The Best Treatment for Manic Depression

Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a devastating mental illness that causes extreme mood instability, ranging from suicidal depression to euphoria. People afflicted with bipolar disorder are unable to regulate their moods and can become suicidal. If you or someone you know has bipolar disorder, the best treatment is a combination of mood-stabilizing medications and talk therapy.

Mood Stabilizers

• The most effective way to control manic-depressive illness is by taking mood-stabilizing prescription drugs in conjunction with other medications. Brands considered effective include Carbatrol, Tegretol, Zyprexa and Seroquel. However, not all mood stabilizers work for everyone, and your doctor may prescribe the drugs on a trial basis to see which ones are best suited for your needs. Finding the right balance of medications to treat the full spectrum of bipolar disorder can be a challenge, so you should communicate with your prescribing doctor as much as possible until you have found the right mix.

Lithium

• Lithium is a naturally occurring mineral that is effective in treating the depression and impulse-control issues that accompany bipolar disorder. It has been in use since the 1940s, and there have been numerous studies over the years attesting to its effectiveness. Because lithium doses must be carefully monitored to avoid toxicity, many people with bipolar illness prefer to try alternative methods. Taken in small doses along with mood stabilizers, the mineral can be helpful in treating sudden anger and suicidal tendencies without causing toxicity in the body, but the recommended dose for most patients is at least 900 milligrams when used alone. People with liver or kidney problems should avoid taking lithium if possible, and side effects can include nausea, weight gain, edema, excessive thirst, slurring of speech and disorientation. Overdoses of the mineral can be fatal.

Anti-Seizure Medications

• Many of the more common anti-seizure medications also work well as effective mood regulators. For instance, Depakene and Depakote may work in conjunction with other drugs to treat some of the severe mood swings associated with bipolar disorder. Lamictal is another anti-seizure drug that has been found effective in the treatment of manic depression.

Other Medications

• Although some doctors have been known to prescribe antidepressants in the treatment of manic depression, the practice is quite controversial. Not only can antidepressants contribute to suicidal tendencies in some patients, they may not be effective in treating the depression associated with bipolar disorder, and they might contribute to manic episodes.
  Other drugs that may be prescribed to help treat the disorder are anti-psychotics, such as Zyprexa, Risperdal and Seroquel.

Talk Therapy

• Talk therapy alone is not an effective treatment for people with bipolar disorder, but because of the tensions and chaos that occur as a result it is advisable to provide the patient, as well as the patient's family, with an opportunity to speak with a therapist as part of the overall treatment of manic depression. A therapist can advise the patient's doctor of any warning signs the patient may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. In addition, being able to communicate with someone knowledgeable about the disorder can help the patient in his recovery.