Bipolar Disorder Therapy
While the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder can be extremely challenging at times, there is hope to live a strong and beautiful life, even with mood fluctuations. When properly diagnosed and treated with psychotherapy (and often additional psychotropic support), Bipolar Disorders can be effectively managed, and only a background issue.
Integrative psychotherapy for Bipolar Disorder involves attuning with oneself in order to gain early awareness of the subtle signs of a mood shift. Tracking and mapping mood patterns and warning signs of a cycle is key to reducing the likelihood of a major episode. It is also helpful to involve family or a safe support system to help recognize mood swings and provide support.
Bipolar I Disorder Treatment
Bipolar I Disorder involves a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, and abnormally and persistently increased activity or energy. These symptoms last most of the day for at least a week.
During this time you may experience an inflated sense of self-esteem, or a decreased need for sleep, finding that you are talking more than usual and that you have racing thoughts. You may be highly distractable, and engage in very goal-directed activity. You may also engage in behaviors that have potential consequences such as over-spending, sexual behaviors, or unwise business decisions. This type of elevated episode is often followed by a period of depression within the same 2-week period.
At Create Wellbeing, we will help you to develop a plan for sustainable mood stability. Integrative psychotherapy will help you develop strategies to support your mind and body regulation by learning how to track nuances in mood shifts, recognizing how to intervene early.
Bipolar II Disorder Treatment
Similar to Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II involves a period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, as well as increased energy for at least 4 days. However, sometimes hypomania only shows itself predominantly with irritability, making it harder to notice.
In the same 2 week period, there is typically depressed mood or loss of interest in pleasurable activities. While there are may be episodes without a defining trigger, Bipolar II mood cycles can be brought on by stress, relationship struggles, or a substance. For some, the mood predominantly experienced predominantly is depression, making the windows of elevation harder to notice.
At Create Wellbeing, we will help you to recognize the small changes and track patterns so that you can start to feel a sense of agency over your moods and emotions. You will also learn strategies for responding to mood shifts in the moment in order to calm, engage, and integrate emotional states.