Bipolar Disorder Therapy & Psychiatry

Understanding & Treating Bipolar Disorder at MorMindful Therapy & Psychiatry of South Florida

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is the most commonly misunderstood mental health diagnosis that exists. Many people get it confused with borderline personality disorder, which although has some similarities, is quite different. The important distinction to know is that bipolar disorder is not a personality disorder and it does not involve multiple personalities. It boils down to dysregulated moods and periods of instability.

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What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by short or long-lasting mood swings that vary anywhere between depressed, manic, and anxious. For residents of Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and surrounding areas in South Florida, understanding these symptoms can help individuals and their loved ones recognize when to seek treatment. The depressive state often includes low mood, crying, and hopelessness. Mania can create a lack of sleep, overly goal-directed behavior, rapid ideas and speech, elation, and irritability. Hypomania is common as well, which is essentially light and less noticeable manic symptoms.

Anxiety is a tremendous part of bipolar disorder for most people with the diagnosis, although it often goes unmentioned. For people in Fort Lauderdale or Boynton Beach who live with bipolar disorder, anxiety can be intrusive and debilitating. Mood swings are also not cut and dry and can be mixed and jumbled together, sometimes looking like a bunch of mania, depression, and anxiety all swirling around together.

Types of Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar I and Bipolar II

There are two different types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar I looks like mood swings vacillating between depression and full blown mania, which usually involves some type of altered reality, paranoia or even psychosis. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are more common with bipolar I disorder. Alternatively, bipolar II disorder is less severe, harder to diagnose and includes hypomania and depression/anxiety which is disruptive but not as destructive.

It is not well understood where bipolar disorder originates from although it is thought to be unpredictably genetic, meaning it is passed down from family members and may skip generations or disappear. The most important thing to know is that it is not curable. It is a chronic condition that can be managed with medication and therapy. It will wax and wain over the years depending on health, behavior and environment. Currently the most accepted course of treatment is a combination of medication management and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Expert Bipolar Disorder Treatment at MorMindful Therapy & Psychiatry

At MorMindful Therapy & Psychiatry, we have been working with people struggling with bipolar disorder for many years, providing care to clients across South Florida. It takes experience for a mental health provider to understand the best course of action for each patient.

If you or someone you care about is suffering from mood swings, needs a medication change, or would like to find out how day-to-day strategies can help you to manage your life better, book with us today. We also offer convenient online therapy and psychiatry solutions to all Floridians. Whether you're in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Parkland, Delray Beach, or anywhere else throughout the State of Florida, our team is ready to help you on your journey to stability and wellness.