Bipolar Disorder

Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry & Perinatal Specialist located in Cherry Hill , NJ
Bipolar Disorder services offered in Cherry Hill , NJ

Every year, bipolar disorder disrupts the health and lives of around 5.7 million American adults. Suppose you or your child suffer from extreme mood swings between euphoria and depression — Clarity Psychiatry Care in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, can help. Board-certified Child, Adolescent, And Adult Psychiatry specialists Dr. Amy Carnall, DNP, APN, PMHMP-BC, and Christina Sertway, APN, PMHNP-BC, diagnose bipolar disorder and customize treatment plans to relieve your symptoms and restore your mental and emotional and physical health. Call the office to schedule an appointment or book online today.

Bipolar Disorder Q & A

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a brain disorder that causes abnormal mood swings that can interfere with a person’s ability to function normally. If you have bipolar disorder, you may experience periods of regular moods between manic and depressive episodes. There are three types:

Bipolar I

Bipolar I causes extreme shifts in mood between depressed and manic episodes that last for two weeks or more. It’s usually diagnosed during a manic episode that causes dangerous behaviors.

Bipolar II 

It also causes severe mood swings, but instead of manic episodes, you have hypomanic episodes, which produce less severe but still disruptive symptoms. Bipolar II is often diagnosed during a depressive episode.

Cyclothymic disorder 

The mildest type of bipolar disorder. Periods of depression and hypomania may last longer, but symptoms are not as severe or disabling as with bipolar I or II.

 

What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?

If you have bipolar disorder, you have different symptoms depending on whether you’re in a manic or depressive mood.

Some of the common symptoms of a manic episode include:

  • Feeling euphoric with exaggerated grandiosity or self-esteem
  • High energy levels
  • Being more talkative than usual
  • Feeling agitated or jumpy
  • Not sleeping
  • Having racing thoughts
  • Trying to do too many things at once
  • Engaging in self-destructive or risky activities

Whereas, if you’re in a depressed episode, symptoms may include:

  • Feelings of intense sadness, despair, guilt, or worthlessness
  • Changes in appetite
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Low energy levels
  • Loss of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities
  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

If you have bipolar II or cyclothymic disorder, manic symptoms are less extreme and disruptive than with bipolar I.

 

How is bipolar disorder treated?

Clarity Psychiatry Care offers integrative, holistic, and highly personalized treatment plans for bipolar disorder. The team often combines several therapeutic approaches to address your health from different angles. 

For example, they may prescribe medication to regulate your brain chemistry and function, relieving some of your symptoms and mood swings. At the same time, you can attend counseling sessions and mentoring programs to explore and resolve underlying issues that contribute to your condition.

You may also benefit from introducing lifestyle changes such as exercise, nutritional adjustments, and meditation. 

Clarity Psychiatry Care is committed to helping you improve your mental, physical, and emotional health. Call the office or book an appointment online today for expert treatments for bipolar disorder.