
Side effects of Mood Stabilizing Medication

It is thought that the drugs work in different ways to bring stability and calm to areas of the brain that have become overstimulated and overactive, or to prevent this state from developing. How mood stabilizers work is not fully understood. What does Mood Stabilizing Medication do? Eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep are also important, as are minimizing your use of alcohol and caffeine and avoiding street drugs. Other aids can include peer support, school and job counselling, and housing and employment support. Forms of talk therapy that have been shown to help with bipolar disorder are interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy and family-focused education about bipolar disorder. Medication is generally considered to be the cornerstone of treatment for bipolar disorder however, combining medication with other types of therapy and support can help you to get and stay well. Treatment with mood stabilizers can reduce symptoms of bipolar disorder and increase people’s ability to pursue their interests and participate more fully in their relationships. Mood stabilizers can help to keep the mood of a person with bipolar disorder within this balanced range. With bipolar disorder, people can also have periods where their mood is balanced. People with bipolar disorder usually experience these extremes at different times, although the two mood states can occur together (known as a mixed state). The term “bipolar” refers to the two extremes of mood: mania and depression. This risk is lessened if the person is also taking a mood stabilizer. Antidepressants may also lead to more frequent mood episodes, known as rapid cycling. Antidepressant medications can be effective however, they must never be used alone with bipolar disorder as they can also cause a person who is depressed to switch into mania. Because of this, other psychiatric medications such as antipsychotics are often used in the early stages of treatment to treat acute mania.ĭepression in bipolar disorder can be hard to distinguish from other forms of depression.
#Am i having a manic episode quiz full#
Mood stabilizers can take up to several weeks to reach their full effect. These drugs can help reduce mood swings and prevent manic and depressive episodes. If you need psychological or medical evaluation or treatment, immediately consult a qualified professional.Mood stabilizers are medications used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, where a person’s mood changes from a depressed feeling to a high “manic” feeling or vice versa. The interpretations given are for informational and educational purposes only, and do not constitute or substitute for any psychological and medical evaluations performed by a qualified professional, nor for any psychological or medical treatment. It cannot account for the truthfulness of the answers, only for the self-reporting of each participant. Note that this inventory can only give results based on the limited number of questions asked in the inventory. If you answered "yes" to question 10, you should seek help immediately, regardless of your answer to any other questions. Interpretation: If you experience five or more of these symptoms for longer than two weeks or if the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily routine, consult your doctor or a qualified mental health professional. However, if the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily routine, consult your doctor or a qualified mental health professional. Interpretation: These scores generally indicate a normal pattern.

#Am i having a manic episode quiz professional#
The results of this bipolar disorder quiz should be discussed with a professional if bipolar disorder is suspected.Īdd the number of times that you answered "yes" to the test. Keep in mind that no online bipolar quiz is definitive. I have a close blood relative who has had a serious emotional illness or alcohol abuse.ġ0. I can't keep my mind on one thing-I jump from task to task.ĩ. Please indicate whether or not you experience any of the following:Ħ. While no quiz for bipolar disorder can make a formal bipolar diagnosis, if the results suggest you're experiencing a manic episode, you should discuss the results of this bipolar quiz with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. You might also want to check out the quiz for bipolar depression.īipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that should be diagnosed by a doctor and treated as soon as possible. The quiz specifically looks for evidence of bipolar mania but not bipolar depression. This bipolar quiz can help tell you if you're experiencing a bipolar episode.
