Hospitalization may be required during an acute phase of either mania or depression to control symptoms, and for the safety of the patient. Mood stabilizers, such as valproic acid (depakote, which is also an anticonvulsant) and lithium carbonate are usually the first line of treatment.
Antipsychotics may also be needed in the acute phase to achieve fast relief of symptoms if a manic person has lost touch with reality (become psychotic). Antianxiety agents, such as Klonopin, can also be used.
A mood stabilizer is often used as maintenance therapy to relieve symptoms and prevent the onset of mood swings. Other anti-convulsants (such as Carbamazepine or Gabapentin) may also be used as mood stabilizers.
In some cases, antidepressants are added to a mood stabilizer, but this must be done with caution because some antidepressants can trigger mania in people with this disorder.
In one type of manic depression (Bipolar II), people experience primarily depression which alternates with periods of slightly elevated mood which are not full-fledged mania.
Such people may be wrongly diagnosed as having depression alone (unipolar depression) and be given antidepressants without mood stabilizers, which can cause problems with mania or manic-like states in some cases.
In severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used to treat persistent depression. ECT is a psychiatric treatment that produces a brief central nervous systemseizure by means of an electrical current.
Modern ECT is a far cry from the treatment depicted in the movies as a form of punishment or mind control -- it is conducted under anesthesia and studies have repeatedly found that it is the most effective treatment for depression which hasn't responded to medications.
Psychotherapy may also be needed for emotional support during the depressive phase. Cognitive/behavioral therapy has been found to be the most effective "talk therapy" for depression.
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