What treatments are available for bipolar mood disorder?
Effective treatments are available for depressive and manic episodes of bipolar mood disorder. For the depressive phase of this illness, antidepressant medications are effective. Antidepressants are not addictive. They slowly return the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, taking one to four weeks to achieve their positive effects. Medication should be adjusted only under medical supervision, as some people may experience a switch to a manic phase. It may be necessary to admit a person with severe depression to hospital for a time. When people are in a manic phase, it can often be difficult to persuade them that they need treatment. It may sometimes be necessary to admit the person to hospital if the symptoms are severe. During acute or severe attacks of mania, several different medications are used. Some are specifically used to calm the person’s manic excitement: others are used to help stabilize the person’s mood. Medications such as lithium are also used as preventive measure
