Bipolar Treatment
Is Bipolar Disorder Affecting Your Quality Of Life?
Do your mood fluctuations seem extreme, unpredictable, or beyond your control?
Are periods of expansive, euphoric, or irritable mood accompanied by increased productivity, impulsivity, or indiscretion?
Have you ever been diagnosed with or wondered if you have bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder—sometimes referred to as manic-depressive disorder—is characterized by periods of mania and/or hypomania. When experiencing mania or hypomania, you might notice increased energy, talkativeness, impulsivity, and inflated self-esteem.
As a result, you may make choices that have negative consequences or that you might not make otherwise, including reckless driving and overspending. During manic or hypomanic episodes, pleasure may be sought at all costs, which can negatively impact your work, relationships, and overall physical and emotional health.
Living with bipolar disorder can be uncomfortable, especially as you struggle to predict and regulate your mood. Yet a stable, consistent experience of life is possible. In treatment for bipolar disorder through Mindful Mental and Behavioral Health PLLC, you can receive individualized psychiatric medication management services, therapeutic interventions, and support from our qualified specialists.
Meaningful Structural And Societal Supports Are Not Widely Available To Individuals Struggling With Bipolar Disorder
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that close to 3 percent of American adults have a bipolar diagnosis. Of that population, 83 percent experience severe symptoms. Severe mania or hypomania can greatly compromise one’s quality of life, which is why it’s important to seek treatment when symptoms of bipolar disorder or manic depression arise.
Unfortunately, many people with bipolar disorder are mischaracterized. They may be written off as defiant or “acting out,” when in reality, there is a deeper mental health issue going on beneath the surface. Not only does this misconception cause people with bipolar disorder to be viewed as making excuses for their behaviors—it stigmatizes bipolar disorder in a way that prevents individuals from receiving the diagnosis, treatment, and support they need.
A therapist or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) has the necessary training and qualifications for identifying and treating bipolar disorder. Working together, you can determine the treatment interventions—including psychiatric medications, lifestyle changes, and counseling—to relieve bipolar-related symptoms in a lasting, sustainable way. As you learn more about the effect that bipolar disorder has had on your life, you can better recognize and address oncoming symptoms.
Bipolar Treatment At Mindful Mental And Behavioral Health PLLC
An essential tenet of bipolar treatment is prevention. As you learn to adjust your lifestyle, decrease stress, and establish meaningful boundaries, you will likely be less vulnerable to severe symptoms and more aware of when a bipolar episode is developing. Aside from comprehensive psychiatric medication management, many stress-reduction and coping skills can be accomplished through treatment, which will help symptoms feel more stable and will help you feel more satisfied in general.
What To Expect
To get started with one of our bipolar disorder specialists, schedule an appointment with one of our therapists or PMHNPs. During this initial visit, you will have an opportunity to assess whether the provider is a good fit for your needs and schedule ongoing treatment sessions if appropriate.
In early treatment sessions, we will take time to explore past episodes of bipolar disorder and the situations that trigger symptoms.
Through this work, you will be able to develop a stronger radar for detecting symptoms. And as we adjust your medications and coping skills as necessary, you will become increasingly efficient in minimizing the effects of an episode or preventing an episode from happening altogether. Treatment for bipolar disorder involves a lot of self-awareness, so a big aspect of our work together will be ensuring you have the clarity and identification skills needed to manage symptoms.
Reducing the frequency and severity of bipolar episodes is possible through tailored treatment and counseling. As you make strides toward prevention, symptoms will feel more stable and you will feel more at ease in your day-to-day life.
Still Have Questions About Psychiatric Medications, Treatment, And Therapy For Bipolar Disorder?
I’m worried about being judged or labeled if given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
While the mental health stigma is certainly real, especially as it relates to issues of bipolar disorder, diagnoses are meant to foster self-awareness and acceptance—not judgment. In better understanding your moods and the way your unique brain works, you can develop skills and insights for managing symptoms. Treatment for bipolar disorder at Mindful Mental and Behavioral Health PLLC is meant to open doors, not close them.
