Family-Focused Treatment and Early Detection For Bipolar Disorder

Like most issues that are caught before they become full-blown problems, bipolar disorder in teens can catch parents and family members off-guard. However, if they get family-focused treatment and early detection, those factors can reduce the impact that disorder has on them later in life.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is characterized by abnormal mood swings that can destroy relationships and a person’s career. In some cases, it can even lead to suicide. It’s estimated that about 4 percent of the population in the U.S. is suffering from bipolar disorder. Globally, it’s estimated that around 2.5 percent have it.

How Does Family-Focused Treatment Affect Bipolar Disorder?

A recent study at the UCLA School of Medicine shows that youths who were showing at-risk symptoms of developing bipolar disorder were greatly helped through family-focused, psycho-educational treatment. Family members learned to manage the mood swings of the affected individuals (most children have a parent or first-degree relative with bipolar disorder). They also learned communication skills, problem-solving and were educated on various medications.

In the study, 40 subjects with an average age of 12 were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder or cyclothymic disorder. Some also showed signs of mania or hypomania that didn’t quite fit into the before-mentioned disorders. Half of the subjects were treated over four months in 12-part family-oriented treatment sessions, while the other half was treated with one or two family informational sessions. The study revealed that the more extensive treatment significantly reduced depressive symptoms within nine weeks compared to 21 weeks for the other group. One caveat to the study is that it cannot fully determine the long-term effects of the treatment by looking at just a one-year period.

Can Family-Focused Treatment Assist in Other Areas?

Family-focused treatment can be the key to undoing a great deal of damage. For example, family-focused treatment can lead to improved depression symptoms. Knowing that your family is standing beside you and trying to help can encourage you. In addition to family therapy, your therapist may recommend a variety of other treatment options, such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• EMDR therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Psychodrama therapy

To learn more about family-focused treatment, call Lucida Treatment today.

Get Treatment Today

At Lucida Treatment, we know how confusing and complicated bipolar disorder can feel. You don’t know which way to turn or what to do. We want to help you. Therefore, we offer a variety of treatment programs. For instance, many people try to self medicate their bipolar symptoms using drugs or alcohol. Therefore, we offer a dual diagnosis program, which treats both your substance abuse disorder and your bipolar disorder symptoms. We treat:

• Meth use disorder
• Heroin use disorder
• Alcohol use disorder
• Opioid use disorder
• Xanax use disorder

To learn more about our bipolar disorder treatment, or to learn more about family-focused treatment, call Lucida Treatment at 1.866.947.7299 today. We can answer your questions, and help you begin the enrollment process. A new life begins when you begin treatment at Lucida.