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- Conditions
- Bipolar Disorder
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis (such as having suicidal thoughts), go to your closest emergency room or call 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
At Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), we know how much bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses can affect daily life. Our experienced and specially educated behavioral health clinicians are dedicated to providing you personalized care for your unique needs, and we will support you throughout every stage of your care journey.
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes significant fluctuations in mood (episodes of depression and mania/hypomania) that can impact your ability to function in social, educational and professional situations.
You may experience mood swings rarely or multiple times a year, and they may or may not involve emotional symptoms in between.
Depression
A depressive episode involves a low mood that is persistent for two weeks or more. During this time, you may:
- Feel sad, empty, hopeless or tearful
- Lose interest in activities you normally enjoy
- Experience a change in appetite and/or sleep patterns
- Have lower energy than normal
- Experience trouble thinking or concentrating
- Have suicidal thoughts
Mania/hypomania
A manic episode involves a significant change in mood (feeling more irritable or elevated) for a week or more. During this time, you may:
- Feel irritable
- Have racing thoughts
- Experience a decreased need for sleep
- Become more talkative or talk too fast or too much
- Be more easily distracted
- Feel a strong sense of needing to do something that is different than usual and/or act more impulsively
Individuals with bipolar disorder also may experience hypomania, which is similar to mania but doesn’t significantly interfere with life as much and occurs for a shorter period of time.
Types of bipolar disorder
The two main types are bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder.
To be diagnosed with bipolar I disorder, you must have previously experienced at least one manic episode (that may have been preceded or followed by depressive or hypomanic episodes).
Being diagnosed with bipolar II disorder means that you have previously experienced at least one depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode (but no manic episodes).
When to go to the hospital
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are not uncommon among people with bipolar disorder, and severe depressive or manic episodes may require hospitalization to be resolved.
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, have a plan to end your life, are having thoughts of harming others, are experiencing hallucinations/delusions or are making dangerous or impulsive decisions, you should go to your closest emergency room for care.
Bipolar disorder treatment
Treatment for bipolar disorder may include:
- Psychotherapy, which involves speaking to a mental health professional
- Medications, including mood stabilizers, antipsychotic drugs and antidepressants
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is a safe and effective treatment that uses electrical currents to stimulate various parts of the brain and cause a brief seizure (while you are under general anesthesia)
These treatments are offered in both inpatient and outpatient settings and are recommended depending on a patient’s specific diagnosis, symptoms and treatment history.
Personalized bipolar disorder care at LVHN
At LVHN, our behavioral health team takes your diagnosis, symptoms and treatment history into account to develop a treatment plan specific to you.
We offer outpatient care at various locations, with options for both in-person and virtual appointments.
We also offer partial hospitalization programs (which allow you to receive daily in-person mental health support in a clinical setting and return home afterward) and inpatient behavioral health services.
If you are facing bipolar disorder and are looking for a supportive and experienced care team, LVHN is here for you, every step of the way.
Start your behavioral health journey
Please speak to your LVPG primary care or family medicine physician for a referral. If you are not currently seeing an LVPG clinician, please call 888-402-LVHN (5846) or click below to set up a new patient appointment for primary care or family medicine.
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