If I am given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, people will automatically assume that I am impulsive, unpredictable, and unworthy.
Everyone is different, and the symptoms of bipolar disorder vary from person to person; not everyone experiences impulsivity and indiscretion.
If, however, you do struggle with impulsivity and indiscretion, treatment for bipolar disorder is a valuable opportunity to manage symptoms. Effective therapy techniques and psychiatric medication management are just a couple of elements of treatment that can help decrease impulsive behaviors related to bipolar disorder. As you become more aware of the situations that lead to impulsivity or indiscretion, you will have a more substantial toolbox to manage these behaviors or reduce them entirely.
The symptoms of bipolar disorder I experience are so deeply ingrained; nothing will help me get better.
It’s important to understand that bipolar disorder is treatable. Even if you have struggled with symptoms for a long time, there is hope for relief. Our therapists are qualified to offer supportive counseling and our PMHNPs are qualified to prescribe psychiatric medications—two interventions that can effectively address symptoms of bipolar disorder in a lasting way.
Our approach to treatment is individualized, addressing your unique experience of bipolar disorder. Not only can treatment help reduce the severity of your symptoms—it can decrease the frequency of manic and/or hypomanic episodes altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Practice
Sessions are conducted primarily online via telehealth. If you are interested in meeting with a provider in-person, please contact our office at (207) 316-2609 to discuss availability for in-person sessions.
- In general, we accept Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (Anthem, Premera, Regence, etc.), Cigna, PacificSource, and Providence. That said, the insurances our providers work with can vary from provider to provider. To learn what insurances a provider accepts, please visit their About page or contact our office at (207) 316-2609. In addition, we recommend that you check with your insurance company prior to initiating services to ensure we are in-network and to determine your patient responsibility for sessions. If at any time we discover we are not in-network with your insurance, you will be responsible for the full costs of all sessions (past and future).
- We do not accept Medicaid and Medicare.
- We do not work with EAPs.
- In addition to the accepted insurances listed above, our services are available to self-pay clients and those with out-of-network benefits.
For individuals using insurance to cover appointments, the cost of appointments is determined by each insurance’s contracted rates with our organization. Thus, the cost of appointments may be notably different than the cost of appointments for individuals who are self-pay. Furthermore, the cost of appointments may vary from session to session depending on several factors to include the length of the appointment and the complexity of the appointment. If you plan to use insurance, our office can provide a better estimate of costs once you provide your insurance information. Please contact us at (207) 316-2609 if you require further assistance.
For individuals who are self-pay:
Rates vary depending on type of service (therapy vs. medication management) and length of session. Please contact our office for additional information.
Payments are completed through our patient portal. Payments can be made using major credit/debit cards (American Express, Visa, Mastercard, etc.) as well as FSAs and HSAs.
Our policy is to collect payments before rendering services. However, we cannot always predict the cost of sessions in advance because services and length of sessions may vary from appointment to appointment. For clients using insurance, you will likely be responsible for either a co-pay or for paying the full costs of sessions until your deductible is met. Please ensure you fully understand your insurance benefits to prevent future billing concerns.
Regardless of your insurance status and payment method, we will always be as up-front with you as possible about the cost of treatment.
- We have therapists with immediate availability. To schedule an intake assessment with one of our therapists, please visit our scheduling page.
- To inquire about medication management services with our PMHNP, please contact our office at (207) 316-2609.
Clients must cancel or reschedule appointments at least 48 hours before their appointment. If appointments are not canceled or rescheduled with at least 48 hours’ notice, or if clients do not show to their appointment, they will be charged a late cancellation fee of $150. To ensure we treat all clients consistently and ethically and to be respectful of our providers’ time, we must enforce our late cancellation and no-show policy. Fees incurred for late cancellations and no shows are out-of-pockets expenses. They cannot be billed to insurance.
You Deserve Peace And Stability
If you experience symptoms of mania or hypomania, or suspect a bipolar disorder diagnosis, treatment at Mindful Mental and Behavioral Health PLLC can help you find greater stability and support. Schedule an appointment today or call (207) 316–2609 to learn more about our bipolar disorder specialists.