Manic depression or bipolar disorder has severe signs of depression which need treatment urgently. If not the person has a lot of problems with his personal and professional life because of the manic episodes and would be isolated from society. Marriages break up and jobs are lost because of the behavior and mood swings and only if this is controlled can the person lead a life which has some semblance of normalcy in it. Those who are suffering from bipolar depression need treatment from a qualified psychiatrist along with counseling to cope with this mental problem. Mood swings are the main symptom in this disorder and the person behaves in a most irrational way when they are on a high or low mood.
Medication which is prescribed for manic depression has to be given under the guidance of a qualified person and has to be reviewed periodically. The person should be under the constant care of a doctor whom he should see at regular intervals to monitor his progress. One of the most effective medicines for bipolar disorder is lithium. This medicine helps in controlling manic episodes and depression. Medicines like valproate and carbamazepine which are anticonvulsants are also helpful in controlling bipolar episodes. Doctors prescribe a combination of drugs to treat patients with manic depression. If the signs of depression subside the patient should not alter or stop the dosage of the medication without consulting the psychiatrist. Bipolar disorder needs continuous treatment and only the dosage may be changed according to the requirement by the doctor but never stopped completely.