Bipolar Medication Detailed and Bipolar Symptoms
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Pharmaceutical companies have been aggressively campaigning and raising awareness of bipolar disorder to the public. Although radio and television has been limited in the information they can convey to the public, a lot of people have come to hear and know about this illness, but have not really understood this sickness or its medication.
First, it is important to understand the basic bipolar symptoms and bipolar medications before delving on the whole issue of bipolar. A brief overview of bipolar illness and its medication is provided.
On the most basic of levels, bipolar disorder involves “swinging” from extremes of highs and lows. That means a person afflicted with the disorder can experience high, elevated moods followed by low, depressed moods. (Hence, the condition was originally called manic depression) The distribution of the highs and lows are not 50 - 50. In other words, one does not shift moods from day to day. A person could be manic for weeks on end, then shift into days of depression, followed by weeks of mania. Regardless of the duration of the mood swings, they are quite pronounced as bipolar disorder is serious enough to be labeled a disability. A brief overview of the symptoms of bipolar disorder is as follows:
Manic Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder
-Many people in a manic state experience severe anxiety and are very irritable (to the point of rage), while others are euphoric and grandiose.
-People commonly experience an increase in energy and a decreased need for sleep. A person’s speech may be pressured, Attention span is low and a person in a manic state may be easily distracted. Judgment may become blurred.
-Racing thoughts travel through the mind so fast that ideas move from one to the other with little coherence.
-Sufferers may go on spending sprees or engage in behavior that is quite abnormal for them.
Depressed Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder
-Extremely low energy levels combined with feelings of hopelessness, sadness, or despair.
-Difficulty maintaining proper sleep patterns. Often, the individual is excessively tired or irritated.
-Feeling helpless, guilty, or worthless.
-Loss of or increase in appetite.
-In extreme cases, the individual may suffer from suicidal thoughts.
Medicine for Bipolar
When it comes to the pharmaceutical treatments of bipolar disorder, there is no standard, uniformed combination of bipolar medication that will deliver the same results in different patients. However, there is a finite pool of drugs that are utilized to aid in calming the negative effects of bipolar disorder. These medications generally include anti-depressants, mood stabilizers/anti-psychotic, and anti-anxiety drugs.
To help raise the individual’s mood and energy levels, anti-depressants are prescribed. Wellbutrin, Effexor and Zoloft with other anti-depressant medicines are the most prescribed drugs given to patients with bipolar.
Lithium, Seroquel, Risperdal and Geocodon are the most commonly prescribed drugs for anti-psychotics and mood stabilizers. These drugs are used for the “toning down” of the manic side of the bipolar illness. With this medication the patient’s life is somehow restored not to 100% at least to near normal level.
Anti-anxiety drugs have fallen out of favor with some psychiatrists as a treatment for bipolar disorder. However, there are still many doctors that prescribe it to bring down excessive highs and panic attacks. Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin.
These drugs are prescribed in various dosages and combinations. Monthly visits with a psychiatrist are then conducted to determine whether the treatment should be modified or continued.
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