Bipolar Disorder Treatment or Mood Stability and Support

Bipolar disorder can make life seem very unpredictable. You might experience periods of high energy, rapid thoughts, rash decisions, or very little need for sleep, followed by times of depression that make daily responsibilities seem overwhelming.

If you’re a family member or loved one of someone with this condition, it’s common to find this mood fluctuation confusing, painful, and hard to respond to without support. Fortunately, treatment is possible.

Treatment for bipolar disorder is not about stripping away someone’s personality or forcing them into a one-size-fits-all plan. It is about helping someone understand symptoms, stabilize mood swings, reduce risk, and build a life that feels more doable. At SOBA New Jersey, treatment for bipolar disorder is designed holistically, considering mental health symptoms, substance concerns, relationships, coping skills, and long-term well-being.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that brings clear changes in mood, energy level, concentration, and daily functioning. These shifts can include manic episodes, hypomanic episodes, and depressive episodes depending on what type of bipolar disorder someone has.[1]

There are several different types of bipolar disorder:

• Bipolar I disorder: This disorder involves at least one manic episode that might be severe enough to need hospitalization or involve psychosis.
• Bipolar II disorder: This involves periods of depression along with hypomanic episodes; these are less severe than full manic episodes but are still a noticeable change in functioning.
• Cyclothymic disorder: This involves long periods of mood swings with symptoms that are hypomanic and depressive but do not meet full criteria for bipolar I or II.
• Other specified or unspecified bipolar disorders: Used when symptoms cause distress or impairment but do not neatly fit into any of the categories above.

Manic episodes often involve feeling unusually energized, irritable, powerful, restless, or wired. Sleep might be very short. A person might talk quickly, take risks, spend money impulsively, or feel thoughts moving too fast.

On the other side of the spectrum, depressive episodes can include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, loss of interest in things that used to be enjoyable, changes in sleep patterns, problems concentrating, and sometimes thoughts about death or hurting oneself. [2]

Bipolar disorder can overlap with other mental health conditions too, including anxiety disorders, ADHD, substance use disorder, eating disorders, and sometimes symptoms of psychosis during severe mood episodes.[3] Symptoms can look like those of depression or borderline personality disorder or mood changes related to substance use or other mental health conditions, so careful assessment by qualified clinicians is important.

Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Symptoms of bipolar disorder vary depending on whether someone is experiencing mania, hypomania, or a depressive episode.

Common symptoms of mania or hypomania include:

• Increased energy and activity, restlessness, or agitation
• Need for much less sleep without feeling tired
• Racing thoughts, fast speech or jumping from one idea to another
• Feeling very confident, grandiose, or unusually powerful
• Impulsive spending, risky sexual behavior, driving recklessly, or other risky behavior
• Irritability, anger, conflict or poor impulse control
• Difficulty perceiving consequences immediately

Common symptoms of a depressive episode include:

• Sadness, emptiness, hopelessness or numb emotions
• Loss of interest in usual activities
• Fatigue, lack of motivation or movement that is slow
• Sleep problems such as sleeping too much or too little
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Feeling guilty, worthless, or thoughts of harming oneself

Some people also experience mixed features where symptoms of depression and mania occur together. Someone dealing with bipolar disorder might feel very hopeless and drained but also agitated. They might have trouble sleeping and act impulsively. Mixed symptoms can be very distressing and should be taken seriously.

When to Get Help for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder usually requires ongoing mental health care rather than support only during a crisis.[4] Treatment becomes especially important when mood swings affect relationships, work, school, finances, safety, sleep, or substance use.

You should probably seek bipolar treatment if:

• Mood swings are getting more intense, frequent or disruptive
• You have periods of very little sleep with unusually high energy and impulsive behavior
• Depressive episodes make it hard to work, take care of yourself, or stay connected
• Family members express concern about changes in behavior
• You use alcohol or drugs to manage mood, energy, or sleep
• You stop taking medication, change medication, or are unsure about side effects
• You have thoughts of harming yourself or others
• You need more structure than occasional therapy sessions can offer

If there is an immediate safety issue, severe mania, psychosis, or risk of self-harm, emergency medical care or inpatient treatment may be necessary. Outpatient treatment can be useful when someone is medically stable but still needs a structured treatment plan, management of medicine, therapy, and ongoing care.

Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Individualized treatment for bipolar disorder should be designed around the specific kind of bipolar disorder a person has, their personal medical history, their need for safety, any additional diagnoses they have, and the amount of support they need.

Goals for treatment would be to lessen the intensity of both manic and hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes, support stability, function normally in daily life, and find ways to prevent escalating symptoms.

Some forms of treatment for bipolar disorder may include:

• Medication management: Many times medication plays a primary role in treating bipolar disorder. A provider may determine which mood stabilizers or antipsychotic medications, or other medications, could best meet the client’s needs based on the client’s past history, current symptoms, or previous diagnoses. When prescribing antidepressant medications, a provider must closely monitor the client due to the possibility that these types of medications can exacerbate mania at some point in the client’s recovery process.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This form of therapy allows the client to explore how thoughts and actions influence their mood stability, assists clients in learning ways to deal with stress, and teaches more effective ways to cope with negative emotions.
• Psychoeducation: Educating the client and significant others about bipolar disorder may enable them to better understand what causes manic and depressive episodes, understand triggers to those episodes, learn the importance of maintaining a consistent sleep routine, develop ways to adhere to their prescribed medication regimen, and become aware of early warning signs that indicate impending relapses into mania or depression.
• Routine and mood-stability planning: Treatment goals may involve establishing predictable sleep schedules, implementing consistent daily routines, assisting clients in managing emotional instability, and identifying healthy coping strategies.
• Family therapy and support: Involving family members may provide an opportunity for them to gain an understanding of the disorder, reduce conflict, encourage open communication, and support adherence to treatment.

Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use

Bipolar disorder and substance use disorder frequently co-occur.[5] The use of alcohol or substances can disrupt a person’s ability to notice cues that they need to be aware of if they have bipolar disorder.

Drinking or using substances may initially appear helpful to a person experiencing difficulty sleeping, feelings of depression, racing thoughts, or excessive energy associated with mania; however, alcohol or substances can cause further difficulties in stability.

Substance use may also contribute to impulsive decisions while in a state of mania or hypomania and may even lead to increased social withdrawal, isolation, or feelings of hopelessness during depressive episodes.

To address this, treatment must prioritize maintaining mood stability. At SOBA NJ, this may involve providing consistent medication regimens,  helping people establish consistent sleep schedules, educating on methods for preventing relapse, and teaching clients how to react appropriately when their mood begins to shift before it leads to a crisis situation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bipolar Disorder Treatment Centers