Premier Ohio Bipolar Treatment Center

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness, yet it is treatable and recovery is possible. The Trails offers a fully integrated inpatient bipolar treatment program in Central Ohio. Call us today to learn more or for a free-obligation assessment at 866-959-9910.

Bipolar disorder affects roughly 3% of the US population and can be a debilitating condition if left untreated. Causing severe mood swings, individuals with bipolar or related disorders can have trouble regulating thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and energy. 

Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression, is characterized by extreme highs (mania) and lows (major depression). These profound changes in mood can make it difficult for people with bipolar disorder to maintain healthy relationships or have success with work or school.

When diagnosed and treated correctly, recovery and remission is possible. There are a variety of effective bipolar treatment options that enable people to live well with the condition.

Like most mental illnesses, it is believed bipolar disorder has both genetic and environmental causes. At The Trails, our residential bipolar disorder treatment program addresses both the physical and behavioral components of your condition. Through targeted medications and therapies, we empower our clients to overcome their symptoms and initiate true healing.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Unfortunately, most individuals with bipolar disorder were initially misdiagnosed with a different condition. A missed or wrong diagnosis can lead to worsening bipolar disorder, which is why it is so important to meet with experienced practitioners.

Individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder may experience at least one episode of mania or hypomania (less severe mania) and/or depressive episodes. Manic or depressive episodes can occur at any time without warning, but sometimes are triggered by stressful events. 

Manic episodes can cause impulsive and risky behavior, resulting in negative consequences, such as legal trouble, loss of job, financial instability, and more. Depressive episodes can also have severe consequences, such as self-harm or even suicide. In fact, suicide is more common with inviduals with bipolar disorder than those with depression, which is believed to be due the sudden mood swings.

Symptoms of a manic episode include:

• Euphoria
• Grandiosity and overconfidence
• Aggression
• Irritability and agitation
• Lack of sleep
• Easily distracted
• Rapid speech
• Psychosis
• Impulsive behavior, such as spending, substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, or travel
• Can last days to weeks

Many individuals with bipolar will “crash” into a depressive episode. Symptoms of depressive episodes include:

• Feelings of despair and hopelessness
• Anhedonia (lack of pleasure from anything)
• Persistent sadness
• Fatigue
• Loss of interest in hobbies or relationships
• Oversleeping
• Suicidal thoughts
• Can last hours to months

Types of Bipolar Disorder We Treat

There are actually multiple types of bipolar disorder and treatment plans will often vary depending on the type of bipolar disorder you or a loved one have been diagnosed with. There are four primary types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I

Bipolar I is the most common form of bipolar disorder. Individuals with bipolar I will have at least one episode of mania with or without a depressive episode. Individuals diagnosed with bipolar I have typically been hospitalized at least once due to a manic episode.

Bipolar I is typically treated with antidepressant medication, mood stabilizer medication, or other types of medications. At The Trails, we treat bipolar I with therapy and holistic therapies in conjunction with medication.

Bipolar II

Bipolar II is usually considered less severe than bipolar I. Individuals with bipolar II shift between hypomania (less severe mania) and depressive episodes.

Like bipolar I, bipolar II is treated with medications, counseling, group therapy, holistic therapies, and coping skills. We also help our clients identify signs of relapse, develop relapse prevention plans, and build support group networks.

Cyclothymia

Cyclothymic disorder, or cyclothymia, involves mood shifts between hypomania and depressive episodes (cycles) that last more than 2 years. The episodes do not meet the diagnostic criteria to be classified as bipolar disorder. People with cyclothymic disorder may experience states of normal mood as well.

Cyclothymia is treated with counseling, coping skills, life skills, and may even be treated with medications when necessary.

Unspecified bipolar disorder

When symptoms do not meet the criteria of the other three categories, but you still experience unusual episodes of manic mood, you may be diagnosed with unspecified bipolar disorder.

If you do not meet the criteria of bipolar I or bipolar II but still experience unexplained mood shifts, we know how disheartening it can be to not fully understand the cause of your difficult mental health symptoms. At The Trails, we help you identify the root cause of your symptoms and develop a treatment action plan regardless of your diagnosis.

