Bipolar Disorders

Bipolar disorder affects approximately 2.8% of American adults and around 2.9% of adolescents. The mental health condition can cause challenging and extreme shifts in mood and behavior. Will Lambert, PMHNP, FNP, and the expert providers at Optimus Health and Wellness offer exceptional bipolar disorder care to patients aged 12 and older. The practice offers in-person and telehealth appointments to the community in The Woodlands, Texas, and telehealth care to patients in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Vermont, Maine, and Maryland. To learn more about compassionate and effective treatment options, schedule an appointment online or by phone today.

What are bipolar disorders?

Bipolar disorders are chronic mood disorders that cause intense shifts in your behavior and emotions. These swings may be manic, depressive, or hypomanic and can last from a few hours to months.

With bipolar I, you experience a minimum of one manic episode. This episode either lasts longer than one week or requires hospitalization. 

With bipolar II, you experience depressive and hypomanic episodes — but never an extreme manic episode. 

You may have cyclothymic disorder if you have a consistently unstable mood and only experience short periods of normal mood (euthymia). 

What are the symptoms of bipolar disorders?

Signs of a manic episode or mania in adolescents and adults include:

• Mood swings 
• Intense excitement or joy 
• Impulsivity 
• Recklessness
• Explosiveness 
• Racing thoughts or speech
• Sleep loss 
• Setting grandiose goals 
• Losing or breaking things of value 
• Conflicts with others 
• Acting overly powerful 
• Delusions or hallucinations (in severe cases) 

Manic and depressive symptoms may coincide. Depressive episode symptoms include: 

• Intense sadness 
• Fatigue 
• Irritability
• Agitation 
• Loss of appetite 
• Overeating 
• Oversleeping 
• Issues focusing 
• Loss of motivation 
• Talking or thinking about death or suicide 

Adolescents’ symptoms may be confusingly similar to those of other common disorders like depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 

What are the treatment options for bipolar disorders? 

Your provider at Optimus Health and Wellness conducts a comprehensive psychiatric assessment of your symptoms and family history before diagnosing your type of bipolar disorder. They then develop an achievable, holistic treatment plan. 

Bipolar disorder can come and go throughout your lifetime, so staying in treatment is essential. Your provider may recommend multiple treatments, including:

• Psychotherapy
• Anti-anxiety medications 
• Antidepressants
• Mood stabilizers 
• Atypical antipsychotics 
• Meditation 
• Healthy diet and exercise 
• A sleeping schedule 
• Substance abuse programs 
• Hospitalization (for severe cases) 

The practice partners with GeneSight®, a company that provides testing for gene-drug interactions. This helps your provider understand how your body reacts to certain medications and find the right medications and dosages for you.

If your disorder hasn’t improved from other treatments, your provider may recommend brain stimulation therapies like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). 

Your provider can offer guidance on locating support groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which provides support groups and resources for adolescents and their families, or the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). 

For excellent bipolar disorder care, call Optimus Health and Wellness today or reach out online.