Bipolar Residential Treatment

Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition. Those who suffer from the disease swing back and forth between mental states, sometimes quite rapidly. The condition is normally treated on an outpatient basis, using a combination of medications and therapy. Many people with bipolar disorder experience one or more brief hospitalizations to stabilize their condition.

Mania and Depression

• Bipolar disorder is a specific condition diagnosed according to criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). If you suffer from bipolar disorder, you may experience manic episodes in which you feel like you can do anything. This phase is marked by a decreased need for sleep, feelings of inflated self-importance and grandiose ideas. You have a great deal of energy during these phases, and you may experience racing thoughts.

  When your disorder swings to a depressive episode, you may feel incapable of accomplishing anything. You may feel tired and lethargic and sleep more than usual. You might feel unimportant or inconsequential and lose interest in friends and activities. Thoughts of death are common.

Misdiagnosis

• Some people with bipolar disorder cycle rapidly between the two phases, sometimes experiencing both in the same day. Others remain in each phase for weeks or months and may be wrongly diagnosed as suffering from depression or mania rather than bipolar disorder.

Treating Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar disorder is usually treated with a combination of talk therapy and medications. Lithium is an extremely common mood stabilizer with a good track record. Finding the correct dosage can be challenging, and some people experience side effects. Newer medications include antiseizure drugs such as Depakote and antidepressants like Prozac. You and your psychiatrist should work closely together to find the right medication for you.

  Talk therapy can help you separate your symptoms from your true personality. You can learn to recognize the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder and deal with them before they affect your behavior. Group therapy is helpful for many people, as it provides the opportunity to talk with others who are battling bipolar disorder.

Reasons for Hospitalization

• In most states, you can be involuntarily hospitalized if you are a threat to yourself or others. Some people with bipolar disorder are placed in the hospital during a depressive episode that has led to thoughts of suicide. If you are hospitalized against your will, you will be closely monitored for a short period of time. Most states limit involuntary hospitalizations to 72 hours unless you are determined to be an ongoing risk.

  Voluntary hospitalization is common. If you have trouble responding to medication and outpatient therapy, your therapist might recommend that you voluntarily enter residential treatment. In a residential facility, you are removed from the stresses of daily life. You will have time and energy to work on your recovery and learn to successfully manage your condition.

Residential Mental Health Facilities

• Modern residential mental health facilities are clean, cheerful and welcoming, a far cry from the dark and imposing institutions of the past. Brief hospitalizations of only days or weeks are the norm. Clients attend psycho-educational groups and individual therapy sessions to learn more about their conditions. Residential treatment programs focus on helping clients learn to live within society and manage their own conditions.