Bipolar Disorder

Previously referred to as manic depressive disorder, bipolar disorder encompasses a variety of traits and has multiple sub-types with different clusters of symptoms. Broadly speaking, bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by episodes of depression mixed with periods of abnormal elevation, known as mania or hypomania.

Difficulty Treating Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder can be challenging to treat unless the doctor or clinician caring for the individual have significant experience treating bipolar disorder.  One of most misdiagnosed mental health conditions, patients with other issues like substance abuse are often erroneously diagnosed as bipolar. On the other hand, patients with one of the forms of bipolar disorder are often misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or a personality disorder, depending on which sub-type of the disorder they have. Receiving the proper diagnosis from a mental health professional well-versed in treating bipolar disorder is crucial if you or someone you know suspects they may be bipolar.

Another difficulty is medication management. In recent years, new atypical antipsychotics and mood stabilizer have become available that greatly reduce bipolar symptoms. While there are improved medication regimens for bipolar disorder, treatment is more effective when also paired with individual and group therapy. Individuals suffering with this disorder usually have poor emotional regulation, and while medication can reduce the highs and lows caused by the disorder, patients do best when they learn skills for managing their condition in a therapeutic setting. Behavioral-based therapies, such as CBT and DBT, are particularly useful because they challenge distorted thinking patterns and provide skills that can be used in real time to self-regulate.

Outpatient Bipolar Disorder Programming

At the Boca Raton practice of Raul J. Rodriguez, MD, we offer psychiatry, medication management, individual therapy, and outpatient groups that address emotional regulation. These include Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, meditation, and anxiety management. All of our psychiatric services can be combined in half-day or full-day outpatient mental health programming. Our partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment programs also include holistic services such as yoga, vitamin therapy, personal training, and nutritional therapy in order to treat our bipolar patients’ mind, body, and spirit. Bipolar treatment can be customized based on the initial psychiatric evaluation all new patients receive.

While difficult to treat, even the most complex patients can become happy and functional again with the right structure, support, combination of therapies, and medical care. If you are interested in scheduling an initial evaluation to discuss bipolar treatment options, contact us today at 888-551-6281.