Medication Guidelines for Serious Mental Illness

Summary of Diagnostic Criteria for Serious Mental Illnesses

*Major depressive disorder ~ 2 weeks of a collection of low mood and neurovegetative symptoms (appetite, sleep, energy, concentration, motivation, psychomotor agitation or retardation) with or without suicidal thoughts and psychotic features.
Schizophrenia ~ 6 months of predominantly psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions.
Bipolar disorder ~ 7 days of a manic episode ever in life, including the combination of decreased need for sleep, grandiosity, and euphoria. Episodes can be depressed, manic, or mixed.
Schizoaffective disorder ~ Clinically significant depressive or manic episodes, but psychosis remains when the mood episodes are in remission for at least 2 weeks.
Bipolar Disorder is frequently confused with Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Western culture defines “bipolar” as impulsive anger flares. This is nothing like the manic episodes of bipolar disorder and it is possible to have an anger problem too.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder is truly an anger problem diagnosis. Features include unplanned, violent overreactions, such as arguments, punching holes, breaking cell phones and TV remotes. The guilt from the outbursts is often enough to trigger a full major depressive disorder, unless the person is antisocial and has no guilt.

In my practice…

A holistic approach to Intermittent Disorder would include Trileptal and a 2-Minute Speech, energy release work, and the Definite Major Purpose worksheet.