You were introduced to a new member in your theatre actors’ guild by your friends. Her energy and extraordinary happiness easily caught everybody’s attention. Everyone was raring to go back home that night after practice had ended. However, you were surprisingly invited to go to the disco with your newfound friend but you decline the offer and gave her your home number instead. Later that night, you were awoken to a call and heard her sobbing on the phone while ranting about how miserable her life is and how she wanted to end it at that very moment. No one would ever want to be in this horrific situation. However, what you just read is a reality of a brain disorder known as bipolar mania or manic-depressive illness.

Bipolar Mania and What It’s About

Bipolar mania is a biological disorder characterized by manic as well as depressive episodes. As described above, a person with bipolar disorder shows symptoms of extreme exhilaration at one moment then severe depression the next instant. In particular, manic signs and symptoms include amplified energy, disturbing behavior, poor judgment, restiveness, and a reduced need for sleep. Meanwhile, the depressive state is recognized by feelings of hopelessness, intense grief, and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities among others. What is alarming about bipolar mania is that an individual may resort to suicide if it goes unattended.

Still, statistics have shown that bipolar mania is affecting a significant number of individuals in the United States at approximately 5 million of the total population. You would not wish it will happen to you or any of your loved ones but if it does, you have to get ready with all the vital information especially on how you can be of best help to them.

Treatment

Though bipolar mania is a long term challenge, the condition can be treated through a combination of approaches. The first is through the medical method. Mood stabilizers are the medications available for this condition. The more common one is Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid) while others are prescribed with anticonvulsant medicines such as valproate (Depakote) or carbamazepine (Tegretol). On top of this, individuals with bipolar mania also see mental health professionals for cognitive or behavioral psychotherapy. Psychosocial approaches to bipolar mania are deemed important to recovery as it involves psychoeducation, family therapy and interpersonal therapy.

Bipolar Support Groups

On the other hand, no medical or psychological approach is successful if it’s not used in conjunction with other methods. Joining bipolar support groups is an invaluable resource for an individual with bipolar mania. Bipolar support groups are very educational because various discussions about the disorder are made at length. More than the information though is the sharing of true-to-life experiences that makes the group relate well to each other.

Bipolar support groups offer a hospitable environment to bipolar sufferers so that they won’t have to feel alone and alienated from the rest of the world. They also offer the opportunity to openly speak about their pains and hardships and at the same time gaining acceptance from others. The bipolar support group can brainstorm about local resources and acquiring government aid together.

Bipolar Mania Prognosis

Whether a person with bipolar mania can or cannot cope with the disorder is out of the question. Whether he gets into a bipolar support group which will see him through the process is the real determinant which has treatment value. Indeed, individuals with bipolar mania are on their way to a fully-functioning life with the right kind of help from the right kind of people.