Most people with bipolar disorder can be helped - but a psychiatrist or psychologist should first diagnose the disorder. Failure to diagnose and treat this disorder can prove fatal. Sometimes undiagnosed bipolar disorder patient end up in a psychiatric hospital or residential treatment centers and may attempt suicide.

Children and teens with bipolar disorder do not usually show the same patterns of behavior as adults who have a similar condition. A mental health professional has to observe a teen's behavior carefully before making a diagnosis. For treatment of this disorder a complete history of the person's past and present experiences is very essential. Family members and friends should provide helpful insights into the person's behavior, and the doctor may also want a teen to have a medical exam to rule out other conditions.

Medication and psychotherapy are known to be effective treatments for bipolar disorder. Occasionally, doctors may also use electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Psychotherapy is often used simultaneously with medications. Detecting the patterns leading up to episodes of bipolar disorder and trying to identify triggers for these episodes is very important. Patterns may include use of medications or anything that happens physically or emotionally.

Psychotherapy helps provide strategies for managing stress and coping with suspicions. Basic education about the nature of the disorder also helps to understand ones behavior. Doctors may use electroconvulsive therapy for treatment mainly for people who may have episodes of depression associated with suicidal tendencies or in people whose medication has proved to be ineffective.

In this treatment electrodes are taped to the patients head and he is anesthetized. After a muscle relaxant is injected, a small amount of electrical current is passed through the brain for less than a second. This current produces a brain seizure, but because of the muscle relaxants the body remains calm. This therapy profoundly affects the brains metabolism and blood flow to various areas of the brain is rejuvenated. This therapy is often highly effective in the treatment of bipolar disorders.

Doctors sometimes use antidepressant medications to treat the depression associated with bipolar disorders. Additionally, taking medications as prescribed, reporting any changes in functions and participating in therapy are the keys to living a successful life. In addition to treatment, making a few lifestyle changes like reducing stress, eating well and getting enough sleep and exercise can help a person cope with this condition.