Insurance Accepted
Dr. Yana Bekker is an in-network psychiatrist with the following commercial insurance plans:
Bipolar disorder is a common but widely misunderstood mental health condition characterized by intense mood swings. If you live with mood swings between deep depression and euphoria, Dr. Yana Bekker, DO, a board-certified Psychiatrist, diagnoses and treats bipolar disorder.
Each year, almost 6 million Americans experience bipolar disorder symptoms. Bipolar disorder is a mental health illness that causes extreme mood swings between depression and mania. Contrary to common misconceptions, bipolar disorder doesn’t cause multiple personalities or any of the hallucinations common in schizophrenia.
There are three primary types of bipolar disorder:
Bipolar I
Bipolar I causes extreme shifts in mood between depression and mania. In most cases, a patient seeks treatment for bipolar I after a manic episode. Manic episodes tend to last for a week or more, and depressed episodes continue for at least two weeks. If you have Bipolar I, you may also have periods of normal moods between the extremes of mania and depression.
Bipolar II
Bipolar II also causes mood swings, although your “high” episodes aren’t as extreme as the manic episodes that characterize Bipolar I and are referred to as hypomanic episodes. In addition to being less severe, hypomanic episodes typically last for four days or more.
Cyclothymic disorder
Cyclothymic disorder is the mildest form of bipolar disorder. Your mood swings are frequent but less extreme than Bipolar I or II. In most cases, cyclothymic disorder is diagnosed after two years of mood irregularities.
Bipolar disorder symptoms are classified as depressive, manic, or hypomanic.
Depressive symptoms include:
Manic episodes cause symptoms such as:
Hypomanic symptoms are similar to manic symptoms but less severe. If you feel suicidal, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room for immediate treatment.
Dr. Yana Bekker begins with a comprehensive evaluation of your mental and physical health, including a detailed psychiatric history and, when appropriate, lab work to rule out medical conditions that may contribute to mood symptoms.
Based on this assessment, she works collaboratively with you to develop an individualized treatment plan. Treatment typically includes medication management to stabilize mood, along with therapy and practical strategies to support emotional regulation, consistency in daily routines, and overall functioning.
Dr. Bekker treats Bipolar II Disorder and related mood conditions within an outpatient setting. Bipolar I Disorder and higher-acuity presentations,such as severe mania, psychosis, or significant safety concerns, require a level of care that is not managed within this practice.
The goal is to help you achieve greater mood stability, improve day-to-day functioning, and maintain long-term wellness.
Dr. Yana Bekker is an in-network psychiatrist with the following commercial insurance plans: