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Archive for the ‘Bipolar Disorder’ Category

Once better known as “manic depression”, the term bipolar was coined by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in the late nineteenth century, originally referring to all kinds of mood disorder.

Bipolar disorder can be found in all age groups, races, ethnic groups and social classes. An equal number of men and women are being affected.

The mood of a person with this disorder alternates between different extremes, such as extreme sadness and euphoric happiness. Thus, this disease is named bipolar disorder.

Some people with bipolar disorder become psychotic, hearing things that aren’t there. They may hold onto false beliefs, and cannot be swayed from them. In some instances, they see themselves as having superhuman skills and powers – even consider themselves to be god-like. This disorder also involves recurrent episodes of depression and mania, which recur across one’s lifespan.

Persons may change long term goals frequently, and have trouble sticking to any one activity.

The individual may go from depressed lows to euphoric highs, or may experience other shifts in mood that severely affect the person’s ability to function. There is also the problem of a regular sleep schedule. People with bipolar disorder commonly suffer from migraines, but this can be helped when bipolar is treated. Other symptoms include delusions, inability to concentrate or sleep and feelings of worthlessness.

Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing the disorder, and environmental factors are also implicated. Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood stabilizer medications, and sometimes other psychiatric drugs. Mood stabilisers help reduce both manic and depressive episodes. A care plan that combines medication and psychosocial treatment is best for managing the disorder over time.

The two types of bipolar disorder are bipolar I and mani and biploar II and hypomania. The first one is in which a person has episodes of depression and mania. People with the second type normally have severe depression episodes, and sometimes “mild mania”, or hypomania.

Patients with the disorder often suffer for an average of 10 years with symptoms before receiving the correct diagnosis and treatment. Obviously, this long delay can not only affect proper patient treatment but also the recovery. Typically, the disorder appears in adolescence or early adulthood, but it can also emerge in childhood. The length of symptom-free intervals often decreases with age.

Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population for those persons age 18 and older every year. It is the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide among 15- to 44-year-olds, affecting up to 4% of adults.

Yoga, meditation and acupuncture are therapies that can be utilized, as these can play a large and important role in the emotional well being of a person and can also help to lift their mood. Bipolar treatment using exercise releases endorphins and can boost the mood significantly.

A lot of people think about bipolar disorder as something that is funny, laughable, or not that serious. When a person experiences mood swings it is often referred to by the common man as being “bipolar”. And although there is some truth to that loose definition of bipolar disorder, the difference is in the degree of the emotion felt by the person who is suffering from the said psychological disorder.

Psychological disorders, much like bipolar disorders, are a term that people often throw around without really knowing or understanding what it truly is. The simplest way of describing a psychological disorder is probably by saying that it is a pattern of behavioural or psychological symptoms that change the way a person leads his life. These symptoms make people react to stimuli differently from normal people, and in many cases, prevents a person who suffers from a psychological disorder to interact with other people normally thus compromising his relationships within the family, in his romantic life, and in the work place.

There are many different types of disorders. There are Anxiety disorders which include panic disorders and phobias, Personality disorders, which include Schizophrenia and Narcissism, and Mood Disorders, which include Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorders, and Bipolar Disorders.

But what makes Bipolar Disorders different aside from the fact that it is treated in a Bipolar Treatment Center?

Bipolar Disorder, or Manic Depression, as some people would refer to it, is a serious disorder that is characterized by rapid, unjustified shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns, and behaviours. This may be as drastic as the high energy and panicked behaviour characterized by a person who is suffering from Mania, and then a shift to the low and pensive energy of a person who suffers from Depression. But these are not simply changes in moods. People who suffer from Bipolar Disorders actually experience these mood swings for days at a time. That is, they may be depressed for a week, and then manic on the next; making it difficult for people to interact with them normally.

Now here is the good news: Bipolar Disorder may actually be treated. Gone are the days when people would think that people who suffered from Bipolar Disorders were possessed by evil spirits. In this modern age, we now accept that these are medical problems as well, and that they may be fixed by making the patient go through some therapy sessions (and in some cases, even under medication).

One type of destination for treatment of Bipolar Disorder is called a Bipolar Treatment Center. This is a type of treatment facility that seeks to help people with Bipolar Disorder get over their condition as well as equip them with tools that could help them prevent the resurgence of the symptoms of Bipolarity. They achieve this by exposing the patient to several forms of treatments that usually include group sharing sessions, individual therapy sessions, and other kinaesthetic activities for a more holistic approach to wellness.

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition that when it strikes can be devastating for the person afflicted with it as well as family, friends and co-workers.

It can come on without recognizable warning and in the beginning; one may see unusual elevation in mood swings. In the onset of bipolar disorder, this behavior is classed as hypomania, which is the milder form of bipolar, and if it progresses, it then becomes diagnosed as mania.

Most often, the events do not appear as constant but seem to come in bursts or episodes. The sufferer may experience various symptoms. One example of this would be depression. Then it can get even more complicated because the individual may have both mania and depression that is evident at the same time. It can be confusing for those who they are in close contact with because there is such a fluctuation, and in between these episodes, the individual appears to be their same old self.

In some cases, they will suffer from rapid cycling which means that they are quickly fluctuating between manic and depression.

