride You’d Hate
Sometimes, people hear that bipolar disorder (also sometimes called manic depression) is an emotional rollercoaster, and they assume it must be fun, at least during the manic phase. While some people do experience euphoria during a manic episode, some people experience mania as:
- Psychosis: Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things others don’t), delusions (believing they’re famous or uniquely powerful), or paranoia (fearing they’re being watched or poisoned).
- Impulsivity: Spending large amounts of money they can’t afford, such as blowing through rent funds.
- Risky or destructive behavior: Unsafe sexual activity, substance use, or driving under the influence
- Difficulty concentrating: Being unable to focus on work, conversations, or basic tasks.
Mania symptoms can lead to damaged relationships, financial problems, legal issues, and difficulties at work and school. These are all things the person must contend with after the manic episode ends.
The Sad Reality
Regardless of which symptoms they have during mania, people with bipolar disorder still have to navigate the depression that follows, which can include:
- Loss of interest in activities they enjoyed before
- Sadness
- Hopelessness
- Feeling worthless
- Changes in sleep, weight, energy, and eating habits
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Thoughts of death or suicide. Bipolar disorder is the mental illness with the highest rate of suicide. People with bipolar disorder have a suicide rate 10 to 30 times higher than the general population.
Anosognosia: Hard to Say and Harder to Understand
On top of the actual symptoms of the condition and the stress it can bring, about 20 percent of people with bipolar disorder also struggle to accept their diagnosis. More than just denial, anosognosia means that it may not be possible for a person to accept their condition is real. This lack of insight can lead to non-compliance with medication and other treatment. What can be particularly frustrating for loved ones, is that a person’s insight into their mental illness can fluctuate from one day to the next, so you might feel like they are on the right track and they are going to continue with a treatment that you can see is working, but the next thing you know, they have stopped and say they don’t need therapy or meds.
The Good News
Despite the gloom and doom associated with this condition, bipolar disorder is treatable, and people who stick with treatment often have very long periods of stability. Treatments most often used to treat bipolar disorder include:
- Medication: Anti-depressants are not typically used to treat bipolar disorder because of the risk of triggering a manic episode. Instead, mood stabilizers and antipsychotic medications are more frequently used.
- Psychological interventions: Therapy and psychoeducation (for the patient and their family) are a big component of effective treatment for bipolar disorder. Interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are particularly common.
- Psychosocial interventions: These are supports that are focused on giving the person a chance to live a good life and exercise as much independence as possible, such as supported employment, supported housing, peer support, social skills practice, or life skills training.
You Are a Protective Factor
If you have a friend or family member with bipolar disorder, you are an important part of their recovery journey. Just by being present in their life, you can provide:
- Support
- A social network they can lean on in bad times and that will keep them involved in their community and family
- Reminders of their coping strategies
- Guidance to find meaning in their life
- Helping them to see a setback as an opportunity for growth and learning, not a failure
At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health, we are here to help when things get rough. When your loved one is still figuring out how to live with bipolar disorder, they have a co-occurring condition they are struggling to manage, or they experience a relapse, we can offer acute care to help them regain their quality of life and hope for the future.
