A patient with bipolar disorder suffers from mood shifts between mania and depression. If the patient has bipolar disorder I, she has more manic episodes than depressive episodes, with symptoms such as an elevated mood, reckless behavior and inflated self-esteem, according to the National Institutes of Health. A patient with bipolar disorder II, however, has a weaker form of mania, called hypomania. Medication is the main form of treatment during the manic phase, though psychotherapy, light and dark therapy and hospitalization may also be used.
Medication
Mood stabilizers are the medication of choice when a bipolar disorder patient is in a manic phase. The National Institute of Mental Health states that lithium was the first mood stabilizer approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for mania. Valproic acid, an anticonvulsant, is an alternative to lithium and is especially effective in rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, in which a patient switches between mania and depression at least four times a year. Lamotrigine, another mood stabilizer and anticonvulsant, is used for maintenance treatment, when the patient has a normal mood; this prevents the patient from cycling back into mania.
Psychotherapy
HelpGuide states that three forms of therapy are effective with bipolar disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps the manic patient manage his symptoms and avoid future triggers by identifying the cause of his mania. Interpersonal therapy's focus is reducing stress, which is a trigger for bipolar disorder and manic symptoms; the patient strengthens his relationships, thus building a support system. Family-focus therapy involves family members in the patient's treatment and teaches them about the manic and depressive symptoms.
Light and Dark Therapy
Light and dark therapy focuses on the patient's biological clock by regulating her sleep-wake cycle. HelpGuide notes that when a patient has an irregular sleep-wake cycle, it can trigger manic symptoms. When a patient undergoes light and dark therapy, her exposure to light is managed by staying in a dark environment, then receiving 10 hours of artificial light each day. This therapy can also help the patient manage mood cycling and depressive symptoms.
Hospitalization
The Mayo Clinic states that when a patient has a severe manic episode or is experiencing mania with psychosis (hallucinations and delusions), he may benefit from hospitalization or day treatment. When a patient goes into the hospital for a manic episode, he is closely monitored and receives psychiatric treatment. This can help the patient stabilize his mood in a safe environment, without outside factors that might exacerbate symptoms.
