Medications Used in Bipolar Treatment

Bipolar disorder--also called manic depression--is a serious mental health condition with several treatment options. These treatment choices can be used in conjunction with one another or separately. Medication is one of the most popular choices for the treatment of bipolar disorder, no matter whether it's used alone or with other methods. People who live with this condition generally try more than one medication before they find what works for them, and this is either done through a general practitioner or through a psychiatrist.

History

• Before the term "bipolar disorder" was used, some doctors called the condition "manic depression" and the people who had it "manic-depressives." While those terms are still sometimes heard, they have been replaced by the term "bipolar" in the vocabularies of most people--especially those who work in the medical profession. The disorder itself is far from new, with some mention of it dating back all the way to the second century. It was not until the 1970s, though, that guidelines and diagnostic criteria were established so that medications could be used to better treat people with bipolar--many of whom had been institutionalized instead of treated right up through the 1960s.

Time Frame

• According to information in Today's Caregiver magazine, the symptoms of bipolar disorder were first discussed in Ancient Turkey, but there was no medication available to treat the condition at that time. In 1913 Emil Krapelin wrote about the disorder and was credited with establishing the term "manic-depressive." By the 1930s, the ideas behind the disorder were well-accepted and more help for the condition was available. Popular medications that have been used to treat bipolar disorder in the past are Eskalith, Lithane, Lithobid, and Cibalith-S (all of which contain lithium) and anticonvulsants such as Tegretol and Depakote. When the National Institute of Mental Health was created in 1979, it brought with it a stronger interest in developing new medications for mental health concerns.

Types

• Various kinds of medications are used for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Some of them are used "off-label," meaning that they were originally designed to treat some other disease or condition but have been found to be effective in treating people who are bipolar. Others are specifically for the treatment of bipolar disorder, or are for related conditions such as anxiety and depression. Medications containing lithium are still used by doctors, as are anticonvulsant medications. Anti-psychotic medications such as Abilify and Seroquel are also used today and generally have few side effects for most people.

Function

• No matter which medication a person takes for treatment of his bipolar disorder, the goal is the same: to reduce the number and severity of mood swings, or manic and depressive episodes. Since everyone responds a little differently to medication, there is no one compound or drug that can be effectively offered to all people who have bipolar disorder. How severe the disorder is as well as what other mental health conditions might be present can also affect how well a person responds to a certain level of medication. Different medications will be tried until the medical professional and the patient with bipolar disorder find something that works well and has the lowest number of unpleasant side effects.

Warning

• While most medications used in bipolar treatment are quite safe, there is always the chance for a serious, adverse reaction or allergy. Doctors often start out with a lower dose and have a patient gradually take a larger dose until maximum effectiveness is reached. When taking a bipolar medication for the first time, or when increasing the dosage, a person should report side effects to his doctor so that the medication can be discontinued or adjusted appropriately. Patients who are on bipolar medication should also get any tests that their doctor requests, because some of these medications have the potential to damage the liver or other organs over time. If a serious allergic reaction to a bipolar medication occurs, seek medical treatment right away.