Seeking Therapy For Bipolar Disorder

By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C

The world is beautiful and everything is amazing. Colors look more vibrant and music sounds incredible. She could listen to it all day. She’s finding that she has a ton of energy, despite sleeping a lot less lately. She feels like she is on top of the world. Ideas flow out of her mouth quickly; people are looking at her funny at times because she is speaking so rapidly. And money doesn’t matter anymore. She feels more impulsive than ever and keeps “adding to cart” online. Shopping has never felt so appealing. 

She starts to believe that she has special powers, which she can use to bring the universe and world to a state of peace. She feels she is so important that Taylor Swift is directly speaking to her in her music. Her friends and family are concerned about her - but she’s not quite sure what the problem is. 

It feels amazing, until it doesn’t. Her mood is starting to dip and she’s beginning to feel embarrassed about all of the impulsive things she has said and done. The guilt and anxiety is also creeping in about how much money she has spent - on things that she did not need. 

And then comes the crash. She is exhausted. Sleeping 12 hours a night, but waking up tired. It’s an effort to even take a shower or make a cup of coffee. Her mind starts telling her that maybe it would be better off for everyone if she wasn’t here. That she is a terrible burden. That there is no use living this way (depression tells a LOT of lies).

This cycle is becoming exhausting and she feels so trapped and tired. She also feels very alone, like no one else in her life understands what she is going through. She wishes there were people in her life who “got it.”

**This is an example of bipolar 1. Everyones specific symptoms can look a bit different, however there typically commonalities. 

Living with Untreated Bipolar Disorder Is Exhausting.

While bipolar disorder is a chronic condition, there absolutely is hope for better management of the symptoms and for being able to pursue your life values.

Many therapists and psychiatrists are not trained in treating and supporting those with bipolar disorder and it can feel frustrating when one is seeing a provider who doesn’t know how to help them.

Therapeutic treatments that can be helpful for individuals with bipolar disorder include interpersonal social rhythm therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy for bipolar, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Additionally, trained therapists have skills and tools for helping you to better manage triggers and episodes-when they occur.

No two people with bipolar disorder are the exactly same, however, there are strategies and tools that can help.

Having a therapist who is skilled in working with individuals with bipolar disorder, as well as a psychiatrist who is also trained in this area, can be life-changing.

Living with bipolar disorder that is untreated and also feeling the burden of stigma, while feeling alone and misunderstood, can be highly exhausting.

There Is Hope.

Working with professionals who are highly knowledgeable about bipolar disorder can feel refreshing and hopeful. 

Check out our other blog about bipolar disorder:

• Tips For Coping With Bipolar Disorder

Our practice sees individuals with bipolar disorder for virtual therapy in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.

If you are struggling with bipolar disorder click the link below to schedule a free 15 min phone consultation with a therapist.

Click here.

The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California, serving those in cities including Palo Alto, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Jose, and Beverly Hills. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com