A Brief Overview of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders and Definition

California therapist Jorge Galindo shares a private practice with his wife in the Orange County city of Irvine. Among his areas of clinical experience, Jorge Galindo has completed specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar spectrum disorders.

The term “bipolar spectrum” applies to a range of mental health conditions that involve swings between depression and other extreme psychological and emotional states of mind. Previously, professionals defined it as clear fluctuations between episodes of depression (intense sadness, numbness, or helplessness) and mania (energy and excitability). However, ongoing research revealed that the condition didn’t always manifest through these specific, well-defined symptoms. For example, some chronically depressed patients might experience regular periods of slight emotional elevation and irritability.

When mental health professionals speak of the bipolar spectrum, they refer to a broad range of closely related disorders. The exact definition of bipolar spectrum varies between clinicians. However, most ideations of the bipolar spectrum include bipolar I and II and cyclothymic disorder.

Sleep-Circadian Rhythms Tied to Bipolar Spectrum Disorders

Sharing a private practice with his wife, Miriam Galindo, PsyD, in Irvine, California, Dr. Jorge Galindo is a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist. Among Dr. Jorge Galindo’s areas of extensive knowledge is the assessment and treatment of patients who have bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD).

As reported in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, a recent study by a University of Pittsburgh researcher involved the discovery of a neurobehavioral signature that may predict future mania or hypomania occurrences among those with BSD. Usually arising in young adulthood, BSD involve depression and frequent extreme mood changes, which often necessitate intensive treatments.

Previous research by the professor demonstrated that sleep-circadian rhythm disruptions, as well as heightened reward motivations, can lead to the onset of mania/hypomania. Brain imaging studies demonstrate BSD as particularly associated with elevated activation of reward expectancy within the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a key reward-processing hub.

In the most recent study, such markers were clustered together and studied, with the hypothesis being that impulsivity, reward sensitivity, and sleep-circadian characteristics would be associated with greater mania risk. The study, with a 12-month followup, demonstrated this and helped identify high-risk, moderate-risk, and healthy groups. It also brought attention to the potential of combined clinical and neurobiological measures in early BSD identification and intervention.

At the same time, London-based researchers uncovered single nucleotide polymorphisms that they characterize as distinct enough to form the basis of the first-ever psychiatric diagnostic test based on biomarkers.

A Look at the Bipolar Disorder Spectrum

Jorge Galindo, a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist, works in Irvine, California alongside his wife, Miriam Galindo, Psy.D. He is a certified domestic violence provider with the City of Orange, where he undertook a doctoral internship at an award-winning inpatient psychiatric hospital, St. Joseph Hospital. During this internship, Dr. Jorge Galindo received special training in assessing bipolar spectrum disorders.

Bipolar spectrum disorder is a group of conditions characterized by extreme mood swings between mania (a mental condition characterized by intense exhilaration or euphoria, delusions, and hyperactivity) and depression. The most common types are bipolar I and bipolar II disorder.

Bipolar I disorder involves episodes of mania that typically last at least one week. During manic episodes, a person may feel euphoric, energetic, and highly productive. However, mania can lead to poor judgment, impulsivity, and other problematic behaviors. Bipolar I disorder also involves depressive episodes.

Bipolar II disorder involves episodes of hypomania, which are less severe than mania but still disruptive. During hypomanic episodes, people experience an elevated mood and increased energy and activity levels. However, they can continue functioning normally. Bipolar II disorder also involves major depressive episodes.

In addition, the bipolar spectrum includes conditions like cyclothymia (a substantial mood fluctuation from the norm, although not as severe as bipolar I and II) and other specified bipolar and related disorders. These involve subthreshold mood episodes that still cause significant distress and impairment. While the specific symptoms and severity vary, all bipolar spectrum disorders share a common theme of extreme fluctuations in mood and energy levels. Mood swings can be unpredictable, and severely impact one’s life and relationships.

Effective management of bipolar spectrum disorder requires a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes. Medications like mood stabilizers and antipsychotics can help control mood episodes, while psychotherapy can teach coping skills and strategies for managing triggers. Changes in diet, sleep, and daily routines can also help stabilize moods and promote well-being.

Orange County Task Force Releases Domestic Violence Study

Dr. Jorge Galindo is a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist. He has managed a private practice in Irvine, California, alongside his wife since 2000. As a licensed therapist, Dr. Jorge Galindo maintains a number of certifications designed to enhance his professional offerings, including certification as a domestic violence provider in Orange County.

In early 2022, an Orange County task force released findings from a decade-long study of domestic violence. One of the most critical determinations made by the task force involved a call on county officials to address the various barriers and challenges that victims face when looking for support. Without intervention in this area, fatalities resulting from domestic violence are unlikely to change.

The study found that nearly half of the 113 domestic violence deaths in the county involved a person with a recorded history of violence. Despite this fact, only 9 percent of the cases included a restraining order. The lack of restraining orders against individuals known for violence is just one of several systemic issues uncovered during the study.

Domestic Violence Types and Damages

An Irvine, California resident, Dr. Jorge Galindo holds a doctor of psychology obtained from the California School of Professional Psychology. He currently serves at his private office in Irvine, alongside his wife, Miriam, who also holds a Psy.D. At the private office, Dr. Jorge Galindo provides therapy for individuals, adolescents, and families regarding domestic violence.

Domestic violence is a very serious problem in the US as a survey conducted by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reveals that over 10 million Americans experience domestic violence and abuse every year. This statistic also reveals that physical abuse caused by an intimate partner occurs once every 20 or 30 minutes. There are several types of domestic abuse that are caused by intimate partners: physical abuse, verbal abuse, and sexual abuse.

