Conditions · Bipolar disorder
Help for bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder causes real shifts in mood, energy, and activity, from emotional highs to deep lows. It is more than ordinary mood swings, and it is often mistaken for depression. With an accurate diagnosis and steady treatment, people with bipolar disorder live full, stable lives. Dr. McDade diagnoses and treats it by secure video across Texas and California, for ages 12 to 70.
The signs
What bipolar disorder looks like.
Bipolar disorder moves between two kinds of episodes, with steadier stretches in between. The highs and the lows can each last days or weeks.
During a high (mania or hypomania)
- Unusually high energy or elation
- Needing far less sleep, but not feeling tired
- Racing thoughts and fast speech
- Starting many projects at once
- Risky choices with money, driving, or sex
- Feeling invincible, or unusually irritable
During a low (depression)
- A deep low mood that will not lift
- Losing interest in things you enjoy
- Low energy and trouble functioning
- Sleeping too much, or too little
- Feeling hopeless or worthless
- Thoughts that life is not worth living
The National Institute of Mental Health reports that an estimated 2.8 percent of U.S. adults have bipolar disorder in a given year.
Why diagnosis matters
Why bipolar is often mistaken for depression.
Most people reach out for help during a low, not a high. The highs can feel good or productive, so they rarely get reported. From the outside, what shows up looks a lot like depression. That is why bipolar disorder is so often missed at first.
Getting the diagnosis right matters, because the medications that help bipolar disorder are different from those used for depression alone. An accurate evaluation looks at the whole pattern, the highs and the lows, so your treatment fits what you actually have.
Treatment
How a psychiatrist treats bipolar disorder.
Treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis that looks at your full history. From there, Dr. McDade builds a plan with you, usually centered on mood-stabilizing medication management, with a referral to therapy when that will help. Bipolar disorder responds well to steady, ongoing care, so follow-up visits are a real part of staying stable.
“Bipolar disorder is not a life sentence of chaos. With the right diagnosis and steady care, the highs and lows even out, and people get their lives back.”
Care with Dr. McDade
What your care looks like.
Your first visit is unhurried, and runs 60 to 90 minutes. You talk through your history, your symptoms, and your goals. You leave with a clear diagnosis and a plan you understand.
Follow-up visits keep your mood steady and adjust your plan as life changes. All of it happens by secure video, from a private, familiar space. Meet Dr. McDade.
Questions, answered
Bipolar disorder FAQ.
Is bipolar disorder the same as mood swings?
No. Ordinary mood swings pass in minutes or hours. Bipolar disorder involves distinct episodes of high or low mood that last for days or longer and affect how you function.
What is the difference between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2?
Bipolar 1 involves full manic episodes. Bipolar 2 involves hypomania, which is a milder high, along with episodes of depression. Both are real, and both are treatable.
Can bipolar disorder be mistaken for depression?
Yes, and it often is. People usually seek help during the lows, and the highs go unreported. An accurate evaluation looks for both, because the right diagnosis changes the treatment.
Can bipolar disorder be treated with medication?
Yes. Mood-stabilizing medication is the foundation of treatment. Dr. McDade matches the plan to you and follows up closely to keep your mood steady over time.
Can you treat bipolar disorder online?
Yes. Bipolar disorder is well suited to telepsychiatry, with steady follow-up by secure video across Texas and California.
When should I get help for bipolar disorder?
If your mood and energy swing in ways that disrupt your work, your relationships, or your safety, it is worth talking with a psychiatrist. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911.
If your mood and energy swing in ways that disrupt your work, your relationships, or your safety, it is worth talking with a psychiatrist. Health & Harmony Psychiatry does not provide emergency care. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911.
Begin when you are ready
Steady ground is possible.
Book a private first visit with Dr. McDade, or reach our team with a question. Care is available by secure video across Texas and California.