Bipolar Spectrum Disorders
Image: WebMD.com
Licensed as a family and marriage therapist, Dr. Jorge Galindo has extensive experience working with adolescents and parents. Dr. Jorge Galindo pursued his doctoral internship at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California. His work at the respected inpatient psychiatric hospital focused on assessing and treating bipolar (BP) spectrum disorders.
The BP spectrum model defines a variety of bipolar conditions, including cyclothymia and bipolar I. Patients with the latter condition have suffered from manic episodes at least once in their lives. They have also had episodes of depression that may have run the gamut from extremely severe to mild.
Those who are diagnosed with bipolar II have experienced hypomania, a less intense form of mania, indicating that they maintain a certain level of control over their actions. Cyclothymia involves moods that “cycle” and are even less severe.
Even within bipolar I patients, symptoms vary widely in duration and intensity. Some experience ongoing symptoms, while others may find episodes of mania and depression separated by months or years. For this reason, an individualized diagnosis by an experienced practitioner is required to receive proper care for bipolar spectrum disorders.
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