Introduction
There are four types of bipolar disorders, and all involve mood swings from highs to lows. According to the Mayo Clinic, these mental illnesses affect 1 percent of the population. With rapid cycling or swinging, a person quickly alternates between mania and depression. Rapid cycling bipolar disorders affect everyone differently. With some people each episode lasts just a few hours. Dealing with a mental illness is difficult, but medication and psychotherapy can help to cope with daily life and rapid cycling.
Medication
Prescription drugs are very helpful with bipolar disorders. Mood stabilizers prevent extreme mood swings and give a person a more balanced mood. Lithium is the most commonly prescribed drug for manic episodes. Another type of medication used is anti-seizure or anti-convulsant medications.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "The medications are used to prevent mood swings, especially in people with rapid cycling bipolar disorder" (see Resources below).
Since there are many drugs to treat bipolar disorder, if the first drugs that are prescribed don't seem to work, there are others a doctor can recommend. It takes trial and error to find the best medications for each person afflicted with rapid cycling. While drug therapy is extremely effective in managing rapid cycling, it takes time to find the right combination of drugs. For the person with rapid cycling, it may seem that a solution will never be found, which adds to the anxiety. But with new pharmaceuticals being approved every year, eventually the best medications will be found.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is another important component of coping with rapid cycling. Some feel that cognitive or behavioral therapy works well with bipolar disorders. In these forms of therapy, a person learns to recognize what behaviors or activities are negative or unhealthy and then tries to replace these activities with healthy and appropriate behaviors. This is particularly important during a manic episode, when a person may be reckless and hyperactive. There is also family therapy that gets all members of the immediate family involved to work through issues that may trigger a manic or depressive episode. A person with rapid cycling may also chose to take part in group therapy to talk and get support from others also suffering from bipolar disorders. A person with rapid cycling bipolar disorder needs to find the form of therapy that works best for her needs. Again, it take time to find the therapy method that works best and to find the right therapist that you feel comfortable with.
Maintenance
Maintenance treatment is important when a person is not in the midst of a manic or depressive episode. A person must continue with the medication and psychotherapy to lower the risks of rapid cycling. The drugs keep the mood balanced. Other things to do are to pay attention to how the sufferer feels and to monitor her moods. There may be warning signs that a manic or depressive episode may be starting. A person may discover that certain events or activities trigger symptoms. Family and friends can also be on the alert for warning signs as well. The best thing a sufferer of rapid cycling can do are to focus on and work towards goals. Relaxing and reducing stress can also help to reduce rapid cycling symptoms. Engaging in hobbies and other fun and healthy activities also helps a person to lead a more balanced life.
Tags: rapid cycling, with rapid, bipolar disorders, bipolar disorder, cycling bipolar