Bipolar disorder is defined as the tendency to cycle through some combination of depressive states, normal states, and periods of mania. Mania is an overly-elevated, outgoing, irritable, or self-destructive mood persisting for more than one week. Symptoms include inflated self-esteem, deceased need for sleep, pressured speech, racing thoughts, distractibility, bodily agitation, and excessive involvement in pleasurable activity that has high potential for painful consequences.
Bipolar disorder can be extremely distressing and cause upheaval for patients, as well as for family, friends, and colleagues. People with this disorder usually need mood-stabilizing medication, and a lot of self-care, in order to maintain stable life functioning. Shifting mood states can bring on a strong desire to discontinue mood-stabilizing medication, and the desire to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Uncomfortable mood states are often reflected in outer life turmoil.
Treating Bipolar Disorder Through Therapy
Psychotherapy for people with bipolar disorder is mostly about patients achieving and maintaining stable mood states. Biological factors are treated with cognitive therapy that targets consistency with medications and self-care strategies such as taking care of physical health, avoiding substance abuse, and improving relationships. Psychological factors are treated with psychoanalytic therapy, which is known to have mood stabilizing effects. This type of therapy aims at calming emotional volatility through understanding one’s reactivity and developing better ways to manage it. Many people who have suffered with the ups and downs of bipolar disorder have ongoing struggles with self-esteem, and a tendency to get down on themselves. Psychoanalytic therapy facilitates positive change with these kinds of issues.