Your Bipolar Treatment Plan at Our Ohio Rehab

At The Ohio Mental Health Center at The Trails, we don’t just treat acute symptoms. Our residential bipolar treatment program offers a fully integrated approach that fosters true healing. This is achieved by addressing all components of mood disorders – physical, emotional, and behavioral.

Our program is unlocked and completely voluntary. We aren’t a crisis center, but some clients may be stabilized at a crisis center prior to admission at The Trails. For bipolar disorder, this may be after stabilization due to a manic episode. Rather than going back to normal day to day life after hospitalization, our program offers a longer term treatment model designed to prevent relapse.

At The Trails, first your dedicated team of physicians and clinicians will tailor an individualized treatment plan based on your genetics, past experiences, social & cultural factors, and habits. Treatment plans often include:

• Medication
• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Holistic therapies, such as meditation, art therapy, adventure therapy
• Nutrition and personal fitness
• Vocational support
• Case management
• Aftercare planning

For questions or for a personalized assessment, call us toll-free today 866-959-9910.

Another key benefit of our program is living with other people in recovery. This helps you or a loved one develop a peer support group, which we believe is a vital component of recovery. Peer support creates accountability and helps our clients fill the social needs that are critical for reaching their full potential.

You may associate peer support with addiction recovery, but there are also peer support groups and meetings, such as NAMI, designed specifically for those in recovery from mental illness. These have been shown to be highly effective at preventing relapse and increasing treatment retention.

Helping A Loved One With Bipolar Disorder

We know how heartbroken and powerless friends and families can feel about a loved one suffering from bipolar disorder. You may be nervous about what the future holds, or you may even be frustrated that they didn’t continue previous treatment plans.

The best way to help a loved one is to become educated about bipolar disorder, signs of a relapse, and treatment options. It’s important to remember bipolar disorder is not a character flaw or a weakness. It is a real brain disorder.

People with bipolar disorder sometimes quit, skip, or refuse medication. From an outside perspective, this can sometimes be difficult to understand in the light of the negative consequences they may be experiencing. The unfortunate reality is this is often just a characteristic of the disorder.

Manic episodes can create feelings of extreme euphoria, grandiosity, and confidence. Some people with bipolar disorder actually report enjoying manic episodes. A manic episode can especially seem like a relief if the individual is coming out of a major depressive episode.

That said, manic episodes often become destabilizing and self-destructive, which is why treatment is critical. 

When people start medication for bipolar disorder, they sometimes may report feeling “flat.” This is because medications help prevent the extreme highs and lows, bringing your loved one in a more healthy range of emotion. This healthy range, at first, can almost feel “emotionless” when you are used to a roller coaster of emotions. Without proper support, people may feel as if “they aren’t themselves anymore” when starting medication.

This could not be further from the truth, but people with bipolar disorder often greatly benefit from therapy and peer support to help them adjust to their new normal. They may also experience unwanted side effects from medication, which is another reason residential treatment can be so beneficial. While in a safe environment, your loved one can try different medications to find one that reduces side effects while keeping bipolar symptoms manageable. 

Bipolar disorder can be devastating when left untreated. Even if a loved one is defensive about treatment, it’s important to keep in mind that getting them treatment is the best thing you can do for their health and future.

If you are concerned about a loved one and need help, never hesitate to reach out to us. Our specialists can give advice on approaching a loved one. We also recommend reading this article about helping a loved one with a mood disorder.

Bipolar Recovery Is A Phone Call Away!

Think you’re ready for the next step? A compassionate specialist is standing by 24/7 at 866-959-9910.

We have a two step admission process. Over the phone, we can help answer questions and verify insurance benefits. Then, we schedule a 20-minute assessment over the phone. If The Trails sounds like a fit for you or a loved one, we help arrange transportation and admission. This can usually all happen same-day.

If you just have questions or concerns, we still encourage you to reach out. Our accommodative staff are more than happy to help in any way we can.