My Daughter And I Both Have Bipolar Disorder We Have Enough Burned Friendships To Make Us Afraid To Start New Ones How Can We Keep Bipolar From Affecting New Relationships
Friends and family are a key part of your support system. So itâs worth it to work on how to protect and grow those relationships.
Therapy can help you improve how you communicate with others, such as how you ask for things or convey your emotions. A therapist can also teach you good ways to manage stress, which can trigger mood swings. There are many different forms, including group therapy, couples counseling, and family therapy.
Bhandari also encourages people with the disorder to be honest with their friends about how it affects them.
âSaying, hey, I have this diagnosis, and sometimes it makes me irritable, or sometimes it affects the way that I feel about you, or the way I feel about myself,â she says. âSometimes being honest with somebody about that can really help.â
As A Psychiatrist How Would You Treat A Patient With Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental health issues that psychiatrists treat. This question helps you evaluate whether this particular psychiatrist would treat depression and other common mental health concerns in an effective manner. Youll learn his or her views on particular medications and types of psychotherapy, and youll be able to decide whether the applicants approach is something that would suit the clients at your practice.
What to look for in an answer:
- Understanding of the latest medications/psychotherapy approaches
- Treatment approach that would benefit your patients
- Warm, positive approach to patient care
Example:
I would tailor the treatment to the patients needs. For some patients, Id suggest just psychotherapy, and Id use both medications and psychotherapy for others.
The Surprising Power Of Sleep With Bipolar Disorder
The question is, in my experience, How is your sleep? Its a very calm question to ask a loved one as wellHow are you sleeping? will provoke much a less emotional reaction than Are you taking your meds? When I speak to groups, I ask them what question they think I mean, and people very rarely mention sleep. Why is that, I wonder?
A friend of mine has a well-known psychiatrist who writes books on the topic. He once told her, One day we will see bipolar disorder for what it really is: a sleep disorder.
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I Think I Have Bipolar Because I Feel So Euphoric At Times But Then So Depressed At Others Are These Normal Feelings
Everyone can feel happy or strained with the ups and downs of life. âBut when it’s bipolar, these things are happening either outside of stressors, or they’re happening to a greater magnitude, a much stronger degree than what you would expect,â Bhandari says.
The two phases of bipolar disorder, mania and depression, are more than feeling very happy or sad. When youâre manic, you may have tons of energy, talk very fast, have racing thoughts, don’t feel the need to sleep, or take a lot of risks. During the depressive phase, you can feel hopeless or worthless, have no energy or motivation, have trouble sleeping, or even think about harming yourself.
Your doctor or a therapist can help you sort out the differences between normal feelings and signs of a mental health problem. Think about taking a friend or family member to your appointment with you â they can often point out patterns or behaviors you didnât notice in yourself.
Assessment Of Symptom Severity
Once a diagnosis of bipolar disorder is given, its important to track symptoms over time to assess whether treatment is effective. This is mainly done by a clinician interviewing their patients on their symptoms and how often and severely they experience them. Two common tools used to monitor symptoms are the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Rating Scale .
Tracking symptoms is an important part of bipolar disorder treatment. If symptoms worsen over time, this can prompt an adjustment in medication or therapy.
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How Do You Interview Someone With Bipolar
Successful Bipolar Treatment Starts with Asking the Right Questions
What Would You Do If You Disagreed With Another Psychiatrist About A Patients Care
This question helps you evaluate whether the candidate would be a team player. Youll learn how he or she might interact with other members of staff and whether the candidate has the capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts respectfully, effectively and independently. Youll be able to determine much about the applicants work ethic, attitude and professionalism and decide if the psychiatrist would be a match with your existing team.
What to look for in an answer:
- Appropriate knowledge of conflict resolution strategies
- Ability to work well within your team
- Ability to admit mistakes and collaborate effectively
Example:
Id try to understand my colleagues point of view and collaborate to arrive at a solution in the patients best interest.
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History Of Presenting Illness
- Start with close ended questions, do not ask leading questions. Make them direct!
- Who brought you here? Who sent you here?
- Allow your patients to tell you the story. Doctors have a bad habit of interrupting patients within the first few minutes of meeting a patient.
- You should focus on their symptoms for the past month
- Anything further in the past should be considered as past psychiatric history
Always Establish the Chronology of Events
- How do you feel now?, How do you feel compared to your well self?, When did you last feel ‘normal/well’?
- Always compare the patient’s current symptoms to their baseline
- Are there any acute stressors presently?
- What are their coping strategies?
Ten Questions You Always Wanted To Ask Someone With Bipolar Disorder
This article originally appeared on VICE Denmark.
