Bipolar Assessment

Posted by Innocent Man as Resources

If the responding officers to the 911 call had more experience with a bipolar person or just the symptoms of bipolar or manic depression our story might have concluded before it had even began that night. I do not expect that it is part of overall police training but through time anyone can obtain experience with these types of diseases, their effects and learn how to do their own basic bipolar assessment.

Bipolar disorder is defined as not being a single disorder, but many mood disorders that include the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated moods referred to as mania. A bipolar person who experiences these episodes can also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. The episodes are frequently separated by periods of a normal mood, but in some sufferers of bipolar, the depression and mania may very quickly alternate, known as rapid cycling which basically refers to the cycling between high and low episodes. There are many ways to treat bipolar disorder including the use of medications as well as therapy with a bipolar psychiatrist.

The normal baseline drug treatment is a mood stabilizer medication including lithium or sodium valproate which was originally used as an anticonvulsant. Other anticonvulsants used in bipolar treatment include carbamazepine which has proven more effective in the rapid cycling bipolar disorder as well as lamotrigine, the first anticonvulsant shown to be of benefit in bipolar depression.

Treatment of the agitation in acute manic episodes sometimes requires the use of antipsychotic medications, such as Quetiapine, Olanzapine and Chlorpromazine. Recently both Olanzapine and Quetiapine have been approved as an effective therapy for the maintenance of bipolar disorder and in a recent study has been shown as being as safe as lithium.

A lot of debate has begun to surface on the use of antidepressants to treat bipolar disorder and some studies have reported a worse outcome with their use triggering the manic or mixed episodes, especially when not used in conjunction with a mood stabilizer medication.

To find out more about Bipolar Disorder please visit some of the links below. They include alternative treatment options as well as support for those living with a bipolar person.

Married To Mania If You Allow A Bipolar Husband, Wife Or Partner To Be A Part Of Your Life, Married To Mania Is The Owners Manual You Must Have To Survive. Before You Or Your Partner Makes One More Mistake Resulting In Financial Or Emotional Devastation, Read This Book.

Bipolar Disorder Uncovered All You Need To Know About Bipolar Disorder To Help You Or A Loved One Lead A Normal Life.

Social Security Disability For Bipolars Self-help Guide For Bipolars To Win Social Security Disability Benefits.