The Challenges of Managing Bipolar Disorder
In Australia, it’s estimated that 2.2 percent of the population lives with a type of bipolar disorder, a chronic mental health condition that causes severe highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). For many people, extreme fluctuations in their mood, thinking, energy levels and behaviour can seriously impact day-to-day life, leading to problems with relationships, study, employment, money, and physical health.
With appropriate support and treatment, many people can learn to manage their symptoms and live meaningful, fulfilling lives. Bipolar psychologists in Melbourne can provide evidence-based therapies as part of a broader treatment plan developed with a qualified mental health team. However, the path to diagnosis is often long and bumpy, and as 34-year-old Imogen* discovered, finding the right balance of therapy and medications can be equally difficult.
Slowly escalating patterns of behaviour
Imogen experienced her first depressive episode when she was 17 years old, which the family GP chalked up to teenage hormones and the recent divorce of her parents. There were other signs. Impulsive behaviour like sneaking out to drink, constant friendship dramas, and a tendency to be withdrawn or quick to anger at home. But Imogen was also a good student and did well in her VCE, so it seemed likely that the less favourable behaviour was simply teenage boundary-pushing.
In her twenties, Imogen’s life was punctuated with increasingly chaotic fluctuations. Periods of heavy drinking and skipping uni classes were followed by intense all-night study sessions before exams. By her third year, she had dropped out. She worked in retail on and off, and moved out of home on multiple occasions, only to return because she’d run out of money. Romantic relationships inevitably ended when she was unfaithful.
At 26, Imogen was prescribed antidepressants. She briefly saw a psychologist Melbourne friends had recommended to her. She decided to stop drinking. And at 28, she fell in love with the man she thought she would marry.
Her mother told her, “Maybe you’re finally growing up.”
And then at 30, when an unexpected but much-wanted pregnancy ended in miscarriage, Imogen experienced rapid cycling episodes of depression and mania. It was the catalyst for her first hospitalisation and an official diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
The post-diagnosis struggle
With the diagnosis came a complex range of emotions. Fear, shame, and even some scepticism. But with therapy and a combination of mood stabilisers and antipsychotics prescribed by a psychiatrist, Imogen felt hopeful, too.
Unfortunately, the path to stability was anything but smooth.
Finding the right combination and dosage of bipolar medications can take time, and what works for one person may not work for another. For Imogen, the process of adjusting meds went on for more than a year. The emotional rollercoaster of cross-tapering medications was difficult and, on one occasion, triggered a manic episode.
Juggling appointments was exhausting, especially because the medication often made Imogen feel too drowsy to drive. Her psychologist was within walking distance from where she lived with her partner, but seeing her psychiatrist involved catching a bus and a train there and back. Managing work felt impossible, and Imogen quickly used up all her sick leave. When her relationship eventually fell apart, she had no choice but to move home.
A hopeful path forward
Moving in with her mum at 31 was not her dream, but two years on, Imogen’s life has stabilised. She found a new team of psychiatrists and psychologists Fitzroy based, an easy walk from her mum’s house, which has made attending appointments so much easier. All located within the one clinic, Imogen’s team works collaboratively on her long-term treatment plan, which currently includes a psychiatrist for pharmacological therapy and a psychologist for evidence-based psychological therapies, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT).
Reimagining her life after diagnosis has been challenging, and there are days when Imogen grieves the years she lost while untreated. But with the support of her team, she’s developing strategies for managing her bipolar, and discovering that well-structured treatment and support can help people find stability and open up new possibilities for meaningful participation in life.
* Imogen is a composite example created to reflect common experiences of people living with bipolar disorder. This story is for general information only and does not represent any real patient or guarantee any treatment outcome.
This article is provided as general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Everyone’s experience of bipolar disorder is different, and treatment should always be planned in partnership with a qualified health professional.
If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call 000 in an emergency or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.