Some stretches, you barely need sleep. Ideas come fast, you take on five new projects, and you feel unstoppable, or wound up and irritable. Then the energy drains away, and the low that follows can last for weeks. Living between those swings, and cleaning up after them, can wear you down.
Common experiences
- Periods of unusually high energy or confidence
- Needing much less sleep without feeling tired
- Racing thoughts, or talking faster than usual
- Spending, risk-taking, or big decisions you later regret
- Irritability that feels bigger than the situation
- Stretches of deep low mood, low energy, or hopelessness
- Mood shifts that affect work, money, or relationships
- Treatment for depression that never brought lasting relief
Bipolar disorder is a medical condition, and it can be managed.
Bipolar disorder involves shifts in mood, energy, and activity that go well beyond ordinary ups and downs. It tends to run in families, and sleep loss, stress, substances, and some medications can set off episodes. It’s often first diagnosed as depression, because the lows are usually what bring people in.
It isn’t a flaw in your character, and it can’t be managed by willpower alone. With a consistent plan and steady follow-up, many people with bipolar disorder lead full, stable lives.
Your first visit: mapping your mood history
Your first appointment is a 60-minute psychiatric evaluation. With your permission, someone who knows you well can share what they’ve noticed, too.
What the evaluation covers
- Your mood history: high and low periods, how long they last, and what tends to set them off
- Medical and psychiatric history, including family history of mood disorders
- Medications you’ve taken, including antidepressants, and how you responded
- Sleep patterns, energy, and how you’re functioning day to day
- Your personal context, support system, and goals
Your treatment plan may include
- Medication management when clinically appropriate, often with mood-stabilizing medications
- Lab monitoring when a medication calls for it, done at a lab near you
- Education on early warning signs, sleep routines, and staying steady
- Regular follow-ups to keep your plan on track
- Referral to therapy when it would help
Medication is one tool, used with a clear purpose. The goal is stability and clarity, not dulling who you are.
How care works at Mode Psychiatry
Good psychiatric care takes time, teamwork, and honest explanations. Here is what that looks like for you.
Time to tell the whole story
Your first visit is a full 60 minutes, so we understand your history and what matters to you before recommending anything.
Decisions made together
You set the pace. We talk through the options, and nothing changes in your plan without your input.
Clear answers in plain language
You’ll know what your diagnosis means, why a treatment is suggested, and what to watch for. Ask anything, at any visit.
Care from home, anywhere in Florida.
Every visit happens by secure video, so getting care fits into your life instead of taking it over.
- Secure, HIPAA-compliant video visits from your phone or computer
- Available anywhere in Florida; you just need to be in the state during each visit
- No commute, no waiting room, no time off just to travel
- Consistent 30-minute follow-ups with a provider who knows your history
Frequently asked questions
How is bipolar disorder different from depression?
Both involve low periods, but bipolar disorder also includes episodes of elevated or irritable mood, with more energy and less need for sleep. Telling them apart matters, because the treatments differ.
Will I need lab work?
Some medications used for bipolar disorder need periodic blood tests to check levels and safety. You can do them at a lab near you, and we’ll review the results together.
Can bipolar disorder be treated by telehealth?
For many adults who are stable enough for outpatient care, yes. If you’re in an episode that needs closer care, such as severe mania, psychosis, or thoughts of harming yourself, we’ll help you get to a higher level of care right away.
What happens at the first appointment?
It’s a 60-minute video visit. We’ll go over your symptoms, medical and psychiatric history, past medications, sleep, and daily life, and talk about what you’d like to be different. Medication may come up, but no decision is forced or rushed. You’ll leave with clear next steps and a follow-up date.
Do you take insurance?
Yes. We’re in network with Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare through Headway, and self-pay is available ($250 for the 60-minute evaluation, $125 for 30-minute follow-ups). We’ll verify your coverage before your first visit, so you know what to expect.
Is care available in Russian?
Yes. The entire process, from the first evaluation to follow-up visits, can be done in Russian, in English, or switching between the two.
Steadier days start with a plan you understand.
You don’t need to have it all figured out before reaching out. Booking takes a few minutes, and we’ll take it from there.
Written by Nick Dolin, PMHNP-BC. This page is general information, not medical advice.