Bipolar Disorder
Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Signs, Experiences and How We Help
Living with bipolar disorder can sometimes feel unpredictable or overwhelming. Changes in mood, energy, sleep and thinking can affect relationships, work, study and everyday life. For some people, it can also take time to understand what is happening, particularly following a first episode of mania or hypomania.
With appropriate treatment and support, many people with bipolar disorder are able to manage their symptoms, recognise their individual warning signs and live full and meaningful lives.
Below is a guide to some of the common experiences associated with bipolar disorder and how psychological therapy can help.
How Bipolar Disorder Can Show Up
Bipolar disorder is characterised by significant changes in mood and energy that extend beyond the normal ups and downs we all experience. This can include periods of depression as well as episodes of mania or hypomania. The frequency, intensity and duration of these episodes can vary considerably from person to person.
Mania and hypomania
During periods of elevated mood, you may feel unusually energetic, confident or driven. You might need significantly less sleep than usual without feeling tired, have lots of ideas or plans, speak or think more quickly, or feel an increased urge to socialise, work or take on new projects.
For some people, elevated mood feels enjoyable or productive initially, making it difficult to recognise that something is changing. As symptoms increase, however, you may become more irritable, impulsive or overwhelmed.
Mania can also involve impaired judgement, risky or uncharacteristic behaviour, and in some cases symptoms of psychosis.
Depression
Periods of depression can involve persistent low mood, loss of interest or enjoyment, fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulties with concentration and feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.
After a manic or hypomanic episode, depression can be particularly difficult. You may also find yourself dealing with the emotional or practical consequences of decisions made while your mood was elevated.
How Psychological Treatment Can Help
Psychological therapy can be an important part of treatment for bipolar disorder, alongside appropriate medical care.
Our role is to help you develop a better understanding of your individual mood patterns, recognise changes early and build practical strategies that support stability while helping you continue to pursue a meaningful life.
Skills and strategies that can make a difference
Depending on your individual needs, therapy may include:
- Mood monitoring to help you recognise patterns and changes in mood, energy and sleep
- Early warning sign identification so you can recognise when your mood may be beginning to shift
- Relapse-prevention planning to develop a clear plan for responding to early signs of depression, hypomania or mania
- Sleep and routine strategies to support greater stability in your daily rhythms
- Stress-management strategies to reduce vulnerability during periods of increased pressure
- Strategies for depression to gradually rebuild activity, motivation and connection
- Strategies for elevated mood to slow things down, protect sleep and reduce impulsive or high-risk decisions
- Psychological support following an episode to process what happened, rebuild confidence and manage feelings such as regret, embarrassment or uncertainty
Where appropriate, we can also work collaboratively with your GP or psychiatrist to support coordinated care.
Living Well With Bipolar Disorder
A diagnosis of bipolar disorder does not define who you are or what your life can look like.
For many people, learning to manage bipolar disorder involves becoming increasingly familiar with their own patterns including knowing what helps them stay well, recognising subtle changes early and having a plan in place before symptoms become more difficult to manage.
Over time, psychological therapy can help you build confidence in managing your mental health while continuing to pursue relationships, work, interests and goals that are important to you.
If you have recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, are recovering from an episode, or would like support maintaining your wellbeing and preventing future episodes, we can work with you to develop strategies tailored to your individual needs.
Urgent Support or Acute Symptoms
Our clinic provides outpatient psychological therapy and is not an emergency or crisis mental health service.
If you or someone you care about is currently experiencing an acute manic, depressive or psychotic episode (particularly where there is severe behavioural change, significant risk-taking, inability to sleep, suicidal thoughts, severe confusion or difficulty staying safe), more immediate assessment and support may be required.
For urgent help in Western Australia, please contact:
- Your local community mental health Assessment and Treatment Team (ATT),
- The Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL) on 1300 555 788 (24/7), or
- 000 if there is immediate risk to safety.
Once you or your loved one are receiving appropriate medical and psychiatric support, psychological therapy can play a valuable role in recovery, understanding what happened, and building confidence moving forward.
