Master Plan Health Concepts

08/05/2025

Psychotherapy
Therapy is an essential component of treatment for bipolar disorder. While medication can help manage the biological aspects of the condition, therapy addresses the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects.

Effective Therapy Approaches:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps individuals with bipolar disorder identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that can contribute to mood swings. It also provides coping strategies for managing stress and preventing relapses.
Psychoeducation: This form of therapy involves educating individuals about bipolar disorder, helping them understand their symptoms, treatment options, and the importance of medication adherence. Psychoeducation also extends to family members, helping them support their loved one effectively.
Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT): This therapy focuses on stabilizing daily routines, such as sleep, meals, and exercise, which can help regulate mood. It also addresses interpersonal issues that may arise due to bipolar disorder.
Family Therapy: Involving family members in therapy can improve communication, reduce conflicts, and create a more supportive home environment. Family therapy helps relatives understand bipolar disorder and learn how to provide the right kind of support.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices to help individuals manage intense emotions and reduce impulsive behaviors. It’s particularly useful for those with co-occurring conditions like borderline personality disorder or substance use. #20774 #207747 #207740 #207745 #207749

07/15/2025

Abilify's unique mechanism as a partial agonist at dopamine D2 receptors is thought to be key to its effectiveness. In the mesolimbic pathway (associated with reward and motivation), it can reduce excessive dopamine activity, which is often linked to psychotic symptoms. In the mesocortical pathway (involved in cognition and executive functions), it can increase dopamine activity, potentially improving negative symptoms and cognitive deficits.

Abilify also influences serotonin neurotransmission. It is an antagonist at 5-HT2A receptors and an agonist at 5-HT1A receptors, which helps to further regulate mood, behavior, and cognition.

https://masterplanhealthconcepts.org,

Transform your mental health with compassionate, expert ADHD and Bipolar Disorder care at MPHC. Reclaim your balance, peace, and well-being today.

07/13/2025

Abilify (aripiprazole) for bipolar disorder
Abilify, also known as aripiprazole, is an atypical antipsychotic medication often prescribed to treat bipolar disorder. It manages mood swings and other symptoms linked to the condition, especially manic and mixed episodes.
Abilify is used in the following ways for bipolar disorder:
Manic and mixed episodes: It is approved to treat acute manic and mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in adults and children aged 10-17 years. It can be used alone or combined with other mood stabilizers like lithium or valproate.
Maintenance treatment: Abilify is used for ongoing maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder to prevent mood episode recurrence.
://masterplanhealthconcepts.org, #20774 #207747 #207740 #207745 #207749

Transform your mental health with compassionate, expert ADHD and Bipolar Disorder care at MPHC. Reclaim your balance, peace, and well-being today.

07/08/2025

Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a lifelong mood disorder and mental health condition that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior. These shifts can last for hours, days, weeks or months and interrupt your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are a few types of bipolar disorder, which involve experiencing significant fluctuations in mood referred to as hypomanic/manic and depressive episodes. However, people with bipolar disorder aren’t always in a hypomanic/manic or depressive state. They also experience periods of normal mood, known as euthymia.

Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a lifelong mood disorder and mental health condition that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior. These shifts can last for hours, days, weeks or months and interrupt your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are a few types of bipolar disorder, which involve experiencing significant fluctuations in mood referred to as hypomanic/manic and depressive episodes. However, people with bipolar disorder aren’t always in a hypomanic/manic or depressive state. They also experience periods of normal mood, known as euthymia.

Manic episodes

A key feature of bipolar I disorder is manic episodes. To meet the criteria for bipolar I disorder, you must have had at least one manic episode in your life for at least a week with or without ever experiencing a depressive episode.

Mania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, as well as extreme changes in emotions, thoughts, energy, talkativeness and activity level. This highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior is a change from your usual self and is noticeable by others.