Physical abuse occurs when a person harms their intimate partner or children on purpose. Physical abuse can make people fear for their lives and suffer emotional distress. Verbal abuse occurs when an individual insults and disrespects their partner or children in order to make them feel low. Sexual abuse happens when an individual attempts to have a sexual relationship or activity with their partner without having their consent. This can also involve forcing the partner to have sexual intercourse.

A Brief Breakdown of Bipolar Spectrum Disorder

Dr. Jorge Galindo is a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist in Irvine, California. He shares a private practice with wife, Miriam Galindo, PsyD, and also serves as a reserve deputy sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. During his time as a doctoral intern at St. Joseph Hospital, Dr. Jorge Galindo received special training in areas of assessing and treating bipolar spectrum disorders.

While bipolar disorder is sometimes presented as rapid mood swings from manic episodes to periods of depression, the condition is actually far more nuanced and complex. In fact, a number of mental health professionals view bipolar disorder as a spectrum. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5), there are four distinct versions of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar I disorder involves episodes of either mania or mixed episodes of mania and depression. To qualify as bipolar I disorder, these episodes must last for a minimum of 7 days. Bipolar II disorder also involves episodes of depression, but instances of mania are replaced with less severe episodes of hypomania.

Cyclothymia can be viewed as the least severe version of bipolar disorder, though it still involves shifts between hypomania and depression that can impact an individual’s daily life and well-being. The DSM-5 states that these alternating periods must persist for at least 2 years to be considered cyclothymia.

Finally, bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) is a term used to describe a bipolar disorder that does not conform to the patterns described above. For example, a person with bipolar disorder NOS may suffer from episodes of hypomania but not depression. It should also be noted that bipolar disorder can overlap with other mental health conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder.

Understanding Hair Follicle Drug Testing and How It Works

Residing in Irvine, California, Jorge Galindo is a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist who works alongside his wife Miriam Galindo in their private practice. With over 20 years of experience, Jorge Galindo has received training and certification by Quest Diagnostics for hair follicle drug testing in forensic cases involving juveniles.

A hair follicle drug test is performed to determine drug use patterns through hair samples. While a urine sample has been the traditional way of assessing drug use over a couple of days, hair follicle drug testing is more efficient as it can check a person’s drug usage in the past 90 days.

In juvenile cases, a court may order drug testing on a child to determine whether they have been abusing illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, morphine, codeine, and phencyclidine. A small hair sample is collected from the person’s head during the test and sent to the laboratory.

The use of two methods maintains test results’ accuracy. The first method is a rapid screening method involving an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). If this method produces a positive result for a particular substance, the technician retests the hair sample using the second method. The second method uses confirmatory chromatographic testing like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This second test is used to rule out any possibility of a false positive.

The California School of Professional Psychology

Since 2000, Dr. Jorge Galindo has served as a marriage, family, and child therapist in Irvine, California, a practice he shares with his wife, Dr. Miriam Galindo. Dr. Jorge Galindo received his PhD from the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP).

Part of Alliant International University, CSPP has served undergraduate and graduate students for some 45 years. CSPP offers programs in organizational psychology, psychopharmacology, and marriage and family therapy. In addition, the school’s faculty of 100+ experts trains graduates in clinical psychology and clinical counseling. The CSPP is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. Courses are available in person, online, and in blended formats.

Like its parent institution, CSPP strives to prepare graduates to serve people from all backgrounds. For this purpose it established the Multicultural Education, Research, Intervention and Training (MERIT) Institute in 1981. This knowledge informs alumni as they move on to mental health, correction, and treatment facilities, as well as governmental agencies and businesses. To learn more, visit www.alliant.edu/schools/cspp.

Dealing with Stonewalling in a Marriage

Licensed therapist and Orange County reserve deputy Jorge Galindo possesses more than 20 years of experience working with clients in residential and outpatient settings. Jorge Galindo has run a private practice alongside his spouse, Miriam Galindo, Psy.D., since 2000, where he conducts individual and marriage counseling sessions.

Poor communication is one of the leading causes of divorce. Couples with unhealthy communication tactics such as stonewalling can establish negative patterns that eventually erode trust and intimacy. Stonewalling refers to the refusal to engage in conversation about certain topics by walking away or shutting down.

While stonewalling can occur in reaction to a long history of relationship conflict, many people use stonewalling as a defense mechanism to avoid emotional pain. Counseling can bring insight into the reasons why a partner shuts down. It may be an outdated coping skill learned in childhood, or a reaction to fear. Once the reasons for the stonewalling have been identified, partners can then learn more respectful communication strategies to rebuild their relationships.

Differences Between Type I and Type II Bipolar Disorders

grayscale photo of woman crying holding her right chest Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

For nearly two decades, private practice therapist Dr. Jorge Galindo has counseled individuals and families involved in inpatient, outpatient, and court-mandated programs. Jorge Galindo has extensive experience treating individuals with bipolar disorder in a psychiatric care setting.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by intertwining periods of deep depressive and elevated manic states. The condition is divided into two main types, type I and type II. Type I bipolar is defined by at least one full manic episode. During a manic episode, a person with bipolar I may experience symptoms such as restlessness, intense euphoria, and poor or risky behaviors. These such symptoms may be so severe that hospitalization may become necessary.

People with type I may or may not experience depressive symptoms. However, individuals with type II experience depressive symptoms that persist for two weeks or longer and at least one hypomanic episode, which is generally not as severe as a full manic episode.

Since the symptoms of hypomania are less pronounced than full mania, people with bipolar II are more likely to seek treatment for their depression. Both types require a professional diagnosis and can be treated with a combination of talk therapy and medication.