Bipolar Disorder Information
Facts About Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder. Bi polar disorder was called manic depression in the past, and that term is still used by some people. It is a psychiatric illness that causes major disruptions in lifestyle and health. Everyone has occasional highs and lows in their moods. But people with bipolar disorder have extreme mood swings. They can go from feeling very sad, despairing, helpless, worthless, and hopeless (depression) to feeling as if they are on top of the world, hyperactive, creative, and grandiose (mania).
Bipolar symptoms include depression and feelings of hopelessness during the depressive phase of the condition. Other depressive symptoms include thoughts of suicide, alterations in sleep patterns, and loss of interest in activities that once were a source of pleasure. What differentiates bipolar disorder from major depression is the occurrence of manic episodes, often described as emotional "highs," between the episodes of depression.
Bipolar disorder results from disturbances in the areas of the brain that regulate mood. During manic periods, a person with bi polar disorder may be overly impulsive and energetic, with an exaggerated sense of self. The depressed phase brings overwhelming feelings of anxiety, low self-worth, and suicidal thoughts. There are two primary bipolar disorder types. People with bipolar disorder I have had at least one fully manic episode with periods of major depression. In the past, bipolar disorder I was called manic depression.
The average age at which the bipolar disease first appears is between adolescence and the midtwenties. Sometimes a correct diagnosis of the disorder is not made for years. It is complex and difficult to identify. In one study of bipolar disorder patients, half said that they saw three or more doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis. Over one third waited more than ten years before their condition was recognized.
People with bipolar disorder need various types of treatment and support to deal with it. They have to take an active role in understanding and coping with bipolar disorder. Nobody has discovered a cure for bipolar disorder, but we use medications to treat some of the symptoms. Many people who have bipolar disorder live full and productive lives. Yet, tragically, more than one in ten people with bipolar disorder try to commit suicide at some point. It is incredibly important for people with bipolar disorder to take their medication exactly as it was prescribed.
The fact is that bipolar people usually experience manic episodes as well as depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes which present with features of both mania and depression. They can also have normal mood periods in between these episodes. The DSM-IV-TR lists four types of mood disorders which fit into the bipolar categories: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymia, and Bipolar Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified). Both men and women can have bipolar disorder. People of all ages can have it.
Additional Symptoms of Bipolar disorder
There are many symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. Some of the symptoms are:
sad mood, fatigue or loss of energy, insomnia, excessive sleeping, or shallow, inefficient sleep patterns with frequent awakenings, weight gain or loss, diminished ability to concentrate or make decisions, physical agitation or markedly sedentary behavior, feelings of guilt, pessimism, helplessness and low self-esteem, loss of interest or pleasure in life and thoughts of or attempts at suicide
Published by Bipolar Disorder Assistance
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