Can you recover from bipolar depression?

Bipolar disorder is a chronic illness with no cure, which means that treatment must be ongoing, so those diagnosed with it must be prepared to make treatment a part of life indefinitely. There are two important components to treatment for bipolar disorder: medications and psychotherapy.

What’s the strongest medication for bipolar?

Lithium and quetiapine top the lists for all three phases of the illness: mania, depression, and the maintenance phase. Lurasidone and lamotrigine are either untested (lurasidone) or ineffective (lamotrigine) in mania, but they are essential tools for bipolar depression.

Can bipolar disorder go into remission?

More than 30\% of bipolar patients can expect full and complete recovery while another 40\% can expect a very marked reduction in their symptoms. Individuals can go into remission during various periods of their life.

How do antidepressants help treat bipolar depression?

Antidepressants can help manage the symptoms of bipolar depression. They work by acting on brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Some people who take antidepressants to help treat bipolar disorders may also take a mood stabilizer to prevent the risk of mania.

Can you take antidepressants and mood stabilizers at the same time?

Some people who take antidepressants to help treat bipolar disorders may also take a mood stabilizer to prevent the risk of mania. One medication, called Symbyax, is a mix of both an antidepressant (fluoxetine) and an antipsychotic (olanzapine). Taking both drugs can help treat depression while also stabilizing a person’s mood.

Is there a cure for bipolar disorder?

Currently, there’s no cure for bipolar disorder, but “that doesn’t mean it’s something you’ll have to battle forever,” Schwartz says. “With the right treatment and self-care, you can live a healthy and fulfilling life.”

What are the treatment options for unipolar depression?

This information is about using medication to treat the most common form of depression, known as unipolar depression. The treatment options for manic depression (bipolar disorder) aren’t discussed here. Like psychotherapy, antidepressants are a key part of treating depression. They aim to relieve symptoms and prevent depression from coming back.