Every one of us will have mood swings, which may last for some minutes or couple of hours. However certain people experience extreme mood swings and they won’t have control over their inner balance and will reach the extreme ends of emotions. Those who have bipolar disorder have alternating periods of mania and despairing depressions that may interfere with their daily activities.
The episodes of mood swing may last for days, weeks and even up to months and damages the performance, relationships and daily life. Usually bipolar disorder begins at teenage or early adulthood and most of the people are unaware of the early warning signs, because of which bipolar disorder get worsened. Timely and proper treatment coupled with the support of family and friends helps the patients to lead a quality life.
Treatments for Bipolar Disorder
There are medications to control the symptoms of bipolar disorder, but medication alone is not enough to cure the disorder. A comprehensive treatment plan is necessary for treatment of bipolar disorder which involves medication, psychotherapy, self-help, electroconvulsive therapy, lifestyle management, natural herbs and support from others.
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy is the process of sending small electric shock to the brain that will cause a generalized seizure, which last for 40 seconds. Electroconvulsive therapy is carried out only after giving a short acting anesthetic to the patient. This treatment provides quick relief from severe bipolar episodes and is administrated to patients who don’t respond to drugs or to those require a quick relief from the symptoms.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is one of the widely accepted treatments for bipolar disorder, during which a psychologist help the patients to uncover the triggers that leads to bipolar disorder like insomnia or stress.
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Psychologist also helps the patients to regulate their behaviors during depressive and maniac states, manage the uncomfortable and difficult feelings, repair the relationships etc.
Natural Herbs
Many herbs have the ability to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder and such herbs are often called as nervines. As nervines are strong, they should be used only with the consent of your doctor. Some of the commonly used nervines are given below.
Gingko biloba
Take the extract from gingko biloba tree, which is an antioxidant that can improve the memory. This extract also increases the blood flow to the brain and help to reduce the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Ginseng is another herb that can energize the depressed patient. Similarly St. John’s wort, licorice, grape seed extract, black cohosh etc. are also ideal for treating bipolar disorder.
Lecithin
Lecithin is an important building block of cell membranes and is obtained from soy beans, egg yolks and sunflower seeds. Herbal lecithin supplements are also available. Lecithin contains omega 3 fatty acid, which is a widely accepted nutritional supplement for correcting the mood swings linked with bipolar disorder. Lecithin also contains choline, which boost the neurotransmitters and if taken in right doses it also helps to boost the memory.
Besides taking all the treatments for bipolar disorder, you need a solid support, which can make a lot of difference in your motivation and outlook. You can avail support from friends, family and even from support groups of bipolar disorder. Recovery from bipolar disorder is not a quick process, it requires time, so be patient and follow the treatment carefully.
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