Bipolar disorder is manageable with the right diagnosis and plan.
The highs and lows of bipolar disorder can be disorienting — for you and the people who love you. Accurate diagnosis and steady treatment make stability possible.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder defined by shifts between depressive lows and periods of elevated or irritable mood known as mania or hypomania. Between episodes, many people feel well — part of why it’s so often missed or mistaken for depression alone.
Getting the diagnosis right matters: bipolar disorder is treated differently from unipolar depression, and the wrong medication can make symptoms worse. Wave’s physician-led evaluations are designed to catch that distinction.
Bipolar disorder involves two kinds of episodes. You may recognize signs of both:
Depressive lows
- Persistent sadness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Fatigue, low motivation and trouble concentrating
- Sleeping and eating more or less than usual
Manic / hypomanic highs
- Unusually elevated, expansive or irritable mood
- Less need for sleep with more energy
- Racing thoughts, fast speech or impulsive decisions
Between episodes
- Stretches of stable mood and normal function
- Difficulty predicting the next shift
- Strain on relationships, work and finances
In crisis? If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, help is available right now. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night.
How it’s diagnosed at Wave
Bipolar disorder is diagnosed clinically, through a detailed history of your mood episodes over time — including periods of elevated mood that can be easy to overlook or even feel good. Family history and the pattern of past treatment responses are important clues.
Because bipolar depression and major depression can look identical in the moment, Wave takes care to ask the right questions before prescribing — protecting you from treatments that could trigger mania.
Bipolar disorder is highly manageable with the right combination of treatments. Wave offers:
Every plan is individualized — you’ll feel seen, not processed.
Medication Management
Careful prescribing, ongoing monitoring and genetic testing to match you with the right medication at the right dose.
Long-Acting Injectables
Extended-release injectable medications that replace a daily pill and support consistent, long-term stability.
Supportive Psychotherapy
Talk-based support integrated with your medical care, focused on coping skills and steady, measurable progress.
Interventional Psychiatry
Advanced, procedure-based care — TMS, Spravato and ketamine — for symptoms that medication alone hasn’t resolved.
TMS Therapy
Non-invasive magnetic stimulation — FDA-approved for depression and OCD — with no medication and no downtime.
Care led by a triple board-certified physician
Wave Treatment Centers is led by Dr. Jonathan Beatty, a triple board-certified physician in psychiatry & neurology, addiction medicine and pain medicine, and a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. With more than 18 years of experience, he treats the cases other practices send onward — including complex and treatment-resistant presentations.
Because Wave combines everyday psychiatric care with advanced, interventional options under one roof, your plan can evolve as you do — from medication management to TMS, Spravato or ketamine — without starting over with a new provider.
Meet Dr. BeattyYour first appointment
Your first visit is a thorough evaluation. You’ll find a welcoming environment where our highly trained staff work to understand your history, your symptoms, and what you’re hoping to change.
While an evaluation is not a guarantee of a prescription, if medication is deemed appropriate, we’ll work closely with you to ensure you understand the risks and benefits. Together we’ll outline a personalized plan and the next steps that fit your life.
Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks — and care is available both in person and through secure, HIPAA-compliant telemedicine across Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey.
Bipolar Disorder FAQ
Can bipolar disorder be cured?
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, but it is very manageable. With consistent treatment, many people achieve long stretches of stability and lead full, productive lives. The aim is fewer, milder episodes and a steady baseline.
Will I need medication long-term?
Most people with bipolar disorder benefit from ongoing mood-stabilizing medication to prevent episodes. For some, long-acting injectables simplify this by replacing a daily pill. We’ll find the regimen that keeps you stable with the fewest side effects.
Can antidepressants treat bipolar disorder?
Antidepressants alone can sometimes trigger mania in people with bipolar disorder, which is why an accurate diagnosis is so important. Treatment usually centers on mood stabilizers, with other medications added carefully.
Does TMS help bipolar depression?
TMS may help with the depressive phase of bipolar disorder and is part of the range of options we consider. We’ll discuss whether it fits your situation as part of your plan.
Ready when you are.
Reaching out takes courage. Your conversation with us is confidential, compassionate, and pressure-free — schedule whenever you’re ready.
