Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder can be categorized as I or II, dependent on the manifestations of mood episodes. These episodes can include depressive episodes, manic episodes, or a combination of the two.
During manic episodes, individuals will have at least one week of nearly daily levels of irritability, increased energy, and persistently elevated mood, which brings with it unusual behaviors like:
- Decreased need for sleep
- Flights of ideas
- Racing thoughts
- Being more talkative than usually
- Inflated self-esteem
- Distractability
During depressive episodes, individuals will experience symptoms very similar to major depressive disorder, leading to a high risk of misdiagnosis, especially if individuals seek a diagnosis during a depressive episode exclusively. A depressive episode will include symptoms like:
- Diminished ability to focus
- Fatigue nearly every day
- Significant weight loss or weight gain consistent with extreme appetite changes
- Diminished interest in activities
- Depressed mood
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Bipolar I is most common in around 1.5 percent of the adult population and tends to manifest between ages 20 and 30.
Bipolar II is prevalent in around 0.8 percent of the population and can manifest in late adolescence or early adulthood.
The risk of developing bipolar disorder can be influenced by:
- Childhood adversity
- Genetics
- Substance abuse
In fact, people with bipolar I typically have at least three or more other disorders in their mental health history, including depression, anxiety, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, ADHD, or substance abuse.
Getting Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
No matter the age at which your condition manifests, it is important to find reputable bipolar disorder treatment centers in New York, as bipolar disorders cannot be cured but instead have to be managed. Through the right combination of medication and therapy, individuals can learn how to identify the signs that an episode is forthcoming, make adjustments accordingly, and learn to manage symptoms when they arise.
All of our programs start with an outpatient program like intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, or traditional outpatient. When you first reach out to our team, we will conduct an initial assessment to determine what level of care is best suited for your situation.
If, for example, your bipolar disorder has been affected by trauma and PTSD, we might recommend an outpatient program that includes things like EMDR therapy. If, instead, you are struggling with bipolar disorder manifesting with depressive episodes, TMS might be a useful treatment component to your overall program.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is a form of trauma-informed care designed to help with things like PTSD and other traumatic memories. For some clients, trauma has a direct relationship with addiction and mental health issues. It is not uncommon for clients to try and self-medicate to avoid or repress symptoms of traumatic memories with drugs or alcohol.
EMDR therapy helps you take control over improperly stored traumatic memories and disrupt the chain of triggers and negative emotions associated with them.
Science has confirmed a strong relationship between what you eat and how you feel. That is why, at Elevate Point, we offer our mental health and nutrition programs to integrate guidance on eating habits and choices from registered dieticians.
This part of treatment is typically combined with mental health support, offering actionable steps for improving mood and energy levels.
Those who are struggling with addiction can benefit from mental health and nutrition guidelines, too, as the information provided here can help reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, or sluggishness and help you stay more alert and focused during other sessions like coping skills and group therapy.
At Elevate Point, our goal is to help treat your mind and body at the same time. That is why we also have a focus on medical wellness. This ensures you receive ongoing medical support to manage all aspects of your recovery and healing journey.
Addiction, poor eating habits, and mental health disorders can all feed off one another, and addiction, in particular, can lead to physical and emotional damage. With our medical wellness offerings, your program will help improve your health while advancing permanent change.
In addition to supporting medical health, our ENG3 therapy is there to support your cellular health, encouraging relaxation and improving focus and attentiveness for other therapies. All of this serves as a complementary treatment for all the other parts of your recovery program.
This modern form of treatment helps to mimic your body’s natural response to damage caused by free radicals, triggering the same cellular repair functions that your body would normally trigger. As a result, it increases the repairs your body can generate, alleviating oxidative stress, boosting cellular repair, and promoting overall cellular activity. This holistic modality can support your recovery by improving your energy levels, enhancing your immune health, and helping to detoxify your body, especially if you have struggled with co-occurring bipolar disorder and substance abuse.
One of the treatments you can receive at our bipolar disorder treatment centers in New York is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Transcranial magnetic stimulation has been proven effective for treating bipolar disorder, particularly the depressive symptoms associated with bipolar disorder.
TMS is a non-invasive treatment option that uses magnetic pulses administered through electrodes that are placed on the scalp. A technician controls the direction, location, and intensity of those pulses to target areas like the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, associated with symptoms of depression for bipolar disorder.
Find Help for Bipolar Disorder Today
Bipolar disorder has many potential risk factors, and while there is no cure, learning to control symptoms and recognize precursors to mood episodes can give you better leverage over managing symptoms and living a fulfilling life. With Elevate Point, we work hard to provide useful education and coping skills through our flexible mental health outpatient programs. Whether you need help for a few weeks or several months, we can recommend the best course of action when you reach out to our admissions team.
See how Elevate Point can help. Call 212.285.2022 to learn about our bipolar disorder treatment centers in New York.
Elevate Point therapy programs, where the next phase of life begins.
There’s a better life for you. Contact us today at 646.760.7324 and we’ll help you uncover the you that’s just under the surface.