Evidence indicates that bipolar illness could be due to
biological factor related to disturbances of neurotransmitters
in brain. The timing and severity of episodes and the relative
health of the individual between episodes may be influenced
by psychosocial factors which may be the patient’s
personality style, the presence or absence of social support,
stressful life events, and prolonged stressors.
It is suggested
that childbirth could be a stressor causing physiological
and psychological changes that may produce a first or recurrent
episode of mania.
Most patients with manic depression respond
to medication. Other treatments for this illness include psychotherapy
and Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT) or the combination of
treatments.
1. Medication, mood stabilizers is the most commonly used
drug for manic depression. Its function is to reduce the symptoms
of excitement in the manic period and to prevent or reduce
the severity of mood swings
Antidepressants are medications used to reduce
depressive symptoms and to stabilize mood. However there may
be risk for mania to reoccur after taking antidepressants
for a period of time. Thus they should be closely monitored
by the attending physician.
Neuroleptics are drugs used to manage psychotic
symptoms which may be found at acute manic episode. Their
use must be monitored carefully to reduce possible side-effects.
2. Psychotherapy-treatment of mental disorder by various means
involving communication between a therapist and the patient
and including suggestion, counseling, psychoanalysis, so that
the patient can deal with fluctuation in mood.
3. Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT) is usually used to treat
severe depression or severe mania when medications have not
been effective or an individual is at high risk of suicide.
The most significant possible side-effects of ECT include
temporary memory dysfunction, headache and sometimes cardiac
arrhythmia.
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