Bipolar disorder treatment can be a matter of things. First off, start by getting an accurate diagnosis. It’s where the journey to your bipolar disorder treatment is going to begin.
Who Should You Consult for Your Bipolar Disorder Treatment?
Psychiatrists
In the Philippines, there are psychiatrists that ranges from free to a couple of thousands pesos per consultation. They are the ones who’ll identify what kind of medication will work for you.
Psychologists
Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists cannot prescribe medication. Psychologists provide psychotherapy or talk-therapy. They can also perform psychological and neuropsychological testing.
Types of Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Medication
Finding the right medication combination can be a challenge to your psychiatrist. It requires careful analysis based on how you react with your meds. Bipolar disorder may be treated with different combinations of medications such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy or counseling refers to you talking about your experiences and your disorder with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or any mental health helper. With this kind of treatment, you can learn how to cope, manage, or regulate your mood.
Self-Help Strategies
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can regulate your symptoms up to a minimum. Meaning, you need to balance your food diet, maintain a regular sleep, avoid substance abuse, and keep away from stress.
Other Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
Other treatment for bipolar disorder are just complementary. They should go side by side with medication and therapy and should not be something you should be focusing on.
Light and Dark Therapy
The idea behind light and dark therapy is to focus on its ability to regulate different biological rhythms that may reduce mood cycling. It focuses on careful management of someone with bipolar disorder’s exposure to light
Acupuncture
There are studies on acupuncture for depression to have shown a reduction of its symptoms. This furthers the evidence that acupuncture for bipolar may also relieve the symptoms of mania.
Meditation
Research on meditation has shown that it helps in preventing depression and anxiety. Breathing exercises are used to focus on the present moment and break running thoughts and thinking patterns. Meditation has also been proven to naturally boost dopamine and endorphin. Meaning it prevents a potential manic episode for a bipolar person.
Educate Yourself
It’s easy to think that a person with bipolar disorder here in the Philippines already know everything about their illness. However, treatment for bipolar disorder can be so complex that there are still many things to learn about. Broaden your resources about this disorder to be able to understand it more clearly.
Get Support
Surrounding yourself with people who knows your struggle and supports you all throughout can be a good help to your mental state. People who are close to you like your family members should be educated with how bipolar disorder affects a person. Don’t be afraid to seek for help, but if you need more support, call HOPE:
24/7 HOPELINE
(02) 804-HOPE (4673)
0917 558 HOPE (4673)
2919 (toll-free number for all GLOBE and TM subscribers)