Dealing with a serious mood disorder, like bipolar disorder, can greatly affect a person’s quality of life, including their ability to interact with others, go to work or school, and enjoy favorite activities.
Our mental health experts at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, understand how difficult it can be to live with extreme mood swings and find an accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder. We not only will help identify what’s causing your distressing symptoms, but we have many tools and therapies available to relieve them.
We’ll work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that works for you and your unique situation. Treatment for bipolar disorder isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and our mood disorder specialists recognize that, so you’ll be in good hands if you or your loved one struggle with bipolar disorder.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, or are in emotional distress, please call or text 9-8-8.
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition marked by unusual mood changes. People with bipolar disorder fluctuate from mania (happy, active, irritable periods) to depression (down, sad periods). They often have normal moods in between.
These shifts also affect your energy, activity levels, sleep, judgment and concentration, making it challenging to complete everyday tasks. It’s difficult to predict when these mood swings will occur, since some people rarely have them and others experience them several times a year.
The condition usually requires lifelong management, but with the right treatments and care providers, most people with bipolar disorder can live symptom-free.
Bipolar disorder used to be called manic-depressive illness or manic depression, but those terms are no longer used to provide more clarity in your diagnosis and reduce stigma.
Drawing his way to clarity after a bipolar disorder diagnosis
Going public with mental health disease inspires acceptance and creativity for Ohio artist. Learn more in the patient story about AJ Heckman, living with bipolar disorder.
Types of bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder can present differently. We generally categorize the condition into these types:
Bipolar 1 disorder
This type is characterized by one or more episodes of mania, lasting at least a week or that are so severe the symptoms require medical attention. Sometimes these manic episodes are preceded or followed by a depressive episode, but this doesn’t have to happen to be bipolar 1 disorder. You can also experience mixed states (episodes of manic and depressive symptoms) or even psychosis.
Bipolar 2 disorder
This includes a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes have symptoms less severe than manic episodes in bipolar 1 disorder.
Cyclothymic disorder
This type is defined as two years (or one year in children) with many episodes of hypomania symptoms followed by depressive symptoms; however, both types of episodes are less severe than those found in bipolar 1 and 2 disorders.
Other types of bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder can also manifest from substance use disorders or other neurological conditions, such as stroke or multiple sclerosis.
What causes bipolar disorder?
Causes of bipolar disorders are generally not known, but the condition may have roots in family genetics, abnormal brain structure or other neurological conditions and environmental factors.
Is bipolar disorder genetic?
Although we’re still researching exactly what causes bipolar disorder, we do know bipolar disorder has a genetic component. It can run in families, but genetics don’t tell the whole story when it comes to the cause.
How common is bipolar disorder?
An estimated 4.4% of adults in the United States experience bipolar disorder at some point in their lifetime.
Signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder
Symptoms of bipolar disorder typically appear in late teen to early adult years, but they can be seen in children, too.
Bipolar disorder leads to episodes of mania, hypomania and depression, each causing different symptoms.
Manic episodes
Manic episodes occur when someone becomes unusually happy, active or even irritable. You might be experiencing a manic episode if you’re:
- Abnormally upbeat or jumpy
- Feeling wired with increased energy and activity level
- Easily distracted or irritable
- Talking more or faster than normal
- Taking risks, including with finances, substance use or sexual activity
- Sleeping less and feeling restless with racing thoughts
- Disconnected from reality (psychosis)
Hypomania
Hypomania has similar symptoms to a manic episode, but they’re less severe. You might feel productive and do well in work or social situations. However, family and close friends can notice the difference in your mood. Hypomania can precede a severe depressive episode.
