other than medication, what are some other bipolar controls?
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God still heals.\n\nOften in cases that appear to be bipolar, simply doing what's right. . .living for God will take care of it.  I've seen it happen.
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Hi\n\nPlease keep these people at a distance. Call your local mental health clinic and hook up with a therapist as soon as possible. People with Bipolar tend to isolate and become emotionally vulnerable. If you are not on meds may I suggest that you discuss this option with your counselor as well? I also have Bipolar and know others who have it. You cannot save the world and you need to find a new set of people who will be supportive of you - support group maybe?
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Bipolar disorder is _not_ known as maniac disorder, but rather manic depression.\n\nIf he has had problems with overactivity and depression both since the age of 5, it may be that he doesn't have bipolar but rather a combiniation of something like ADHD and depression. Such an early onset is very rare for both depression and bipolar however.\n\nIf he does have bipolar disorder, lithium is probably his best option. Therapies such as CBT can help to an extent, but treating the mania aspect particularly can be difficult.\n\nIf he has depressive disorder, a combination treatment of drugs and cognitive behaviour therapy is likely to work best, based on what studies have found in many, many people suffering from depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tetracyclics are the best/most modern/least side effects.\nLithium isn't very good as far as side effects go. However, it is the best drug treatment out there for bipolar, acting as quite an effective mood stabliser. It does have some nasty side effects however - but it's not too badly tolerated on the whole and is probably better than being manic depressive!\n\nIf he is just depressive, antidepressants these days are very good. I don't know of any long-term problems that persist with taking them and although if you stop taking them, you may go through mild withdrawal, they are not addictive. \nI have a degree in psychology and also suffer from depression myself. At the moment, I am taking a small dose of mirtazapene and have suffered very few side effects from it, which were well tolerated and disappeared within a couple of weeks of taking it.\n\nDon't be scared of taking psychotrophic medication! If it fixes or helps the problem, it's really no different to taking pain killers for a headache or putting a caste on a broken leg. \nDon't worry about the fact that it affects brain chemistry - if your son has depression problems, it will only help to correct them. It won't change who he is at the core but it will help him to better tolerate life.\n\nDepending on his age, it may not be a good idea to put him on antidepressants for a few reasons that you should talk over with your doctor - I suggest seeing a psychiatrist. Don't trust a GP to tell you everything you need to know. You should see a specialist, especially if you don't have the training to know what to do yourself. See a psychiatrist to talk about medication options and a psychologist to talk about behavioural interventions. Behavioural therapy has been showed to be as effective as medication and longer lasting, but better than either therapy or medication on their own is a combination treatment, especially at first!\nAntidepressants can give someone the energy/motivation to work on their therapy. This is an important consideration, especially if your son is sleeping all the time.\n\nYou could also consider bright light therapy - if nothing else, try to get him outdoors for a while in the mornings.\nExercise can also be of benefit. You'll probably have to drag him out, kicking, screaming and crying but if he can get some light to moderate exercise in the sun, it may help his mood a little.
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Girl please, Millionaires, inventors, presidents of companies, and famous people the world over have been known to be bipolar. In fact many years ago before there was medicine to treat it, bipolar people have flourished in society for ages.
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The meds may not be what's best for you and honestly with the side effects, the cure may be the poison. So many of these drugs have been known to cause thyroid disease, diabetes, liver damage, etc.\n\nI would suggest trying alternative therapies and learn how to control your stress through healthy outlets. I know for a fact that taking fish oil helps, there are legitimate reports, all positive, including from Harvard who has clinical studies that show it greatly reduces anxiety and mania in bipolar people.\n\nExcercise vigorously, that also helps reduce stress. I can understand where your anxiety comes from, with a little one and a hubby at war, my heart goes out to you and I really hope you have a good support system in place. If not, you might consider a good therapist to help you work through the stress. They can also help you find a support group, so you can meet others in your situation. \n\nAgain, I really hope you steer clear of the pills, they can make you very sick and end up causing all sorts of problems. \n\nGood luck and God Bless your family for the sacrifice you are all making.
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Hopefully...these links help you... View them in the sources tab.\n\nBest wishes,\n\nMichelle\nHFA; higher-functioning Autism, Bipolar Disorder, and ADHD.