Being as there are so many variations in bipolar disorder it has been broken down into categories such as Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and numerous other types. What dictates the category the sufferer comes under is determined by the symptoms such as the nature and severity of the episodes experienced. There is a set range to gauge the episodes called the bipolar spectrum. In some cases, the episodes can become so severe that an episode may consist of delusions and hallucinations.

It is easy to see why individuals suffering with bipolar disorder can unintentionally make others feel uncomfortable. It is a difficult condition for onlookers to deal with mainly because they are confused as to what is actually happening.

This is mainly due to the conditions being in episodes, where there are periods of time the afflicted person appears completely normal.

An individual suffering from this bipolar disorder may have been doing so for many years and yet it was undetected. They may at some point been called moody or mood swingers. Diagnosis is pretty well dependent on the testimony of the sufferer themselves and usually in conjunction with others who have witnessed the episodes. 

The cause of bipolar disorder is not definitive but it has been associated with individuals that are creative, set high goals and thrive on positive achievements. Genetics are also a factor and even the environmental condition a sufferer is in can be a contributor. In many cases, it is controllable with various medications. When this is achieved those suffering from the condition can go on to live normal lives. This is usually dependent on follow up treatment and the proper type and dosage of medication.

Bipolar depression tends to come in cycles that are mixed with periods when the patient feels intense highs. During these peaks bipolar depression is forgotten and the person may feel invincible and this may lead to other problems. Bipolar disorder, also known under its old name “manic depression”, is a mental illness characterized by constantly changing moods. A person with bipolar disorder experience alternating “highs” (what doctors call “mania”) and “valleys” (also known as depression). Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is a disease, it is a disease that causes psychological problems to such an extent that daily activity is complicated by the symptoms. The most prominent symptoms are extreme mood known as depression and mania.

Depression can be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. Depression symptoms include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness and guilt. These people sleep too much or too little and experience changes in appetite or weight. Depression can also affect thinking, appreciation and social behavior in ways that can cause serious problems. For example, increases the risk of suicide.

Symptoms can occur from infancy or early childhood, or may suddenly emerge in adolescence or adulthood. Until recently, a diagnosis of the disease is rare in childhood. Symptoms may occur gradually or suddenly during childhood, adolescence or adulthood. Researchers have identified cases of bipolar disorder in all age groups studied, among preschoolers. Other symptoms are palpitations, tremors and chest pains. Get facts about causes and medications used in treatment.

Treatment of borderline personality disorder and bipolar are also similar. A combination of therapy and medication is usually preferred by psychiatrists. Treatment options are expanding, but few have been adequately studied.

Getting a bipolar disorder diagnosis may lead to you feeling that your world has just collapsed. Many cannot deal with getting a bipolar disorder diagnosis and may choose to ignore the diagnosis all to their detriment. If you are asking yourself “What now?” or “What happens next?” it is important to remember that living with bipolar will not be easy and it will be a daily fight for your life and for your sanity but it is important to remember that you have what it takes to lead a full and productive life even with the diagnosis.

Getting a bipolar disorder diagnosis may even bring relief because now you have a way to explain the various symptoms that you or a loved one have been plagued with. Knowing that there is a name for what you or they have been going through brings immense relief in addition to knowing that you are not alone. There are only two choices with bipolar disorder – lose the battle to the disorder or fight tooth and nail to beat this disorder with the various tools available.

If you decide to fight or help a loved one to fight the bipolar disorder, it will not be easy as mentioned previously. However, to help you win the battle of the mind, there are various resources available that include bipolar medications to deal with the various symptoms of bipolar symptoms. There is psychiatric help available as well as bipolar support groups to help the sufferer and family and friends cope with the bipolar disorder.

Early treatment is important for this disorder to keep the devastation that this disorder can cause to a minimum. Early treatment will help to keep the manic highs and the depressive lows that are some of the bipolar symptoms to a minimum.

One of the challenges of any mental illness is that the sufferer after a period of normalcy begins to feel that they do not need the bipolar medications or the talk therapy that are helping to control the various symptoms of bipolar disorder. The sufferer will need to be convinced and reach a point within themselves that they realize that bipolar medications and other therapies are for life and will allow them to lead a full and productive life even when being bipolar.

Some of the bipolar medications may not be suitable and may lead to other issues so it is important to communicate your concerns and issues with your doctor in order to find the bipolar medications and therapies that work for you. You may even consider changing doctors if you are not getting the solutions you need to combat bipolar and the bipolar symptoms effectively.

At the end of the day, someone with bipolar has to get to the point of deciding that they are responsible for themselves and the proper management and control of their disease. It is important to remember that you are not this disease and to keep this disorder at bay and minimize its impact on your life and the lives of your friends and family, you need to find a treatment regimen and stick to it.

Additional ways of taking care of yourself after receiving the bipolar disorder diagnosis are important such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and getting adequate sleep. Making a conscious effort to stick to a routine is important if you wish to overcome bipolar disorder and the various symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Getting a bipolar disorder diagnosis is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about and it is nothing to hide. Speaking about it is the first step to overcoming this disorder. Silence that comes from being embarrassed or ashamed is only detrimental. It is important not to be consumed with what other people will think or say if you disclose that you suffer from this disorder. Some will be negative but even more will react positively. You need the support of others to overcome this disorder.