Bipolar disorder often appears in a person's teens and early 20s, but it can occur at any age. No matter when your bipolar symptoms develop, it’s a lifelong disorder that needs ongoing management. Clinical psychologist Michael Messina, PsyD, & Gunit Kahlon, MD work with many patients who have bipolar disorder, effectively improving their symptoms and their quality of life with medication and psychotherapy at Dr. Messina & Associates in Southlake, Texas. To schedule an appointment, use online booking or call the office today.
Bipolar disorder was formerly known as manic-depressive disorder because mania and depression are the two key symptoms. There are different types of bipolar disorder, however, with varying degrees of mania and depression.
The types of symptoms cause changes in mood, activity level, and energy. Most patients cycle between them with periods of normal mood between bipolar episodes.
The three main types of bipolar disorder are:
Patients with bipolar I disorder have had at least one major episode of mania that was severe enough to interfere with daily activities. They may also experience major depression or have mixed features, which means having mania and depression at the same time.
This type of bipolar disorder is defined as having at least one episode of major depression and at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomania causes the same symptoms as full-blown mania, but they’re less severe and usually don’t affect daily life.
If you have cyclothymic disorder, you frequently and constantly swing between hypomania and depression. Although you may have more episodes than the other types of bipolar disorder, your symptoms are milder.
In many cases, patients experience depression before they have their first manic episode. The symptoms of both include:
While mania is noticeable for its extreme energy levels and excessive behaviors, hypomania is hard to recognize. In many cases, the increased energy of hypomania may seem good because it makes you more productive, yet it’s not so extreme that it leads to problems.
Dr. Messina & Associates offers a variety of treatments for bipolar disorder, which usually includes medications to balance your moods, as well as psychotherapy.
Dr. Kahlon works closely with each patient, prescribing the best medications for their symptoms, and monitoring their ongoing health.
If you have questions about your behavior and whether it could be bipolar disorder, call the office of Dr. Messina & Associates or book an appointment online.
