Articles Index

Before Your First Visit

Worried about your first visit to a psychiatrist or therapist? This technique will go a long way toward reducing your anxiety and will also get you and your new doctor off to a good start together, helping the doctor give you the best possible help with your mental illness.

How Is Bipolar Disorder Treated?

A treatment plan for bipolar disorder primarily consists of pharmacological intervention (medications) with therapy as a possible additional intervention. At times, psychiatric hospitalizations may be necessary. There are also treatment options that are less common and those that are usually considered only in extreme circumstances.

Bilateral Cingulotomy

Bilateral cingulotomy is a surgical procedure which may be performed in cases of treatment-resistant mental illnesses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and major depression. It is considered a "last resort" option, to be considered only after conventional methods of treatment have been exhausted.

Light Therapy: A Bright Idea

Phototherapy, also known as light therapy and light box therapy, is the use of light to treat disorders. Light therapy has become a widely used remedy for mental illnesses such as seasonal affective disorder and some research supports it benefits for sleep disturbances, depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), schizoaffective disorder and even premenstrual syndrome.

Try a Change of Pace

How the behavioral therapy known as 'pacing' can be part of the treatment for bipolar disorder. Written by Sara Denning Abbott.