Depressive episodes
Depressive episodes have the same symptoms as major depression. They’re marked by feelings of sadness and hopelessness. You might be experiencing a depressive episode if you’re:
- Overwhelmed by sadness
- Lacking motivation
- Fatigued, despite sleeping more than normal
- No longer enjoying favorite things
- Unable to concentrate or work
- Crying uncontrollably
- Experiencing weight gain or loss due to appetite changes
- Having suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts can happen in both depressive and manic states, so it’s important to treat bipolar disorder seriously and work with mental health experts to alleviate symptoms.
What’s the difference between bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder?
Bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are two different types of mental health conditions.
Borderline personality disorder affects how you feel about yourself, how you relate to others and how you behave. While it can have symptoms of mood swings, the condition also involves fear of abandonment, unstable relationships and paranoia.
Bipolar disorder causes unusual mood changes, which is the hallmark symptom of the condition.
How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?
Bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose since the symptoms can mimic those of other mental health or neurological conditions. That’s why it’s important to work with mental health professionals, who are experts in treating mood disorders, to diagnose your disorder.
At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, we’ll use a number of tools to help us identify whether you have bipolar disorder and determine the best course of treatment.
We diagnose bipolar disorder using:
- A physical exam – We’ll do a thorough exam and run blood tests to make sure physical problems aren’t causing your symptoms.
- A psychiatric exam – We’ll talk to you about symptoms you’ve been feeling and have you fill out a questionnaire. Sometimes we’ll discuss your symptoms with family members, if you give us permission.
- Mood charting – We’ll ask you to track your daily moods, emotions and sleep to help us identify patterns. We’ll use this record to see if you meet the criteria for bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder treatment options
At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, our goal for bipolar disorder treatment is to stabilize your condition, so you can return to normal living, and prevent your symptoms from returning. We do this by working collaboratively across a treatment team that includes psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, licensed therapists, pharmacists and others to design a treatment plan that is unique to you.
Psychotherapy
Also called talk therapy, psychotherapy is a relationship in which you seek professional help from a licensed provider to address difficult or troubling feelings, thoughts, attitudes or behaviors. Specific forms of psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal and social rhythms therapy, have been proven to be effective additions to medication treatments for bipolar disorder that can help achieve better response than medication treatments alone.
Medications
We have a variety of prescription drugs that can help people with bipolar disorder. They include:
- Mood stabilizers, like lithium (Lithobid), valproic acid (Depakene) and divalproex sodium (Depakote)
- Antipsychotics, like olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal) and quetiapine (Seroquel)
- Antidepressants
- Combined antidepressant-antipsychotic medications
- Anti-anxiety medications, like benzodiazepines
Lifestyle changes
Along with medications and other therapies, certain lifestyle modifications can help manage symptoms. These changes include:
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
- Exercising and eating healthy
- Reducing stress
- Treating any substance use disorders
- Finding a support system
- Learning and recognizing triggers
Electroconvulsive therapy
Sometimes other interventions are necessary, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). ECT involves passing electrical currents through the brain to induce a seizure, which changes the brain chemistry and relieves symptoms of certain mental health conditions.
Why come to Ohio State for bipolar disorder treatment?
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is a leader in the region for treatment of bipolar disorder and other mood conditions. Reasons why we excel in helping people with bipolar disorder include:
- We truly take a personalized approach to treatment. We know treatment for bipolar disorder isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. We don’t just recommend the same treatments to everyone, and we work diligently to understand what a particular person needs. Then, we give it to them.
- We focus on keeping you well. As difficult as it can be to treat someone with a mood disorder, it can be even more challenging to prevent relapse. We focus on therapies that not only relieve symptoms but help you regain the life functions that were lost. We have a longer-term view of the disorder.
- We have capacity. It can be difficult to find a place accepting new patients, especially for those with challenging diagnoses like bipolar disorder. We’re constantly hiring new experts and renovating spaces to provide more access to our award-winning mental and behavioral health care.
- We bridge the gap between the clinical and research setting. As an academic medical center, we not only give you access to the latest treatment advancements, but our research champions the idea that we can match the mental health treatment to the person. This helps you get better quicker and stay healthy.