Bipolar is in never a walk in the park, your mood can change from an amazing high to an unbearable low. We’re not talking the normal highs and lows of everyday life, those that suffer from Bipolar find the changes in their moods extreme, and it can affect relationships and in some severe cases lead to suicide if left untreated. These different moods are often referred to as episodes of mania and depression.
Bipolar usually develops in later teenage years or early adulthood, but it can go undiagnosed and it can take years to recognise that the illness has begun. The disorder affects millions of people all over the world but it is treatable, with careful management it can be kept under control. Bipolar can also be referred to as Manic Depression.
If you have Bipolar or have recently been diagnosed don’t feel alone. There are lots of celebrities that have suffered with mental health issues. Stephen Fry and Catherine Zeta Jones have both been treated for Bipolar, and they have both campaigned to end the stigma surrounding the disorder. Fry even made a documentary for BBC2 in 2006, ‘The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive’ in which he talks to experts and other suffers to bring an honest, in depth and factual insight into Bipolar.
Many people they find it difficult to work out if they are just having a bad day, week or month or if they are suffering from manic depression or bipolar. If a down or depressive mood has occurred every day for at longer than a week then it may be time to look for some support and advice. The earlier you find help the better, as you can then get the right treatment and learn to control your moods so it no longer takes over your life.
The majority of people with Bipolar can be treated by a combination of different treatments such as:
Medication known as mood stabilisers (for mania and depression episodes)
Medication to treat depression and mania as they occur
Learning to recognise things that trigger a mania or depression episode
Learning to recognise when an episode is about to happen
Depression in Bipolar can often be treated in the same way as clinical depression, through the use of anti-depressants and therapy. Psychological treatment, counselling and psychotherapy can help you deal with your depression and any other mental health issues you may have and provides you with support and advice. Regular exercise, a healthy diet and doing activities you enjoy can also help you manage your bipolar.
Counselling and Psychotherapy can help in the treatment of depression and bipolar by helping you develop an understanding of the triggers in depression and the mood changes experienced in Bipolar, this will then help you to manage your condition. A professional counsellor or psychotherapist can use several types of therapy to help you understand your depression; one popular therapy is Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies.
Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies are based on the way you think and/or the way you behave. These therapies can help you recognise your ability to change our thoughts or behaviour to overcome problems such as depression. Within Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies there are 3 types of therapy. These are Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive Therapy teaches you how to identify and replace negative thoughts and beliefs, which will change your behaviour and reactions towards them. This type of therapy will normally focus on the present as it is a problem solving treatment. Cognitive Therapy is based on the idea that they way we interpret situations influences how we feel about them.
When you become distressed you often find it difficult to realise that your thought patterns have changed, Cognitive Therapy helps you to identify these thoughts and changes them for the better.
Behavioural Therapy
This type of therapy is effective for those who want help for a change in their behaviour, anxiety disorders or addictions for example. Behavioural Therapy is based on the principal that behaviour is learnt and therefore can be unlearnt, but it does tend to focus on the ‘here and now’ and doesn’t necessarily look at your past to find the reason for your behaviour.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT combines both Cognitive Therapy and Behavioural Therapy, and it helps you change the way you think (cognitive) and your response (behaviour). It focuses on what is happening to you now rather than the past, and breaks your problem down into smaller parts which makes them easier to deal with and overcome. These parts can be thoughts, actions, emotions and physical feelings. Each of these parts can then affect the others, the way you think can effect your emotions and your physical wellbeing and your behaviour.
CBTis based on the idea that you learn unhelpful ways of thinking and behaviours. Learning to recognise how these thoughts and behaviours can cause you distress can help you challenge them, which can lead to a more positive way of thinking and behaving. CBT sessions with a counsellor or psychotherapist can be on a one-to-one basis, with family members or offered as group therapy.
A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy session may offer you a range of activities such as:
- Coping Skills
- Relaxation
- Challenging thoughts
- Thought Stopping
- Communication Training
- You may also be asked to carry out some work or projects at home.
If you would like to find out more about the benefits of counselling for bipolar or to find a professional counsellor in your area you could visit Counselling Directory.
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