At Crownview Psychiatric Institute, our bipolar disorder treatment program in San Diego, CA, provides compassionate, round-the-clock care for adults living with bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder, and other bipolar spectrum conditions. We offer a safe, structured environment where individuals receive expert medical supervision, personalized support, and evidence-based treatment to help restore balance and stability.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is characterized by significant mood episodes that alternate between emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). These mood swings go far beyond typical ups and downs, often lasting days to weeks and significantly impacting daily functioning, relationships, and work or school performance.
The intensity of these episodes can make everyday life feel exhausting and overwhelming. Manic episodes may involve elevated energy, reduced need for sleep, and impaired judgment, while depressive episodes can bring profound sadness, fatigue, and hopelessness.
Finding Hope After Years of Searching
When you receive a bipolar disorder diagnosis, you may experience two things that have been missing for years: belief that you can heal and hope for the future. This relief is common because accurate diagnosis often takes five years or longer.
You may have received other diagnoses like depression or PTSD and followed treatment perfectly, yet didn’t meet your goals. Or maybe self-stigma has held you back from seeking treatment. We understand these frustrations and fears, and we believe you deserve the chance to live the life you want.
Types of Bipolar Disorders We Treat
Our San Diego bipolar disorder treatment specialists have extensive experience treating all types of bipolar disorder identified in the DSM-5:
- Bipolar I disorder (BD-I): This type includes manic episodes, depressive episodes, and hypomanic episodes
- Bipolar II disorder (BD-II): This type involves at least one hypomanic episode and major depressive episode, but no full manic episodes.
- Cyclothymic disorder: With this type, hypomanic and depressive symptoms are less severe than BD-I or BD-II.
- Other specified bipolar disorders: Other bipolar disorders involve bipolar-like symptoms that are disruptive but don’t meet full criteria for other types/
- Unspecified bipolar disorders: With unspecified bipolar disorders, bipolar-associated symptoms don’t meet criteria for other diagnoses.
While some clients report mild symptoms, most experience significant disruption that can make everyday life exhausting and overwhelming. The intensity of mood swings can impair basic functioning at work, school, and in relationships.
Our Comprehensive Approach to Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Our bipolar disorder treatment program in San Diego, CA, utilizes evidence-based approaches that have been proven effective for bipolar disorders. Upon admission, our clinical team conducts comprehensive psychiatric assessments to ensure diagnostic accuracy and learn about your medical history, treatment history, and personal goals.
Based on the Unified Protocol for treating emotional disorders, we design individualized plans to help you:
- Understand the relationship between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
- Recognize and manage manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes and their triggers.
- Learn practical strategies to manage disruptive thought, emotion, and behavior patterns.
Most effective treatment plans combine psychotherapy, medication management, education, family support, and complementary therapies tailored to individual needs.
Treatment Modalities for Bipolar Disorder
Once we understand who you are, help you identify your goals, strengths, and challenge areas, we design a treatment plan to meet your individual needs. Your customized treatment plan will include a combination of the following therapeutic techniques and approaches, depending on your specific needs:
Psychotherapy:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral
therapy (TF-CBT) - Eye movement desensitization
& reprocessing (EMDR) therapy - Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy
- Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT)
- Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)
- Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
Complementary/Expressive Therapies:
- Music therapy
- Wellness groups
- Meditation and breathwork
- Yoga
- Mindfulness
- Singing bowls
Medication (if indicated):
- Mood stabilizers
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Anti-seizure medication
Education:
- The science behind bipolar disorder and treatment for bipolar disorder
- The science of trauma
- Nutrition for overall health and mood
- Relationship dynamics/family dynamics
- Communication skills workshops
Adjunct Therapies:
- Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) therapy
- IV vitamins
- GeneSight® testing
Consequences of Untreated Bipolar Disorder
Untreated bipolar disorder can cause extreme disruption, frustration, and difficulty in your life and the lives of your friends and loved ones. The intensity of the mood swings and the contrast between highs and lows can be completely debilitating. With no professional support, you may experience the following negative consequences:
- Strained relationships with family and friends
- Suicidal behavior
- Co-occurring mental health disorders
- Disordered use of alcohol and/or substances
- Impaired work/educational abilities
- Financial problems
- Homelessness
- Social isolation
- Health and medical problems
- Aggression associated with mania
Those consequences are why professional help and support is essential.
Our bipolar disorder treatment in San Diego can help you develop skills to choose your life path rather than being dominated by bipolar symptoms.
Which Level of Bipolar Treatment Is Right for You?
The appropriate level of bipolar disorder treatment program san diego ca depends on symptom severity, safety concerns, and treatment history:
Intensive Outpatient (IOP)
Structured therapy sessions while maintaining daily responsibilities – suitable for stable individuals needing ongoing support and skill development.
Partial Hospitalization (PHP):
Intensive daily programming with evening return home – appropriate for those needing more structure than IOP but able to maintain some independence.
Inpatient Residential Treatment
24/7 medical supervision and comprehensive care – recommended for severe episodes, safety concerns, or when other levels haven’t been effective.
Areas We Serve in San Diego County
Located in Oceanside, our anxiety treatment services are accessible to residents throughout North County San Diego and surrounding areas. We welcome clients from:
- Oceanside
- Carlsbad
- Vista
- Encinitas
- Solana Beach
- Del Mar
- San Marcos
- Escondido
- La Jolla
- All of San Diego County
- Orange County
Our Oceanside location provides convenient access via Interstate 5 and public transit connections. We can help coordinate transportation for clients traveling from outside the immediate area.
Start with Bipolar Disorder Treatment in San Diego
At Crownview, we offer the bipolar disorder treatment program San Diego, CA, residents can rely on. We understand that seeking residential bipolar treatment is a significant decision. That’s why our admissions coordinators conduct comprehensive assessments, our team matches you with the most appropriate level of care for your individual needs, and we work with most major insurance providers to help verify benefits for treatment.
Contact us today to explore how bipolar disorder treatment could change your life.
Gianna Melendez
Jodie Dahl, CpHT