“I suspect I have a BAR”: a brief instruction on what to do and why you shouldn’t be afraid

Whom to go to

At the first suspicion of bipolar disorder, in order to clarify the diagnosis, assess the severity of the disorder, the possible risks, determine the treatment regimen, etc., you should consult a psychiatrist. It is only a specialized specialist who can determine exactly whether it is “it” or “not it”. And only a psychiatrist can develop tactics of struggle – and no one else.

What can be confused with BAR

There is a kind of “fashion” for various disorders. In this series, at different times, one could observe hysteria, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and various forms of addiction. We can say that now BAR is just on such a “fashionable” wave, they talk a lot about it and are often diagnosed – of course, also because, thanks to the abundance of information, people have begun to seek professional help more often.

However, when trying to self-diagnose (which, like self-medication, is fraught with serious complications), bipolar disorder can be confused with a huge number of diseases and disorders. A competent differential analysis can only be carried out by a doctor.

What the “classic case” of BAR looks like

Bipolar disorder has several variations, and it does not have any universal portrait. The alternating phases of depression (bad mood, zero energy, lack of motivation for action) and mania (excellent mood, surging energy, desire and ability to realize, implement, invent, etc.) in different cases have different duration and amplitude affect, the severity of depressive and manic episodes.

How is BAR treated?

Often, bipolar disorder does not need any special drug treatment at all, but if depression and mania are severe, then they are treated only with medication, under the constant supervision of a specialist and clearly according to a scheme developed by him.

In cases that are extremely severe in severity, up to psychotic, with impaired mental activity and various other mental and behavioral disorders, the patient may be in very great danger.

Frustration can cause you to get into situations that are risky for life and health due to a decrease in criticism, real suicidal risk, provoke the loss of social support, work, significant relationships, and finances.

In such severe cases, you may need not just taking medications, but inpatient treatment.

Seeking psychotherapeutic help is necessary when the severity and severity have already been removed. Psychotherapy for bipolar disorder is more of a complementary treatment. 

How you can help yourself on your own

Self-help for subdepression (mild depression with a certain loss of performance and a feeling of chronic fatigue. – approx. Healthy Food Near Me) can be good support. Here, again, there cannot be one method that works for all: meditation will help someone, auto-training for someone, regular psychotherapy for someone, you need to try and select.