Bipolar disorder causes fluctuations in mood, energy, activity levels, and the capacity to carry out day-to-day activities. These moods range from excessively "up," exhilarated, irritated, or energized (known as manic episodes) to extremely "down," sad, indifferent, or hopeless (known as depressive episodes).
The exact cause of bipolar disorder is not known, but we do know that both genetics and environmental factors each play a role. Sometimes a stressful event, a major life change, or drug use can trigger a manic or depressive episode. In addition, individuals with a family history of mood disorders, including depression or bipolar disorder, are at higher risk for developing bipolar disorder.
Knowing that someone has a history of mania or hypomania is important because it suggests that the individual has a condition on the bipolar spectrum:
Rappore takes a patient-centered approach to care, building a treatment plan centered around you. You complete a personal assessment, the Rappore Mental Health Fingerprint®, which helps match you with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist that best meets your needs. At your initial evaluation, your clinician uses the information from the questionnaire to help create your personalized treatment plan. Knowing whether someone who is currently depressed has a history of mania or hypomania is important because it affects the choice of treatment (using a mood stabilizer instead of or in addition to an antidepressant).
People with bipolar disorder typically benefit most from a combination of psychopharmacology (medication management) and evidence-based psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), or dialectical based therapy (DBT).