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bipolar disorder, as mood stabilizing drug
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bipolar also have its stage 1st stage,2nd stage,3rd stage...you know it depend on the mildness of the stage the more mild your stage is, less bipolar attacks you gonna get...well bipolar can stay stable if you do meditation like yoga and waking up early in the morning and taking walk in the park,always being happy,keep on laughing,being happy etc...but if it doesnt worsen that doesnt mean your not bipolar that mean that your bipolar is in its 1st stage..BUT if you are getting serious bipolar attacks medications must be taken...you can only control bipolar by your willingness only if its in its low stage..
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Figure out the sources of you stress...like when you realize that you are not relaxed, think about what you are doing at that exact moment...are you worried about your career, boyfriend/girlfriend etc. Finding the source will allow you to focus on your breathing and allow you to control your bipolar disorder.\n\nAdditionally, exercise is also beneficial to your journey.
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I read both of your questions, Rosey. It is too bad that you were not diagnosed correctly to begin with. A good psychiatrist would not have put you on antidepressants without a mood stabilizer if your diagnosis was Manic Depression (Bi-Polar Disorder). \nI think the drug you are inquiring about is LAMICTAL, an anti-seizure medication. You can read about it at : http://www.lamictal.com/epilepsy/hcp/indications/faq.html\nI don't think this medication will cause bloating, and most people have no problems with it. You have had a bad reaction in the past and it is causing some anxiety, I think. What I know for certain is that if you are Bi-Polar you need a medication. Living without the meds is miserable. You won't know if Lamictal is a good medication for you or not unless you try it. The Depakote you were on does not usually cause serious stomach problems, so maybe you have a sensitive stomach. \nYou have discovered a lot about yourself : 1.you cannot take antidepressants without a mood stabilizer because it triggers the mania, 2. you have a sensitive stomach, 3. you are currently anxious. .......  Start keeping a daily diary about how you feel after you start on the Lamictal. If you have adverse reactions, call your doctor. Take your diary to your doctor on your next appointment. It will help the doctor assess your progress. There are other anti-convulsants that are available if this one doesn't work, and as a responsible adult you will be able to help your doctor make informed decisions. ...... Good Luck ! I understand EXACTLY how you feel !
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Bipolar disorder is something that can be managed and controlled, but it is not something that will ever go away.  The better a person learns to manage their disorder, the better the long term outcome, with fewer episodes of acute manic or depressive phases.  Medication, therapy and healthy life styles are all integral to learning how to live with and manage bipolar disorder.  Two excellent sources of online info for child onset BP disorder are bpkids.org and cabf.org.  NAMI, the National Alliance for the mentally ill has an excellent website with a pediatric section that has excellent links.  BP disorder poses many difficulties for the patient and their families, but it is not something impossible to manage.  Educate yourself about managing BP disorder and if necessary educational support for a child.  Good luck.
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Education. Read the Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide (Amazon link below). It's an excellent book on th esubject, and will give you a very good idea what to expect and how to deal with it.\n\nYou should also visit one of the many online support groups below.
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www.keepkidshealthy.com\nwww.englishforums.com/English/BipolarDisoder/npvh/Post.htm \nwww.pendulum.org/bipolar.archives.htm
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Suggest he begin a regular exercise routine and eliminate processed, sugared foods from his diet. This is a good start. If this doesn't help suggest he look into medications so that these can help him control his mood swings, but have him do his homework on this very thoroughly and carefully, because the side effects of some drugs can be worse than the condition itself. Also, it would be good for him to get plenty of rest and see a mental health expert.
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YES. Anger is often a key component of Bipolar Disorder. I have worked with many teens with bipolar and they all had problems with rage and or self-destructive behavior. Occasionally rage and psychosis manifest similarly. You should check with your therapist to see if he can put you on anti-psychotics/mood stabilizers such as Seroquel.
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bipolar changes are more frequent
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I cant say yes and I cant say no but I know myself being a bipolar I discovered at a very young age that i had/have certain abilities that are like sixth sense and my son who is 5 and a bipolar also has certain abilities ( but him I dont know if it is that or if it is that he was medicined by a medicine man when he was younger, Im trying to teach and help him to be able to control himself.) I have out of body experiences when I want and dont want I just now at 25 am learning how to and when to use my abilities before it would just come and go but I get into my minds right frame and can control them. I know sounds weird but keep in touch with nature and your gut instinct mothernature lets you know everything you'll ever need to know.