Rachid Moutiq is 29 years old, has a BA in journalism, and lives with bipolar disorder. About 40,000 Danes and 4 million Brits have had the same or a similar diagnosis, but as is often the case with mental illness, there’s still a lot of stigma around it.
Moutiq and I went to high school together, where he did exceptionally well. I always considered him a genius he was one of the smartest and most promising people I knew. But life, so far, hasn’t turned out for him the way we all expected being bipolar has made it difficult for Moutiqto hold down a traditional job.
Recently, he moved from Copenhagen back to the countryside to be closer to his family. I spoke to Moutiq to hear how the disorder has affected every aspect of his life.
What’s it like to be manic?Early on in my manic states, I am the best version of myself. I do everything faster and don’t get tired or sad. I’m not able to sleep, but I also don’t feel the need to. It’s like living in an upbeat movie montage: You dont have to thinkyou just do, and everything is awesome. You talk a lot and have a hard time waiting for people to answer. You’re superhuman, you’re hilarious, you’re the center of attention and loving it. If someone isn’t giving you their undivided attention, you don’t take it personallyyou just think they’re missing out. I guess that, in many ways, it’s like being on cocaine.
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How Can I Manage The Mental Exhaustion That Comes From The Roller Coaster Ride Of Ups And Downs
Thereâs a cycle to bipolar disorder. Itâs stressful and tiring to deal with your symptoms, but those feelings can also trigger mood swings. So itâs key to try to manage those ups and downs. Bhandari says she tells her patients to try to find a balance between stress and support.
âIn the times when you feel like your stressors are really high, so you are exhausted because of the ups and downs of moods, look at what your supports are,â she says.
Support can come in different forms, depending on what your needs are. It could be something as simple as a friend cooking a dinner for you or watching your kids for a couple of hours. It could mean that you ask someone to live with you while you get through a rough time.
Your own healthy habits are also important ways to balance your mood. A healthy diet, getting enough exercise and sleep, and having a healthy routine can make you less likely to get worn down by stress and exhaustion.
What Are The Differences Between Bipolar I And Bipolar Ii
Both types have the same symptoms of depression, but their manic phases are different. People with bipolar I have âtypicalâ mania — feeling uncontrollably excited, energetic, and invincible. Some may believe things that arenât true or feel paranoid.
Bipolar II is a âmilderâ version of mania, called hypomania. It still makes you feel energetic or restless, have racing thoughts, and take risks, but those feeling are less intense than in mania. It also usually lasts for a shorter period of time.
âBut that minor version can still be disruptive to your work and personal life,â Cassoobhoy says.
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What Would You Do If A Patient Disagreed With Your Diagnosis Or Refused Treatment
Many patients that a psychiatrist sees may not be able to accept that they need help, and this question helps you understand whether the applicant can effectively and respectfully handle this situation. Youll learn whether the candidate is able to propose alternative treatment methods for the patient and whether he or she is too forceful when recommending treatments for patients. Youll discover whether the psychiatrist is dedicated to trying multiple treatments.
What to look for in an answer:
- Willingness to try multiple treatments
- Ability to clearly and compassionately explain various treatments
- Dedication to patients with complex health needs
Example:
Id listen to the patients concerns and try to offer as many treatment options as I could. Id respect the patients right to refuse treatment.
Expert Answers To Your Bipolar Disorder Questions
Whether youâve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or you care about someone who has it, you know itâs a complicated condition.
WebMD hosted a Facebook Live event to get expert answers to your questions about the disorder. Here are some of the highlights from psychiatrist Smitha Bhandari, MD, and WebMD Senior Medical Director Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD.
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The Psychiatric Review Of Systems
- Key questions on a psychiatric review of systems includes asking questions about mood , sleep, anxiety, psychosis, obsessions and compulsions, dissociative symptoms, trauma history, body image disturbances, eating disorders, and somatic/pain disorders.
- It will be difficult to get through all these areas in a one-time assessment, and the clinician should use their clinical judgment to determine which questions will be the most helpful and high yield.
- An example of a relatively comprehensive psychiatric review of systems is detailed below, but is by no means exhaustive. Some individuals early on may find using a checklist helpful to keep themselves organized.
How Would You Help A Patient Who Is In Distress
This question helps you evaluate whether the psychiatrist candidate has the necessary professionalism, empathy and warmth to help patients who can be extremely vulnerable. Youll learn what types of patients and conditions this candidate may be best at treating, and youll be able to ascertain whether the applicant would be able to retain patients and attract new ones to your practice. You may also learn how quickly the candidate psychiatrist builds patient trust.
