Next Steps

Follow-up

Take your medication as directed. You will very likely be tempted to stop your medication. Many people with bipolar disorder do so. Don't do so. Instead, talk it over with your health-care provider. Stopping your medication will probably cause your symptoms to come back. It may also cause uncomfortable or alarming withdrawal symptoms.

Depending on which medication is used, you may need regular blood tests to monitor levels and to check for side effects of the drug.

You should have regular appointments with your health-care provider to see how well the treatment is working and detect any instability of your mood.

Regular sessions with a psychotherapist or counselor are also important.

Ongoing education for you and your family is crucial to help everyone deal with the disease.

You and your family should be taught to watch for early warning signs of crisis and ways to deal with stress to prevent recurrences.

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Bipolar Disorder (Mania) - Effective Treatments

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