Who is the leading expert in bipolar disorder?

Julie A. Fast is a world leading mental health expert on the topics of bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and psychosis.

What type of therapist is best for bipolar?

What is the most serious type of bipolar?

Bipolar I disorder is the most severe form of the illness. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by predominantly depressive episodes accompanied by occasional hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes are milder than manic episodes but can still impair functioning.

What is the new treatment for bipolar disorder?

CAPLYTA is a once-daily pill proven to deliver significant symptom relief from bipolar I and bipolar II depression. CAPLYTA can be taken alone or with lithium or valproate.

What is the latest research has to say about bipolar disorder?

New Findings Linking Brain Immune System to Psychosis

May 11, 2021 — New research suggests a link between psychosis and a genetic change that affects the brain's immune system. The study may impact the development of modern medicines for bipolar disorder or ...

The Expert is In: Bipolar Disorder | Part One

What are the root causes of bipolar?

What causes bipolar disorder? No one knows exactly what causes bipolar disorder. Research suggests that a combination of factors could increase your chance of developing it. This includes physical, environmental and social conditions.

What is the new bipolar medication 2022?

Caplyta is now the first medication to be FDA-approved for depression due to either bipolar 1 or 2. It can be used by itself or combined with lithium or valproate (Depakote) — two medications commonly taken for bipolar disorder.

What is the gold standard medication for bipolar disorder?

Lithium is considered the gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder (BD). Current clinical guidelines and scientific evidence support its use as a first-line treatment in BD.

What is the best mood stabilizer for bipolar?

Lamotrigine. Lamotrigine (Lamictal) may be the most effective mood stabilizer for depression in bipolar disorder, but is not as helpful for mania. The starting dose of lamotrigine should be very low and increased very slowly over four weeks or more.

What drugs can trigger bipolar disorder?

Drugs with a definite propensity to cause manic symptoms include levodopa, corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids. Antidepressants of the tricyclic and monoamine oxidase inhibitor classes can induce mania in patients with pre-existing bipolar affective disorder.

Is bipolar a form of brain damage?

Research shows bipolar disorder may damage the brain over time. Experts think it's because you slowly lose amino acids. They help build the proteins that make up the insulation around your neurons.

What age does bipolar disorder get worse?

There is no one way bipolar symptoms evolve throughout a lifetime. Each person's experience with bipolar disorder is slightly different. However, research has found that the earlier the onset of bipolar disorder, the more severe symptoms tend to be throughout a person's life.

What mental illness is similar to bipolar?

Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, causes mood changes – from feeling low to emotional highs. Cyclothymia has many similarities to bipolar disorder.

What is second line treatment for bipolar disorder?

Data also support valproate, quetiapine, and lamotrigine as second-line options for monotherapy, especially for patients who fail or have contraindications to lithium therapy. Third-line options include drug combinations of lithium or valproate with an antipsychotic.

Does treated bipolar get better with age?

“Untreated bipolar disorder can worsen with age, with both the frequency of mood episodes and their duration,” says Thomas Scary, MD, MA, staff psychiatrist, Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates in Philadelphia. “This is true even with treatment, but to a lesser extent.”

What helps a bipolar person calm down?

What is the safest treatment for bipolar?

Lurasidone (Latuda) and Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

But lamotrigine is the better tolerated option, with few of the adverse effects that matter most to patients: weight gain, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and long-term medical risks. Lamotrigine is better at preventing depression than it is at treating it.

What is life expectancy bipolar?

The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.

What is first line therapy for bipolar disorder?

First-line treatments for bipolar depressive episodes include lithium or lamotrigine monotherapy. For more severe cases, can add second mood stabilizer (e.g., lamotrigine combined with lithium or divalproex). Atypical antipsychotics can be added for patients with psychotic features (e.g., delusions, hallucinations).

Why do people quit lithium?

Adverse effects were the most common cause for lithium discontinuation. Among the adverse effects, diarrhoea, tremor, creatinine increase, polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus and weight gain were the top five reasons for discontinuing lithium.

What is the new mood stabilizer?

Caplyta is now FDA-approved for depressive episodes from bipolar I and II. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Caplyta (lumateperone) for the treatment of bipolar depression in adults.

Is there a monthly shot for bipolar?

ABILIFY MAINTENA is the first and only FDA-approved once-monthly* maintenance treatment for bipolar I in adults. It is an injection that is prescribed by your healthcare provider. Some adults with bipolar I may take a pill to manage their condition.

Are you born bipolar or does it develop?

Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.