Treatment  for  Bipolar  Disorder >back

The main medication regime for a bipolar patient usually involves a mood stabilizer and sometimes an antidepressant. Caution is used with administrating antidepressants to Bipolar patients as they may trigger a manic episode. If the patient had psychotic symptoms an antipsychotic would be used.

Mood Stabilizers include:

Other drugs may be used to help control anxiety, agitation and insomnia.

ECT can be useful in both the depressive episodes and the manic episodes.  It involves being anesthetized and given a muscle relaxant. Then a small electric current is passed through your brain. The treatment lasts only seconds and you are only asleep for about 5 minutes. The average amount of individual treatments is about 12, though some people need as little as 6. After the course of ECT is completed it is necessary to start an antidepressant and/or mood stabilizer to keep the improved mood.