How is bipolar disorder managed?

Question

Hello doctor,

My best friend is suffering from bipolar disorder. Sometimes she behaves good, and sometimes she behaves crazily. She even begins to hit us if we go to meet her. So many of our friends avoid visiting her. But whenever she feels she is in a good mood, she calls me and says that none of our friends are visiting her after her illness. As she is worried about it, sometimes I go to meet her. Mostly, she behaves well, and her mother said that the doctor has started giving her a new medicine Vraylar 1.5 mg, and they feel the medicine is doing some good to her. Will the effect be permanent? Will she forever recover from that illness?

Please suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Thank you for taking help from a psychiatrist. She has bipolar type 1 mood disorder. If it is her first episode and mild symptoms with less duration then she needs to take medication for at least six months and then stop it. If there is a relapse, then she needs to take medication for three years. We can not say anything about her future until we get further details. If it is severe and long duration, then she may have a permanent illness and need to take medication for a long time. Other factors also play a role like substance abuse, family history, education, job, and relationship history for her mental illness. I hope that you get my point. Please let me know if you want some help.

Thank you and take care.