In a 300- to 500-word blog post written for a patient and/or caregiver audience, explain the signs and symptoms of your diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, nonpharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.

Patient Education for Children and Adolescents

Bipolar disorder is considered to be a disorder characterized by episodes of mood swings that range from depressive lows to manic highs. Its etiology is linked to a combination of factors linked to genetics, environment, and the alteration of the brain structure as well as the brain chemists (Post et al., 2019). The focus of this discussion is on signs and symptoms, pharmacological treatments, non-pharmacological treatments, and suitable community resources and referrals.

Signs and symptoms

Various clinical manifestations help in the successful diagnosis of the condition. Individuals affected by this condition tend to present manic conditions, and this includes symptoms like high energy, a reduction in the need for sleep, and loss of touch with reality. Patients also present depressive episodes and they are characterized by a low energy level, low motivation, and a loss of interest in daily activities (Post et al., 2019). The mood episodes of the affected individuals last days two months at a time, and they might be linked with suicidal thoughts.

Non-pharmacological treatment of Bipolar DisorderThis treatment approach involves lifestyle changes by using the psychotherapy procedure. These procedures include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, and psychoeducation. These psychotherapeutic procedures offer more robust effectiveness in preventing the risk of disease relapse. Behavioral and cognitive therapies help in dealing with comorbidities that are considered to be the most complicated situation of bipolar condition (Post et al., 2019). These treatment approaches enable individuals diagnosed with this condition to effectively manage their symptoms, hence improving their overall quality of life.

Pharmacological Treatments

The medication for bipolar involves the use of various classes of medications that serve different purposes. One of the medications is mood stabilizers that are used for the control of manic and hypomanic episodes. Examples of these classes of medication include lithium and carbamazepine (Post et al., 2019). Individuals are also given antipsychotics such as risperidone when there is the persistence of depression or mania after treatment with other medications.

The other class of drugs is antidepressants, which are used for the management of depression. The medication is prescribed along with mood stabilizers or antipsychotic medications. The treatment process can also involve a combination of the antidepressant-antipsychotic, whereby Symbyax is combined with the antidepressant fluoxetine (Post et al., 2019). Anti-anxiety medications such as benzodiazepine are used to help with anxiety and improvement of sleep.

Appropriate community resources and referrals

There are important resources that can help individuals in the successful management of their bipolar conditions. These resources include the depression and bipolar support alliance (DBSA), the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

References

Post, R. M., Yatham, L. N., Vieta, E., Berk, M., & Nierenberg, A. A. (2019). Beyond the evidence-based treatment of bipolar disorder:  Rational, pragmatic approaches to management. Bipolar disorders, 21(7), 650-659. https://doi.org/10.1111/bdi.12813