Posts Tagged ‘mood stabilizers’

Bipolar Treatment- The Natural Way?

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Unfortunately natural bipolar treatment has not been proven to be very effective. There have been a few studies here and there regarding natural supplements shown to improve bipolar symptoms, and of course there are alway natural science advocates that will propose proper diet and healthy nutrition plays a big role in symptoms and their manifestation.

However, while there is most definitely some basis in truth to a holistic approach for healing bipolar disorder, the long and short of it is, pharmacology is just about the only proven method to work for most of the cases currently undergoing treatment.

Bipolar disorder is a result of a chemical imbalance within your brain, and unfortunately, the most effective method to fix that currently is medication. Bipolar treatment typically consists of therapy, and medications such as anti psychotics and mood stabilizers.

Now that isn’t to say that drugs are always the best medicine for bipolar treatment, as in many cases the medications don’t work either. Many patients suffering from bipolar disorder find the best success at bipolar treatment when they combine a holistic approach with modern pharmacology.

Bipolar treatment can be very effective when combining the correct dose of medication, with things like meditation to help the suffer learn a bit of self discipline. Meditation can also help a bipolar patient learn to relax properly, which can help easy any anxiety their mania may be causing them.

Some bipolar sufferer’s find that moving meditation such as yoga, or tai chi is a wonderful release for them. It helps them to burn off some of they excess energy they may experience, as well learn to focus and center themselves.

Bipolar treatment will vary from patient to patient, as every person is unique. With a bit of experimenting and practice, I have no doubt effective bipolar treatment can be found, and you could be well on your way to a healthy, happy lifestyle.

Common Bipolar Medications

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

Bipolar disorder can control your life if not properly managed, and given bipolar medications.  However it is often difficult to diagnose, and many times difficult to find the right balancing act in treating it effectively.  There is a fine line bipolar disorder victims walk, and the trick lies in finding the perfect dosages and the perfect types of medications for your particular case.

There are several kinds bipolar medications prescribed for patients, and here we will cover the most common ones.  Mood stabilizers such as lithium, are used to treat both the highs and lows of bipolar disorder, and are often taken consistently, even during normal periods, in an effort to prevent extreme episodes from occuring.

Anticonvulsants such as Valproate and Carbamazepine are given to control periods of mania.  Again, they are often used in the prevention of episodes from occurring as well.

Bipolar medications like anti depressants such as Prozac or Wellbutrin are used to combat the severe lows of bipolar disorder, when the victim sinks into deep depression.

Antispsychotics are also used in the treatment of bipolar disorder.  Drugs like Abilify and Clozaril  are used during periods of extreme mania, a victim can deteriorate into delusional behavior, or hallucinate.  This helps to curb those symptoms.

Antianxiety medication like Xanax  is sort of a short term quick solution in regards to bipolar medications.  It can help relieve stress in a person experiencing a manic episode, and can reduce symptoms of insomnia as well.

These are all the more common drugs that are prescribed for bipolar treatment, however there are several more available than just these.  Which type of bipolar medication you are prescribed depends entirely on your doctor, and the type of symptoms you are experiencing.  The basis of these meds are to help victims find a balance in their moods and prevent future episodes of severe mania or severe depression.

Once you have found the right balance, it is possible to live a full life mostly symptom free.  It is also important to remember that some of these bipolar medications can take several weeks to really create a noticible effect.  If you feel a particular medication isn’t working for you, or is causing adverse symptoms that you can’t live with, please inform your doctor so they can make a change for you.  Bipolar disorder can be managed when armed with the proper tools!