Bipolar Disorder

Now seeing patients via telemedicine in Rockford, Chicago, Champaign, Peoria, Springfield, the Metro East, and across Illinois.

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes intense shifts in energy levels, behaviors, and moods. For example, you might feel overjoyed one minute (manic) and depressed the next. This constant fluctuation in mood might negatively affect your life, but treatment is within reach with the help of ClariPath Psychiatry. 

Which symptoms can bipolar disorder cause?

Bipolar symptoms can include:

• Elevated mood cycled with depression
• Being overly talkative or very quiet
• Having lots of energy cycled with fatigue
• Loss of interest in favorite things
• Thoughts of suicide
• Irritability
• Sleep changes
• Fluctuations in appetite
• Uncontrollable crying
• Feeling worthless, helpless, or hopeless
• Restlessness
• Risky behaviors
• Extreme mood swings
• Problems at work or school
• Difficulty maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships

The symptoms you experience are based on whether you’re manic or depressed. 

What are the different types of bipolar disorder?

The four main types of bipolar disorder are the following.

• Bipolar I disorder: one or more manic episodes, often cycled with depression
• Bipolar II disorder: depressive episodes cycled with hypomanic (less impairing) episodes
• Cyclothymic disorder: chronic mood instability with hypomania and mild depression
• Other specified and unspecified bipolar: abnormal mood changes not meeting criteria for the other bipolar disorders

Your ClariPath Psychiatry specialist helps determine which type you have and how to best treat your condition. 

What are the risk factors for bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and affects men and women in equal numbers. It impacts nearly six million adults and almost 3% of the population in the United States. Risk factors include family history of bipolar disorder, brain changes, trauma, and chronic stress. However, the exact cause of bipolar disorder isn’t fully understood.

How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?

Your ClariPath Psychiatry provider diagnoses bipolar disorder by completing a mental health evaluation. They use DSM-5 criteria to evaluate your moods, emotions, behavior patterns, thoughts, and lifestyle to customize an effective treatment plan. 

Your provider screens you for coexisting conditions like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder (SUD).

How is bipolar disorder treated?

Treating bipolar disorder at ClariPath Psychiatry may consist of:

• Medication management
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Psychoeducation
• Family-focused therapy
• Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT)
• Psychotherapy (talk therapy)
• Stress management
• Other healthy lifestyle changes
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

It’s helpful to maintain strong social connections, eat nutritious foods, avoid drugs and alcohol, stay active, and get plenty of sleep. Your ClariPath Psychiatry provider can help you manage any coexisting mental health conditions. 

Schedule a telemedicine bipolar disorder evaluation at ClariPath Psychiatry by calling the office or booking a visit online today.