Bipolar Disorder: Symptom, Causes, Treatment

Overview:

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in energy, sleep, thinking, and behavior.

People who have bipolar disorder can have phases in which they feel too energized and happy and other periods of feeling very sad, despairing, and sluggish.

Between those periods, they often feel ordinary.

You can think of the highs and the lows as two”sticks” of disposition, which is why it’s called”bipolar” disorder.

The term”manic” refers to the times when someone with bipolar disorder feels overly excited and convinced.

These feelings may also involve spontaneous and irritability or rash decision-making.

About half of people during mania can also have delusions (believing things that aren’t accurate and they cannot be talked out of) or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there).

“Hypomania” describes milder symptoms of mania, where somebody does not have delusions or hallucinations, and their high symptoms don’t interfere with their everyday life.

The word”depressive” describes the times once the individual feels really sad or depressed.

Those symptoms are just like those described in major depressive disorder or”clinical depression,” a condition in which someone never has manic or hypomanic episodes.

Many people with bipolar disorder spend more time together with depressive symptoms compared to manic or hypomanic symptoms.

Bipolar Disorder Types:

There are a few Kinds of bipolar disorder, including:

Bipolar I disorder:  With this type, you’ve got extreme erratic behavior, together with manic”up” phases that continue at least a week or so are so severe that you require medical attention.

Additionally, there are usually intense” down” periods that continue at least two weeks.

Bipolar II disorder:  With this kind, you also have erratic highs and lows, but it is not as intense as bipolar I.

Cyclothymic disorder:  This type involves periods of depressive and manic behavior that last at least 2 years in adults or one year in children and teens.

The symptoms are not as intense as bipolar disorder I or bipolar disorder II.

With any type of bipolar disorder, abuse of drugs and alcohol use can lead to more episodes.

Having bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder, called”dual diagnosis,” requires help from a professional who can tackle both problems.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms:

In bipolar disorder, the dramatic episodes of high and low moods do not follow a set pattern.

Someone may feel the same mood state (manic or depressed ) several times before shifting to the contrary disposition.

These episodes can happen over a period of months, months, and sometimes even years.

How intense it has differed from person to person and may also change over time, getting less or more severe.

Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and enthusiasm.

Sudden changes from being happy to being irritable, angry, and hostile.

Restlessness.

Quick speech and bad concentration.

Increased energy and less Demand for sleep.

Unusually high sex drive.

Making grand and unrealistic plans.

Showing poor judgment.

Drug and alcohol abuse.

Becoming more impulsive.

Less of an appetite.

A larger sense of self-confidence and well-being.

Being easily distracted.

During manic phases (“the lows”), an Individual with bipolar disorder may have:

Sadness.

Reduction of energy.

Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.

Not liking things that they once liked.

Trouble concentrating.

Forgetfulness.

Discussing gradually.

Inability to feel pleasure.

Irritability.

Insomnia.

Appetite changes that make you gain or lose weight.

Thoughts of death or suicide.

Attempting suicide.

There is no single cause of the bipolar disorder.

Researchers are analyzing how a few factors may lead to it in certain people.

For example, at times it can simply be a matter of genetics, which means that you have it because it runs in your loved ones.

The way that your brain develops may also play a role, however, scientists aren’t exactly certain why or how.

When someone develops bipolar disorder, it usually begins when they’re in late adolescence or young adulthood.

Paradoxically, it may happen earlier in youth. Bipolar disorder can run in families.

Men and women are equally likely to get it.

Women are somewhat more likely than men to undergo”rapid cycling,” which is having four or more different mood episodes over a year.

Girls also tend to spend more time depressed than men who have bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder usually develops later in life for girls, and they’re more likely to have bipolar disorder II and be affected by seasonal mood changes.

A combination of medical and mental issues is also more common in women.

These healthcare issues may include thyroid disorder, migraine, and stress disorders.

Some items which make you more likely to have bipolar disorder include:

Using a family member with bipolar disorder.

Going through a time of high stress or injury.

Drug or alcohol abuse.

Certain health conditions.

Many people with the condition misuse alcohol or other drugs when manic or depressed.

Bipolar Disorder Analysis:

Should you or someone you know has symptoms of bipolar disorder, talk to your family doctor or a psychiatrist.

