Therapy for Bipolar Disorder
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a term people often use (“I’m just so bipolar today”), and yet it is so often misunderstood. Having a bipolar disorder is not simply being moody in temperament or even experiencing rapid shifts from happiness to sadness. Rather, bipolar disorder is best understood via two important elements: mania and dysfunctional expenditures of energy.
Mania, or manic episodes, are the cornerstone of a bipolar diagnosis. They can look differently on different people, but they last at least a full week and involve an expansive mood and sense of self that can feel like a high for some. For others it can present like a period of incredible productivity or creativity. Many people report a reduced need for sleep. Some folks are prone to uncharacteristically risky behavior related to spending, substances, or sex.
A person whose bipolar disorder is not properly managed with medication and talk therapy or psychotherapy is like a car that naturally wants to drive 100 miles an hour around Douglassville. And so when they are manic that is exactly what they do. They live their life at an unsustainable speed, taking on more and more than they can maintain until they inevitably “crash” into a period of exhaustion and depression. Now that car can’t even reach the speed limit. Even the simplest of tasks can feel overwhelming and life becomes unmanageable – just in a different way than when speeding.
There are actually several types of bipolar disorder, and while the differences can be subtle they are critical to diagnose correctly. It is crucial that you do not self-diagnose, but instead let medical professionals make an informed diagnosis based on your personal symptoms.
If you’re experiencing periods of intensity and crashes, of highs and lows in your life that you feel are impeding your ability to function, please come see us at Sanctuary Counseling in Douglassville or via telesessions. We are ready to help you process your symptoms, gain a diagnosis, and learn to live with managed Bipolar disorder. We offer services to anyone in the southeast area of Pennsylvania.
Bipolar disorder can be a great teacher. It’s a challenge, but it can set you up to be able to do almost anything else in your life.
– Carrie Fisher
Do I Need Therapy for Bipolar Disorder? What are the Benefits?
Bipolar disorder is most effectively managed by a combination of talk therapy or psychotherapy and medication. We will work with your psychiatrist to handle your diagnosis holistically. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, but that does not mean it is unmanageable.
A balanced treatment plan using the right medication and talk therapy can make a world of difference. Therapy can help you identify your manic and depressive episodes and handle them effectively. We can help you live your life closer to the speed limit (ok, maybe a bit over it).
What is the Best Type of Therapy for Bipolar Disorder?
Psychotherapy uses many different techniques to help cope with bipolar disorders. When working with bipolar disorders, we like to focus on a systems approach. We talk with our clients about their lives, their relationships, and in which areas of their life they would like to see improvement. From there, we work together to identify changes we can make to help clients handle their disorders more adeptly. At Sanctuary we also find that incorporating techniques from DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) and other mindfulness-based work to be powerfully effective in managing manic episodes. Our therapists can teach you how to use these techniques for real and lasting change in your life.
How Do I Find a Qualified Therapist for Bipolar Disorder in Montgomery County and Berks County, PA?
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition. Depending on your initial age of diagnosis and the severity of your symptoms, it can affect how long you initially are in therapy. We encourage our clients to make a plan with their therapist in which they figure out goals to attain during therapy for managing their bipolar disorder. Since bipolar is a lifelong diagnosis, we try to create a therapeutic home for each of our clients. This therapeutic home is a place where, even if a client takes a temporary break from therapy, they can come back to at any point and talk to someone who knows their story.
If you’re experiencing periods of intensity and crashes, of highs and lows in your life that you feel are impeding your ability to function, please come see us at Sanctuary Counseling in Douglassville , Audubon, or via telesessions. We are ready to help you process your symptoms, gain a diagnosis, and learn to live with managed Bipolar disorder. We offer services to anyone in Pennsylvania.
