As any person being treated for Bipolar Disorder already knows, medication is the key component in managing this mental illness. Taking the prescribed medication your doctor has put you on is what is helping you to control the moods swings. They are less severe and less frequent because of the medication. Though they may not always take the symptoms away completely. What you must also know is that you must continue with your medication until your doctor tells you otherwise. Just because you feel better does not mean that you are able to go without your medication. They must be taken all the time at the right time and in the right dosages. Never discontinue your medication on your own. Even if you feel better or you are having adverse side affects you must first consult with your doctor. Bipolar Disorder is a lifetime condition and so it will need lifelong treatment.

Medication is not the only thing you require to stay balanced and lead a normal life you need therapy as well. However, the doctor often starts with medication to get you balanced and to a point where you can benefit from therapy.

The function of medication in bipolar treatment

Medication is what keeps you grounded, it brings your symptoms of mania and depression under control and it helps prevent them from recurring. You may not like the idea of taking medication however, you are much better taking it and being in control of your life then to go without it and face all the horrors of dealing with uncontrolled mood swings that can make you so depressed you just want to die or so high you feel your on top of the world.

When your mind is racing with all kinds of thoughts, sometimes it is just very difficult to make the right decisions. You end up doing things that you regret later. By staying on your medication you can avoid these pitfalls of the mania episodes associated with Bipolar Disorder.

Sometimes especially in the beginning of treatment, it is very difficult to find just the right medication and the right dosage to keep you balanced. This can get very discouraging as you struggle through life dealing with your symptoms and the side affects of a medication that just does not agree with you. It is hard at the beginning, but don.t give up, eventually the right medication will be found and you will start feeling better and getting your life back on track. On the other hand even though you must be patient for your doctor to find the right medication, he or she cannot work in the dark. You will need to let him or her know how you are doing on the medication, if you feel better, worse, or no different at all.

Bipolar Disorder is all about moods as you already know and when your moods are out of control it affects your life. However, did you know that there are natural mood stabilizers, which don.t require medication? You can learn to live a healthy lifestyle by getting in plenty of sleep, eating good healthy food, exercises, getting enough sunshine and fresh air. These changes in your life are natural mood stabilizers and they not only help when practiced in conjunction with therapy, and medication, living a healthy lifestyle may even decrease your need to be on so much medication.

Other areas where you could change your life and stabilize your moods are doing relaxation exercises such as, yoga, meditation, and Tai Chi. You should also connect with a social network. Bipolar support groups are wonderful groups to help you get the support you need to keep you in a healthy mood.

There have been various studies that show that therapy as a treatment for Bipolar Disorder has helped patients maintain a good healthy mood and has helped them to learn better coping skills and manage their lives more effectively. Therapy will address the daily issues and help find healthy solutions for the issues that arise at home, in a social situation and on the job.

Using all these resources available to you along with medication will keep you on the right track.

Tips for managing your medication

Take your meds on time every day, if you have trouble remembering to take them put them in a pillbox with a date on it. Throw away old medication that has expired. Do not mix medications without informing your doctor and your pharmacist to see if it is safe to do.

Types of medication

Lithium is the oldest medication prescribed for mania. Lithium is not effective for rapid cycling or mixed episodes (mania and depression together). Lithium can be used in combination with an anti depressant to relieve symptoms of depression. Some known side effects include: excessive thirst and urination, weight gain, diarrhea, stomach pain, thyroid problems, drowsiness, fatigue, or weakness, tremors, nausea, memory loss and lack of concentration issues and vertigo.

Anticonvulsants are now being used because they have fewer side effects than lithium. There is Valproic acid, Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine and Topiramate currently in use.

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