Essay on The Efficacy of Lithium in Treating Bipolar...

The Efficacy of Lithium in Treating Bipolar Disorder Lithium is a psychotropic drug that became available in 1970 as a mood stabilizing medication for the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder. It has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of manic states, as well as the depression that is concomitant with bipolar disorder. Much research has been done in the short duration of lithiums employment to evaluate its efficacy and side effects. As stated above, Lithium stabilizes the mood of a bipolar patient, preventing a relapse into either mania or depression (Kalat, 2004, p.472). Bipolar disorder (also known as manic- depressive illness), is characterized by the presence of the following symptoms: motor†¦show more content†¦Prior to pursuing treatment for these symptoms however, the type of bipolar disorder a person has should be clarified. People who have a history of manic episodes are diagnosed as bipolar I depressives, while bipolar II depression is characterized by a history of hypomania, which can go undetected. The main difference between hypomania and mania is that the former induces rapid thoughts which lead to feelings of euphoric elation and omnipotence, whereas rapid thoughts in the latter induce feelings of anger, fear, confusion, and uncontrollability. It is important to remember that people suffering from bipolar disorder often have periods of normal behavior in between their mania and depression. It is the abnormal behaviors that lithium aims to modify, and several primary behavior changes occur once a patient is on lithium treatment. To begin, the Food and Drug Administration warns that lithium is harmful to the offspring of pregnant and nursing mothers (2005, 5). The FDA further warns that, the ability to tolerate lithium is greater during the acute manic phase and decreases when symptoms subside (2005, 8). Therefore, in order to avoid neurotoxicity from lithium which can lead to fatality, patients must consult a physician regularly to be sure they are not consuming excessive doses. Lithium appears to be the most effectiveShow MoreRelatedThe Social Discourse Of Bipolar Disorder1643 Words   |  7 PagesThe social discourse of bipolar disorder is often punctuated by the classic manic episodes manifesting as symptoms such as distractibility, pressured speech, decreased need for sleep, euphoric mood, grandiosity, and problems with impulse control [17]. These classic periods of high energy are often intertwined in a cyclical fashion with periods of depressive symptoms, much of the time mee ting criteria for major depressive disorder, as well as periods with no symptoms [17]. 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