Therapy for Bipolar Disorder 

Get matched with a therapist for bipolar disorder 

If you are living with bipolar disorder, you might feel like a slave to your moods and emotions. At some points, you feel depressed, unmotivated, and withdrawn. However, at other times, you feel elated, impulsive, restless, agitated, and full of self-confidence. This emotional instability can greatly impact your life. An Ellie therapist can help you regulate your moods and make healthy decisions. 

Does bipolar disorder make your moods unpredictable? 

Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder that is characterized by periods of hypomania or mania and often major depressive episodes. You may have Bipolar 1, which can cause manic episodes that are severe enough that they require hospitalization. If you have Bipolar 2 disorder, you will experience at least two weeks of a major depressive episode and at least one less severe hypomanic episode. Or, if you have cyclothymia, you will frequently swing between periods of depression and hypomania, but your symptoms may be shorter and less severe. 

Manic episodes can cause you to feel incredibly euphoric or especially irritable. You may feel like you have boundless energy, don’t need much sleep, and be more productive than usual. You may also take more risks and act more impulsively than normal, which can mean spending money recklessly, doing something dangerous, or experiencing hypersexuality. Your experience with bipolar disorder is unique to you – you might enjoy the increased productivity or euphoria you feel when manic. Or you might feel incredibly anxious and agitated. However, bipolar disorder can have many negative impacts on your life: 

• Emotion dysregulation and “crashing” after a manic episode 
• Self-harming behaviors and suicidal thoughts or attempts 
• Risky, dangerous behavior that can cause injury or death 
• Poor-decision making and impulsive spending 
• Increased use of alcohol and drugs 
• Difficulties maintaining relationships 
• Frequent changes in sleep, appetite, and energy levels
• Poor self-image or identity crises 

The goals of therapy for bipolar disorder  

It’s important to understand that bipolar disorder does not look the same for everyone. Your therapist will get to know you, ask you about your mood changes, and take time to understand your unique experiences and perspectives. The primary goal of bipolar disorder therapy is to help you regulate your mood and gain control of your mental health. Your Ellie therapist can help you: 

• Find treatments to help you regulate your mood, which can include lifestyle changes, supplements, talk therapy, and certain medications 
• Reduce risk-taking or impulsive behaviors that are negatively impacting your work, relationships, health, and finances 
• Address feelings of depression, low self-worth, social withdrawal, and thoughts of death and suicide
• Reduce substance abuse during depressive or manic episodes and develop healthy coping mechanisms
• Better understand how bipolar disorder affects your mood and behaviors and work through periods of mania or depression 

Let’s work through your bipolar disorder together

Living with bipolar disorder can be exhausting and scary. You might feel like you have little control over how you feel or act, and your mood fluctuations can cause you to struggle with your identity. It can also be challenging for your loved ones to understand your condition, and they may not know how to interact with you during periods of depression, mania, or hypomania. Your therapist will help you navigate these challenges and find stability.