About Bipolar Anxiety Treatment

Bipolar disorder combined with an anxiety disorder can be hard to treat. A doctor will work with a patient to find a good combination of medication and psychotherapy to keep the disorders under control. With proper treatment a person can live a normal life despite the bipolar and anxiety disorders.

Definition

Bipolar disorder is a difficult condition to live with. Suffering from anxiety in addition to bipolar disorder complicates the situation. Anxiety can either be present as a symptom of bipolar disorder or as a separate condition. The combination of bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder can be difficult to treat, but under the supervision of an experienced doctor, it is possible for a person to live a normal life.

Medication

Biopolar disorder is most often treated with medication. The most common prescription is lithium. Lithium acts as a mood stabilizer. Other common medications include antipsychotics, calcium channel blockers, and benzodiazepines. Bipolar medications must be taken everyday; failure to take bipolar medication can result in health problems. Anxiety disorder is most commonly treated with antidepressants. There are many different antidepressants on the market - a doctor will prescribe one based on the type of anxiety symptoms that a person is showing. Psychotherapy has also shown success in treating both bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder.

Treatment

When bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder are present at the same time, the treatment options change. The antidepressants that improve anxiety disorder actually make the bipolar disorder worse. Almost all doctors agree that the best course of action is to treat the bipolar disorder first. In some cases, the bipolar treatment will alleviate the symptoms of anxiety. If anxiety symptoms persist, a doctor will treat the disorder after the bipolar symptoms are under control.