Do we Know how to Diagnose and Treat Bipolar Disorder?

Overview

Recently, an increased attention is paid to the bipolar disorder, which represents a serious affectivedisorder. Simultaneously, more detailed diagnosis is connected with a broader spectrum oftreatment possibilities. The author deals in detail with diagnosis and treatment of hypomania andbipolar depression. Nowadays, it is not sufficient to differentiate between unipolar and bipolardisorders, but it is necessary to differentiate between bipolar I and bipolar II, because there aredifferences in clinic, dynamic and treatment reactivity. None of mood stabilizers has the sameefficacy in mania and depression. For that reason, the mood stabilisation is achieved using combinationsof stabilizers with antidepressants and antipsychotics or mutual combination of stabilizers.The integral part of complex treatment of bipolar disorder is the psychoeducation, aimedat the adherence to the treatment and relaps prevention (identification of early signs of relapsesand stressors, significance of regular activities and sleep), or broader psychosocial interventions.

Key words:
bipolar spectrum, bipolar disorder I, bipolar disorder II, hypomania, bipolar depression,treatment, switches.