They’ll ask questions regarding mental disorders that you, or the person who you’re worried about, have experienced, and some other mental illnesses that run in the household.

The individual will also get a complete psychiatric examination to tell if they’ve probably bipolar disorder or another mental health condition.

Diagnosing bipolar disorder is about the person’s symptoms and determine whether they might be the result of some other cause (like low thyroid or disposition symptoms caused by alcohol or drug abuse).

How severe are they? How often do they occur?

The most telling symptoms are those that involve highs or lows in disposition, along with changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior.

Discussing close friends and family of this person can often help the doctor distinguish bipolar disorder from a major psychiatric disorder or other psychiatric disorders that could entail changes in mood, thinking, and behavior.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosing bipolar disorder can be trickier for kids and teens.

Their symptoms may be the same as adults but may be confused for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or maybe just poor behavior.

If you believe that your child might have bipolar disorder, ask your physician for a referral to a child psychologist who’s familiar with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder Treatments:

The bipolar disorder could be treated. It’s a long-term condition that needs ongoing care.

People that have four or more mood episodes in a year, or who have drug or alcohol problems, may have forms of this illness that are far more difficult to deal with.

Medicine for Bipolar Disorder:

Medication is the main remedy, usually between the following:

Mood stabilizers, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), lamotrigine (Lamictal), lithiumion, or valproate (Depakote).

Antipsychotic Medications, such as cariprazine (Vraylar), lurasidone (Latuda), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and quetiapine (Seroquel).

Antidepressants:

Antidepressant-antipsychotic drugs, a combination of an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer

Anti-anxiety medications or sleep medicines, such as sedatives like benzodiazepines.

It may take some time to find the ideal mix for you. You may need to try out a couple of things before you and your doctor determine what works best.

Once you do, it is important to stay on your medication and talk with your physician before stopping or changing anything.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should speak with their physicians about medications that are safe to carry.

Psychotherapy, or”talk therapy,” is frequently recommended, also. There are many distinct types.

Alternatives can include:

Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (ISPRT) – This is based on the idea that using a daily regimen for all, from sleeping to eating, can help keep your mood steady.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – This helps you replace bad habits and activities with more positive alternatives. It also can help you learn to manage stress and other unwanted causes.

Learning more and educating family members of bipolar disorder can help provide you with support when episodes occur.

Family-focused therapy – This sets up a support system to aid with treatment and aids your nearest and dearest recognize the launch of an episode.

Other treatment options for bipolar disorder might include:

Electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) – Small doses of electricity shock the brain and put off a little seizure to form of reboot and alter the balance of certain chemicals.

As soon as it’s still a last-resort treatment when drugs and therapy haven’t worked, it is much better regulated and safer, with fewer risks and side effects, compared to in the early days of the procedure.

There’s some evidence that this complementary therapy may help with the depression brought on by the bipolar disorder.

Supplements – Though some people take certain vitamin supplements to assist with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, there are lots of potential problems with using them.

By way of instance, their ingredients aren’t regulated, they could have side effects, and some can influence how prescribed medications work.

Make sure you tell your doctor about any supplements you take.

Lifestyle changes might also help:

Stay on a schedule for sleeping and eating.

Learn to comprehend your mood swings.

Get assistance from friends or groups.

Keep a symptom diary or graph.

Learn to manage stress.

Find healthy hobbies or sports.

Do not drink alcohol or use recreational drugs.

Bipolar Disorder Outlook:

For most individuals, a fantastic treatment program can stabilize their moods and also help ease symptoms.

Individuals who also have a substance abuse problem may need more specialized treatment.

Ongoing treatment is more effective than dealing with issues as they develop.

The more you understand about your own condition, the better you can deal with your episodes.

And support groups, where you could talk with individuals who are going through the same things you are, can also assist.

Some men and women who have bipolar disorder might become suicidal.

Learn the warning signals and seek immediate medical help for them:

Depression (changes in eating, sleeping, actions).

Talking about suicide, hopelessness, or helplessness.

Shooting more risks.

With more accidents.

Abusing alcohol or other medications.

Focusing on negative and negative topics.

Speaking about death and dying.

Crying more, or becoming less emotionally expressive.

Ask your friends and loved ones for support. If you’re feeling anxious or depressed, consider joining a support group or seeking counseling. Believe in your ability to take control of the pain…

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