A mental health condition marked by extreme swings between emotional lows and highs, bipolar disorder usually emerges before a patient leaves early adulthood. It’s possible, though rare, to develop the condition later in life.
About 2.6% of American adults suffer from bipolar disorder (BPD). Most patients experience their first symptoms in their early 20s, and while patients may struggle with BPD for the rest of their lives, it’s rare for the condition to first emerge after one’s 30th birthday. It’s not, however, impossible, and BPD can’t be ruled out on the basis of age.
Diagnosis and treatment are sometimes difficult, given the complex nature of the condition, as well as the wide range of individual variance between patients. The team at KETA Medical Center specializes in the administration of low-dose ketamine infusions as part of a BPD management plan. Ketamine shows significant results in relieving depression, both as part of BPD and that induced by other aspects of treatment.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Once referred to as manic depression, BPD sees a person swing between emotional highs and lows that can be extreme, sometimes extending into dissociation on the high side or suicidal depression at the other end of the spectrum. Most cases fall somewhere between these extremes, and most people are able to find an effective level of treatment, although it often takes time.
BPD has several forms that are distinct diagnoses rather than simply one set of symptoms that vary in severity.
Bipolar I Disorder
One or more manic episodes preceded and/or followed by a period of major depressive disorder triggers a bipolar I diagnosis. Individuals with bipolar I disorder may also experience periods of hypomania. Hypomania is a period of high emotion, but it doesn’t extend into mania territory, which can reach psychosis in some patients.
Bipolar II Disorder
Rather than simply a milder version of bipolar I, one won’t experience full blown mania with bipolar II disorder. Instead, this distinct diagnosis will be given when an individual experiences at least one episode of major depressive disorder and at least one episode of hypomania.
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymic disorder covers a period of at least two years in which alternating cycles of hypomania and depressive symptoms occur. Low points in the cycle don’t reach the level of major depression.
Ketamine Therapy for BPD
Low-dose ketamine provides the medical world with an alternative to conventional antidepressant medications. Ketamine approaches depression through an entirely different chemical perspective than traditional drugs, and it can work well in combination with these, particularly when combined with psychotherapy.
Ketamine also has the bonus of being fast-acting. Many patients feel some level of relief soon after treatment. At KETA Medical Centers, we deliver low-dose ketamine in intravenous (IV) infusions.
Find out if you’re a candidate for ketamine treatment for bipolar disorder in consultation with the experts at KETA Medical Center. Call KETA Medical Center, 201-483-3760, or schedule a free phone consultation via our website, www.ketamc.com, to discuss with one of our doctors. We have offices in Oradell, the Upper West Side of Manhattan and in New Rochelle. Call today to find out if ketamine is right for you.
Dr. Haviva Malina is an emergency medicine physician and co-founder of KETA Medical Center.
