In depression, non-remission, recurrence of depressive episodes after remission, and conversion to bipolar disorder are crucial determinants of poor outcomes.
Bipolar disorder involves extreme mood swings, ranging from manic highs to depressive lows. It is right that not everyone experiences bipolar disorder, in the same way. Researches show that at least 75% of persons diagnosed with the disorder will relapse. Even if they adhere to a treatment plan.
Remission in Bipolar Disorder
A relapse is described as the return of depression or a manic or hypomanic episode following a wellness time in bipolar disorder. It is sometimes possible to forecast a relapse; however, this is not always the case. The commencement of relapse appears to come out of nowhere for many people.
Some researches show that patients with bipolar II are more prone to relapse than those with bipolar I. They relapse into depression. And it is more visible than mania or hypomania.
Unfortunately, the word relapse has a negative connotation. There is a general misconception. It says that relapsing means they’ve failed. They can experience sudden episodes of depression. It happens even when they start doing everything in the right way. The sense of failure follows a relapse. The situation is heartbreaking as it makes their life more challenging. They find it difficult to stick to their treatment plan.
Relapse Prevention and Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder and bipolar spectrum diseases are becoming more common and harmful. They can affect all parts of a patient’s life, often disturbing the patient’s whole social network. most of the patients switch from sadness to happiness. They need treatment. We understand that management of both Bipolar1 and 2 is difficult.
It is difficult to manage anxiety and depressive symptoms in most patients. Doctors also agree with it. We need extensive research to prevent mania and depression.
Why is Relapse Common Among Bipolar?
When it comes to analyzing treatment response, the bipolar disease presents unique challenges. The criteria for determining remission and recovery are already there. It works like mood disorders. But we need to access the clinical benefits of bipolar disorder. Formal psychological rating scales may be impractical in a routine medical practice setting.
In certain cases, clinicians can investigate a single symptom like sleep disturbance. It points out mood fluctuations. The ultimate goal of bipolar management should be complete and sustained in remission. Although most patients will not achieve this status for any significant length of time.
Furthermore, overaggressive management might entail pushing medication doses to intolerable levels. Individual treatment goals should always consider patient acceptance of side effect burden, allowing for trade-offs between treatment effect and quality of life.
Noncompliance with therapy, notoriously common among patients with bipolar disorder, can stem from drug side effects, treatment ineffectiveness, or even treatment success if the patient misses the manic symptoms. Despite effective treatment, relapse is common. Realistic treatment goals should strive for sustained symptom abatement while maximizing patient quality of life from a visit to visit.
Treatment Strategies For Remission
There have been a series of evidence-based, consensus-based, and mixed evidence/consensus-based guidelines for the treatment of BD. Clinicians now have more options to help individual patients due to a rising pharmacopeia and the development of psychosocial treatment techniques for BD. The stratigies include:
1. Patient Education
Clinicians find it challenging to educate patients and their families about psychiatric illness. It is particularly true for patients with bipolar disorders, who frequently enjoy the euphoria and increased productivity associated with hypomania. Often, these acutely symptomatic patients are in denial about the severity of their illness and the adverse consequences of their actions.
Therefore, one of the critical interventions during the early phase of therapy is to educate the patient about bipolar disorder, its prognosis, and our belief that collaborative maintenance therapy can help patients regain control over their lives.
2. Psychological Therapy
We notice that a patient does not perform well in his social and occupational endeavors. Although he showed a sustained symptomatic improvement.
Psychotherapy is important in helping patients return to normal function. So it should be a component of treatment for most patients with bipolar disorder.
3. Pharmacotherapy
It’s necessary to remember that you should not stop taking your medications. Even if you haven’t had any bipolar symptoms in months. Your doctor may reduce your doses. if you try to control your meds, you are in danger of relapsing into bipolar symptoms. Maintaining the medication that helped control the acute episode is the most effective technique. The medicines include:
Maintaining the medication that helped control the acute episode is the most effective technique. The medicines include:
- Aripiprazole (Abilify)
- lamotrigine (Lamictal)
- lithium
- olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- olanzapine +
- and orphan (Lybalvi)
- risperidone consta (Consta)
- quetiapine (Seroquel) or ziprasidone (Geodon)
These are all FDA-approved drugs for bipolar disorder maintenance therapy.
Conclusion
Be quick to contact a psychiatrist from Marham if you notice any symptoms of a possible remission. It’s not always feasible to avoid relapse, so obtaining treatment is critical. Learn to recognize your triggers and avoid them wherever feasible.
FAQs
1. How long can bipolar remission last?
We can define remission as the absence or minimal symptoms of mania and depression for at least one week. Sustained remission requires at least eight consecutive weeks and perhaps as many as 12 weeks.
2. Is remission from bipolar possible?
The ultimate goal of bipolar management should be complete and sustained in remission, although most patients will not achieve this status for any significant length of time.
3. Do I have to take bipolar meds forever?
Bipolar disorder requires medication therapy for the rest of your life, even when feeling better. People who skip maintenance treatment risk relapsing or having small mood swings grow into full-fledged mania or depression.
