One medication, lithium, is usually very effective in controlling mania and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes. As an adjunct to medications, psychotherapy is often helpful in providing support, education, and guidance to the patient and his or her family. Getting Help Anyone with bipolar disorder should be under the care of a psychiatrist skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Other mental health professionals, such as psychologists and psychiatric social workers, can assist in providing the patient and his or her family with additional approaches to treatment. To Get Help.
Family physicians can play an important role for such referral.
If this does not work, loved ones must take the patient for proper mental health evaluation and treatment. If the person is in the midst of a severe episode, he or she may have to be committed to a hospital for his or her own protection and for much needed treatment. With appropriate help and treatment, it is possible to overcome suicidal tendencies. During the past 10 years, researchers have advanced our understanding of the brain and vastly expanded the capability of mental health professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and brain disorders. Through research, we will learn even more about mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.