For those with bipolar disorder, these intense emotional swings last days to weeks and are accompanied by dangerous behaviour changes and difficulty with daily routines and social interactions.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes dramatic changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. It tends to affect women slightly more often than men. People with bipolar cycle through three states, a high state (mania), a low state (depression), and a good state during which people feel normal and function well.
The exact causes of bipolar disorder are unknown, but there is strong evidence to suggest that genetics play a large role. As high as 90% of those with bipolar disorder have a relative with the same condition. Things like stress, sleep disruption and drugs and alcohol can also trigger an episode in someone who already has the illness.
Because bipolar disorder is a lifelong and recurrent illness, people with the disorder need long-term treatment to maintain control of their symptoms.
But luckily, there are many effective treatments to help you learn to manage your mood episodes and improve your symptoms and your overall quality of life. An effective maintenance treatment plan includes medication and psychotherapy
This combination of treatments has been shown to reduce mood relapses and enhance social functioning in 95% of cases.
Find a therapist specializing in Bipolar Disorder counseling in South Edmonton or St.Albert
We will do an assessment of your specific situation and goals, to come up with a targeted and individualized approach to therapy that draws from a variety of the listed modalities
Change unhelpful and problematic ways of thinking got change unwanted or unhealthy behaviour
Utilized techniques like meditation, stretching, and breathing to increase awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions
Develop healthy coping strategies and mindfulness skills like living in the moment to improve relationships and regulate emotions
