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- I have bipolar disorder and I'm exhausted. How long do I have to keep a constant check on everything I say and do? I take my medication correctly, I see a psychologist and a psychiatrist, and yet…
- How can I help someone who is experiencing a mixed episode?
- How is bipolar disorder detected? I mean, are there any medical tests that can identify it?
- Why is bipolar disorder so difficult to diagnose?
- Can diet have a positive influence on health? Aside from a healthy diet, are there any foods to avoid or any foods that are particularly recommended?
- Why can't I stay stable for long periods of time and why do I easily fall into depression?
- How should the family act when an affected person begins to experience euphoria without yet being aware of the onset of their euphoria?
- Is it positive for children to know that one of their parents has bipolar disorder, or is it better to hide it?
- My relapses aren't of euphoria or depression, but I do have very strong relapses of intense anxiety that turn into panic attacks where the feeling of impending death leads me to act irrationally. I'd like to know if this is normal and how I can manage it.
- In which episode is there the greatest risk of suicide?
- Why is it difficult for these people to adhere to their treatment?
- How can you support the family of a person affected by bipolar disorder?
- What is the risk that an affected person will "use" the disorder to manipulate people or conditions to achieve their own benefit?
- In altered states of consciousness, that is, when the person presents symptoms of delusional ideation, can psychotherapy help?
- Why is the medication dosage lowered for people over 65?
- Is lithium production related to inactivity?
- Can a person with bipolar disorder have relapses despite taking medication?
- How can you tell if you're having a relapse?
- As a professional, what is the best way to address relapses in people with bipolar disorder?
- Is it normal to not remember anything when you have a relapse?
- How can you help someone with bipolar disorder who is depressed without putting pressure on them?
- Is there an app where I can talk to and consult with an expert when I have a relapse?
Why is the medication dosage lowered for people over 65?
Cristina Pou Matarranz
Psychiatrist. Head of the Mental Health Emergency Department, Consultation, ECT, Acute, Subacute, and Partial Hospitalization
Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu
People over 65 years of age are a vulnerable population for developing problems related to medication use, mainly because:
- Aging is accompanied by morphological and physiological changes that modify the absorption of medications.
- Chronic diseases often occur simultaneously, requiring treatment with several medications over a long period of time.
Therefore, there is a greater risk of the drug accumulating in the body, causing undesirable side effects (excessive sedation, falls, overdose) without any greater therapeutic benefit.
In people over 65 years of age, professionals should be cautious when prescribing medication, taking into account possible drug interactions and medical conditions the person may have.
Treatment should be individualized for each patient, taking into account the risk and benefit of the medication.
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Raquel Rivero Corihuela
Clinical psychologist at the Bipolar Disorder Unit (UBIP) of the Nuestra Señora de La Paz Clinic in Madrid
Orden Hospitalaria de San Juan de Dios. Provincia de España