People who are in manic states may indulge in activities that cause them physical, social or financial harm, such as suddenly spending or gambling extreme amounts of money or driving recklessly. They also occasionally develop psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, which can cause difficulties in distinguishing bipolar disorder from other disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

07/04/2025

Medications
Medication is often the cornerstone of treatment for bipolar disorder. The goal of medication is to stabilize mood swings and prevent the occurrence of manic or depressive episodes. Because bipolar disorder presents differently in each individual, finding the right medication or combination of medications can require some trial and error.

Common Medications for Bipolar Disorder:

Mood Stabilizers: These are the most commonly prescribed medications for bipolar disorder and are used to prevent mood swings. Lithium is one of the most well-known mood stabilizers and has been used for decades. Other options include anticonvulsants like valproate (Depakote) and lamotrigine (Lamictal).
Antipsychotics: These medications are often used when mood stabilizers alone are not effective. They can help manage symptoms of mania and, in some cases, depression. Common antipsychotics include olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), and aripiprazole (Abilify).
Antidepressants: While these medications can be helpful in treating the depressive episodes of bipolar disorder, they must be used with caution, as they can sometimes trigger manic episodes. Antidepressants are often prescribed in combination with mood stabilizers or antipsychotics to reduce this risk.
Benzodiazepines: These medications are sometimes used on a short-term basis to manage anxiety or insomnia associated with bipolar disorder, but they are not typically recommended for long-term use due to the risk of dependence.

07/04/2025

Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition characterized by extreme mood swings, including episodes of mania or hypomania (elevated or irritable mood) and depression. These mood shifts can significantly impact a person’s daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. While bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, effective treatments are available that can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. In this blog post, we will explore the best treatments for bipolar disorder, focusing on medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and the importance of ongoing support.

06/06/2025

Record numbers in UK taking ADHD medication, NHS data shows
A record number of people in England are taking medication used to treat ADHD, data shows, underlining a surge in the number of diagnoses.

Almost 278,000 patients in England were prescribed central nervous system stimulants (CNS) and drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between April 2023 and March 2024, latest NHS Business Services Authority data shows.

#20774 #207747 #207740 #207745 #207749

06/01/2025

Millions of kids on ADHD meds decide their treatment as adults
ADHD is a disorder that deals with the inability to focus, and it comes in three types: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive and combined. A person with the inattentive type of ADHD – also called attention-deficit disorder, or ADD – has trouble following directions or paying attention to details and is easily distracted.

A person with the hyperactive type of ADHD is restless, has trouble sitting still and is impulsive. A person with the combined type has equal amounts of inattentiveness and hyperactiveness. The CDC says these children are impulsive and restless, whereas children with ADD do not have the hyperactivity characteristic.

Pediatricians and child psychiatrists typically give parents a few treatment options: medication, behavior modification or both. Nearly 43% of children with ADHD in America are treated with medication alone. Some commonly prescribed medications are amphetamine/dextroamphetamine, known as Adderall; methylphenidate, known as Concerta or Ritalin; and lisdexamfetamine, known as Vyvanse.

11/16/2024

Medications
Antidepressant medications can be highly effective in treating moderate to severe depression, especially when combined with therapy. These medications work by balancing chemicals in the brain that affect mood and emotions.

Common Types of Antidepressants:

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): SSRIs are often the first choice of medication for depression due to their relatively mild side effects. Common SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and escitalopram (Lexapro).
Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): SNRIs, such as venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta), work by increasing levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. They are often prescribed when SSRIs are not effective.
Atypical Antidepressants: These include medications like bupropion (Wellbutrin) and mirtazapine (Remeron), which work differently from SSRIs and SNRIs. Atypical antidepressants are often used when other treatments are not effective or cause side effects.
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): TCAs, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, are older antidepressants that can be effective but are generally used when other treatments have not worked due to their potential for more significant side effects.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs): MAOIs, such as phenelzine (Nardil), are another older class of antidepressants that are usually reserved for cases where other treatments have failed, due to dietary restrictions and potential side effects.

11/16/2024

11/16/2024

#20774