Bipolar Disorders: Essentials for Clinical Practice (HS - PHELPS - 052687)

Course overview

Diagnosis Spectrum and DSM approaches What is hypomania? From obvious to subtle to normal human experiences. Using categorical and dimensional approaches simultaneously. Non-manic bipolar markers: "How bipolar are you?" Family history, age of onset, course of illness, response to treatments. Routine assessment to prevent diagnostic confusion Efficient screening Beyond the MDQ (Mood Disorders Questionnaire) Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale, Bipolarity Index, MoodCheck Making assessment routine in clinical practice Bipolar or similar? Anxiety is a bipolar symptom? Mixed States Review from the International Society for Bipolar Disorders Evolution of Mixed states: DSM-3 to DSM-5 From non-existence to remote occurrence to high prevalence Differential diagnosis: PTSD, borderline, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Extensive overlap of DSM criteria with Mixed States Anxious depression with trauma history: PTSD or bipolar? How to manage when diagnosis is ambiguous What causes bipolar disorder? Helping patients reframe their illness Genetics; gut inflammation; circadian stress; hormonal effects Does trauma cause bipolar disorder? Treatment Psychotherapy for bipolar disorders Common elements of 5 research-tested therapies Chronotherapy: focus on sleep Using light boxes and dawn simulators Dark therapy: simple ways to decrease light exposure Social Rhythm Therapy and bipolar CBT-I Pills Treating bipolar depression without antidepressants 3 generics with international agreement Newer medications - expensive, more unknown Anti-cycling/anti-manics that are not antipsychotics Antipsychotics: grouping by efficacy and risk Tapering antidepressants The best treatment for bipolar depression? Stop the cycling, stop the depressions Antidepressants can promote cycling (and mixed states) Why slow tapers are essential Sample taper schedules for different antidepressants Careful patient education Implementing what you've learned Immediate steps to change your practice Routine screening Routine patient education Managing diagnostic ambiguity Maximizing non-medication approaches Social Rhythm Therapy, bipolar CBT-I, Dark Therapy Dawn simulators and light boxes Bipolar patient education Delivering your help where it's needed Reaching out to primary care providers A systematic connection?