Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder affects approximately 2.8% of American adults and around 1-2% of children under 18. The mental health condition can cause extreme swings in mood and behavior, making it difficult to succeed in school work and maintain healthy relationships. Emem Nkanga, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, and the team at Mindful Solutions Psychiatry in Garland, Texas, offer expert bipolar care to patients over ten years old. To learn more about compassionate and effective treatment options, schedule an appointment online or by phone today. 

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a chronic mood disorder that causes intense swings in your mood and behavior. These shifts can last from a few hours to months and can be manic, depressive, or hypomanic. 

With bipolar I, you experience a minimum of one manic episode that lasts longer than one week or requires hospitalization. 

With bipolar II, you experience depressive and hypomanic episodes — but never an intense manic episode. 

If you have a chronically unstable mood and only experience short periods of normal mood (euthymia), you may have cyclothymic disorder. 

What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?

Manic and depressive symptoms may occur simultaneously. Signs of a manic episode or mania in children and adults include:

• Mood swings 
• Intense excitement or joy 
• Impulsivity 
• Recklessness
• Explosiveness 
• Racing thoughts or speech
• Sleep loss 
• Setting grandiose goals 
• Losing or breaking things of value 
• Conflicts with others 
• Acting overly powerful 
• Delusions or hallucinations (in severe cases) 

Depressive episode symptoms include: 

• Extreme sadness 
• Fatigue 
• Irritability
• Agitation 
• Loss of appetite 
• Overeating 
• Oversleeping 
• Trouble focusing 
• Lack of motivation 
• Talking or thinking about death or suicide 

Children and adolescents’ symptoms may be confusingly similar to those of other common disorders like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. 

What bipolar disorder treatments are available? 

Your provider at Mindful Solutions Psychiatry conducts a comprehensive psychiatric assessment of your family history and symptoms before diagnosing your type of bipolar disorder and developing a treatment plan. 

Your provider may recommend multiple treatments, including:

• Psychotherapy (talk therapy)
• Anti-anxiety medications 
• Antidepressants
• Mood stabilizers 
• Atypical antipsychotics 
• Meditation 
• Healthy diet and exercise 
• A sleeping schedule 
• Substance abuse programs 
• Hospitalization (for severe cases) 

If your disorder hasn’t improved from other treatments, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are innovative brain stimulation options.

For children, your provider can collaborate with their pediatrician and psychiatrist to manage their medications. 

Your provider may also recommend support groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which provides support groups and resources for children and their families, or the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) for all ages. 

Call Mindful Solutions Psychiatry today or book a consultation using the online scheduling tool.