What to look for in an answer:
- Ability to be empathetic and professional
- Ability to treat conditions commonly seen at your practice
- Potential to attract new patients
Example:
Id help patients calm down, listening to their needs. Id propose practical solutions and let the patients know that they arent alone.
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What Assessment Findings Would You Expect To See In A Client In The Manic Phase Of Bipolar Disorder
Increased energy and activity. Excessive talk racing thoughts. Inflated self-esteem. Unusual energy less need for sleep.
What is bipolar questions and what type of question is this open or closed?
A special kind of closed question is the bipolar question. This type of question limits the interviewee even further by only allowing a choice on either pole, such as yes or no, true or false, agree or disagree.
How do I ask a question about bipolar disorder?
10 Key Questions About Bipolar Disorder
- What Is Bipolar Disorder and What Causes It?
- How Do I Know If I Have Bipolar Disorder?
- How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed?
- What Are the Signs of Mania or Hypomania?
- What Are the Signs of Depression?
- How Is Bipolar Depression Distinguished from Unipolar Depression?
I Know Someone Who Displays All Of The Symptoms Of Bipolar Disorder What Can I Do If They Refuse To Get Help Or Dont Think They Have Issues
A person in the middle of mania feels on top of the world. So they canât see that there are any problems with their behavior. On the other hand, if theyâre depressed, they may feel hopeless or totally unmotivated about getting better.
Bhandari says the best thing to do is talk to the person, but keep the conversation focused on specific behaviors or symptoms instead of delivering your diagnosis.
âYou could say, hey, I noticed you’re not sleeping well. Let’s go to your doctor and talk about sleep. And that’s usually not so threatening,â she says.
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Types Of Job Interview Questions To Help You Dig Deeper
If you want to identify the best candidate for a job, you have to ask the right questions during the interview. And that takes preparation.
You need to evaluate not only the job candidates skill sets and experience but also how the interviewee thinks. That requires you to ask the right types of interview questions, with both closed-ended questions and open-ended questions.
Other kinds of queries can produce even more nuanced information to help you with your hiring decision. Here are four types of interview questions employers ask, including when to use them and pitfalls to avoid.
Why Are You Interested In This Position
With this question, your prospective employer is checking that you have done your research and have a genuine interest in joining the company. Use this opportunity to express interest in the company while tying your experiences and values into their core mission.
Example:”I am interested in this position with Baltimore Public Schools because of my passion for this work and the opportunity it affords to make a positive impact on a broader scale. I have over 10 years of experience supporting schools and school leaders with topics directly related to this role including social-emotional learning, physical wellness and positive behavior supports.
While my experience in these positions was positive, it was limited to one school setting at a time. This role would create opportunities for me to influence entire networks of schools or at times, all schools in the system.”
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Bipolar Survey Scale Two Extremes At Each End
One of the oldest methods of measurement, which yet remains very popular, is bipolar scaling. The essence of bipolar survey scales is the formation of concepts that are opposite of one another, with levels or steps between these extreme poles. QuestionPro supports bipolar survey scaling amongst other question types.
Most basic of bipolar survey scale is with two extremes at each end. For example True and False, or Good or Bad, Happy or Sad. This type of bipolar scale recognizes no degrees or steps between the opposing poles. Often the responded, however, seeks for shades or degrees of truth or/and falsity, happiness or sadness etc., which makes it difficult to choose between the extreme polar options. Thus, it is best to have several-step scales.
But there are more things to consider when deciding upon the bipolar survey scale:
1. Does the scale need a midpoint?2. Should I use a balanced scale or an unbalanced/unipolar scale?3. How many points should there be on the scale?
Midpoint
Do you want to include a neither/nor option in the middle of a scale? . The decision of whether or not to use a midpoint should be determined by the survey objectives and whether or not it makes sense. There are times when the researcher may really want the respondent to select their preference however in some cases, it is acceptable for someone to be neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. In addition, forcing a respondent to make a decision can be annoying and result in survey dropout.
Assessing A Client For Bipolar Disorder: The 3 Best Questions To Get Started
There is not a mental disorder that generates more consternation when it comes to diagnostic assuredness than bipolar disorder, particularly on an initial evaluation. We clinicians are forever searching for better screening questions to more quickly hone in on a diagnosis, and of course, bipolar is no exception. But we shouldnt act in haste simply to be more expeditious. I often emphasize when Im training less experienced clinicians that just as Rome wasnt built in a day, nailing down a diagnosis after a single session just isnt realistic. This applies to experienced practitioners as well, and is particularly relevant to diagnosing bipolar disorder because of its complexity and symptom presentations which mimic other mood disturbances.So here are the 3 best questions, in my estimation, to get you started:
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