Living with Bipolar Disorder

Nearly 6% of adults and adolescents in the United States are living with bipolar disorder, so this challenging mental health condition is more common than you might realize. 

At Owl & Eagle Health and Wellness, our dedicated team of board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners understands bipolar disorder. In our Greenwood Village and Golden, Colorado, offices and through telehealth, we use our high-level training in bipolar disorder treatment to help you feel, function, and live better and happier.

With bipolar disorder treatment, the goals are to stabilize your mood, help you feel safe, and prevent disruptive episodes. Because bipolar disorder is a complex condition, we believe the solution is multifaceted, too. So, treatment approaches here are holistic, meaning they involve whole-person wellness. 

Today on the blog, we’re discussing living with bipolar disorder and how we can help make your life easier. 

Find the right medication  

Medication management is an integral part of bipolar disorder treatment. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) calls it the cornerstone of treatment, while also recognizing that psychotherapy can play a big supportive role.

To manage your condition effectively, you need to take the right medication and remain on it long-term. Skipping medication when you’re in remission (not having episodes) can lead to severe episodes. So, medication is a lifelong need for people with bipolar disorder.

But, what’s the right medication? Lithium is the “gold standard” for bipolar disorder treatment — but about 70% of people with the disorder don’t respond to it, according to Science Daily. 

Everybody’s different, and that’s why we prescribe bipolar medication for the individual. Many other drugs treat bipolar disorder, but experimenting and finding the ideal one can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. 

To help you get the right medication (or combination of medications) as soon as possible, we often use advanced genetic testing. Testing examines the genes that affect your mental health and helps determine which specific medications will work best for you. 

Be open to innovation

Because bipolar disorder can be so challenging, we want to give our patients the fastest and most effective symptom relief. Sometimes, that means combining oral medication and psychotherapy with other treatment protocols. 

For example, we offer a groundbreaking treatment called ketamine. At our practice, we administer this drug via lozenges that dissolve under your tongue. It essentially promotes relaxation, opens your mind, and helps you process your feelings and memories during psychotherapy sessions in our office.

Ketamine has a long history of proven results for people with unipolar depression and also shows great promise for bipolar depression. 

Use lifestyle changes to maximize treatment results  

Our holistic treatment approach includes much more than just medication and psychotherapy. We’re here to help you create changes that will support your long-term mental and physical health. 

We recommend nutrition changes and supplements, help you establish good sleep habits, and emphasize building a life that allows you to feel calm, comfortable, and confident. 

Living with bipolar disorder can be easier

Bipolar disorder doesn’t have to control your life. At Owl & Eagle Health and Wellness, we can help you take control and thrive daily. Phone our office or connect with us online today.