Bipolar Treatment and Doctors

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Better bipolar care starts with honest conversations, preparation, and mutual respect. Key Takeaways If you have a psychiatrist on your bipolar disorder treatment team, ask yourself this: Are you getting the most out of your relationship? Do you come prepared for your appointments with solid information on your recent symptoms and other challenges? Do you...

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Clear communication with your doctor can lead to better treatment for bipolar symptoms. Here’s how to make your voice heard. After experiencing many cycles of mood symptoms throughout my high school years, I found myself desperately seeking an explanation for my highs and lows. After another severe depression, I was in a hospital, facing the...

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Experiencing another mood episode is not a setback you can’t overcome — with treatment, you can regain stability. It’s so frustrating when you’ve been doing so well for so long, and then, out of nowhere, you experience a return of symptoms. The disappointment is profound, and the setback is painful. A relapse of bipolar disorder...

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Being your own advocate — or supporting a loved one — can help you access better care, navigate insurance, and feel more in control. Living with bipolar disorder presents unique challenges, not just in managing symptoms alongside a full life but also in navigating the complexities of the mental health care system. Mental health advocacy...

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Recognizing if an individual has ADHD or bipolar disorder is a vital first step, as treatments beneficial for one might be counterproductive for the other. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder have some signs and symptoms in common, including mood instability, bursts of energy and restlessness, talkativeness, and impatience. Such seemingly overlapping...

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Psychotherapy focused on healing trauma can be helpful in bringing forgiveness for your past, peace in your present, and hope for your future. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”— George Santayana, 1863–1952 Most of us are familiar with this famous quote, and likely learned it in school in the context...

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Connecting with the right bipolar care provider can be a game-changer, but it’s often tough to find the right match. Here’s how to simplify your search. Managing bipolar disorder on your own can be incredibly challenging. While friends and family provide immeasurable support, no bipolar care team is complete without formal, professional help. Ideally, that...

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No one loves needing to take daily medications for a chronic condition, but confronting your barriers to adherence ensures a better outcome for bipolar disorder. Making the decision to go on medication for bipolar disorder — and sticking with it to find something that works — can be a hard-won battle. It’s common to have...

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The varieties of talk therapy can be confusing: Is a counselor required? What’s the difference between CBT and DBT? Do I need a workbook or something? Talk Therapies, Decoded If you’ve considered talk therapy for bipolar disorder, you’ve probably heard of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and its proven benefits for those of us living with...

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For bipolar disorder there’s more to psychotherapy than the widely practiced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. See which option fits best for you. There’s certainly no universal formula when it comes to therapy. The style, the approach, the expectations — all of it is as unique as the person seeking treatment. What’s true across the board, as...

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Just as I found my footing with bipolar, a new diagnosis knocked me off my feet. I was angry, confused, and — surprisingly — better equipped to process it. Here’s how I’m working through this big change. I’ve spent most of the past 25 years living with bipolar disorder. Wait. Scratch that. I spent part...

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I am consistent with taking my medications for bipolar disorder — why is my doctor suggesting I add talk therapy to my management plan? How Can Talk Therapy Help Me? Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” provides an additional tool for managing bipolar disorder. Research has shown that mental health treatment that includes a combination of medication...

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Feeling glued to repeating harmful patterns, defeated by never-ending mood cycles? It’s possible to get unstuck and change direction toward a better life. Hopelessness & Reckless Behaviors Many of us have one thing in common: It’s easy to get stuck—in our heads, in our daily lives, and in the decisions we make for our own...

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If you live with bipolar, you should take a support person with you to your doctor appointments. Not only to help the doctor but also to help you. Reasons for Having a Support Person Attend Your Appointments There are two main reasons why it is important to bring a family member, friend, or loved one...

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Feeling anxious prior to an appointment with your doctor, psychiatrist, or another medical professional? You’re not alone. Here are some practical tips to handle this stress. Anxiety During Psychiatrist Appointments I’ve been seeing my psychiatrist for a very long time, and I know him very well. I do trust him and think he’s a good...

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Finding the “right” psychiatrist can be a time-consuming trial-and-error process. But, especially with bipolar, we need doctors we can trust. I’m contemplating ending my relationship with my current psychiatrist. Not because I feel that I no longer need treatment for my bipolar; now that I’m back in school, I’ve realized that I must maintain my...

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My therapist helps me deal with depression and intrusive thoughts—when I become fixated on what (and who) I’ve lost in life. And I always leave our sessions feeling better. When Grief Comes in Waves When my father died unexpectedly several years ago, I never thought that I would recover. I quickly became a victim of...

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It may be difficult when you have to change therapists with individual therapy; however, having an honest discussion with your new therapist can pay off. If video is not showing, click here What happens when, suddenly, for whatever reason, your doctor can no longer see you? Maybe they retired or are on a leave of absence....

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Staying in touch with your treatment team can be hard under the best of circumstances when you’re living with bipolar disorder. With the need for physical distancing, it can be downright difficult. Here’s how I navigated my appointments. Mental Health Is “Essential”—Even More So Now It can be stressful to go to the doctor and...

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We get the best results for bipolar management with a combination of both medication and therapy—each of which can be expensive. Here’s how I find good treatment options on a budget. Necessary and Affordable Care It’s possible to find medication management and therapy on a budget. I realize that both can be very expensive. But,...