Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar disorder is also called as manic depression or manic-depressive illness. Know about bipolar disorder symptoms.

Bipolar is one of the types of mood disorder associated with brain. It causes unusual shifts in energy, mood and ability of a person. It is also referred to as maniac depression. It involves recurrent episodes of depression and mania, which recur across the lifespan. A person suffering from bipolar disease often experiences mood instability, depression and extreme mood swings. One time, they may feel very sad, worthless, helpless, despairing and hopeless and another time, they may feel like creative, hyperactive and on the top of the world. This disease is named as bipolar disorder because the mood of a person with bipolar disorder alternates between totally different extremities, such as extreme sadness and euphoric happiness. There are two types of bipolar disorder such as Bipolar I disorder and Bipolar II disorder. The first type involves episodes of severe mood swings, while the second type is a milder form. Cyclothymia is a mild bipolar disorder.

Causes of Bipolar Disorder

The exact causes of bipolar disorder is not known. However, various genetic, biochemical and environmental factors are supposed to be involved in triggering bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder have some physical and chemical changes in the brain. Neurotransmitters, naturally occurring brain chemicals, contribute in developing bipolar disorder. Hormonal imbalance is also responsible for this disorder. This disease may be due to a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are characterized by alternate patterns of depression and mania. The symptoms may vary mild to severe from person to person. There are different symptoms of bipolar disorder in maniac phase and depressive phase.

Manic Phase of Bipolar Disorder

A person in the maniac phase may feel very energetic, creative and hyperactive. Some of the common signs of mania are increased activity and gestures, inflated self-esteem, poor temper control, poor judgment and pressured speech. The major symptoms of manic phase are:

• Extreme optimism
• Agitation
• Euphoria
• Inflated self-esteem
• Rapid speech
• Aggressive behavior
• Racing thoughts
• Risky behavior
• Spending sprees
• Increased physical activity
• Increased sexual drive
• Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
• Decreased need for sleep
• Inability to concentrate
• Tendency to be easily distracted
• Drug abuse

Depressive Phase in Bipolar Disorder

Some people may experience more episodes of depressive phase than maniac phase. Some of the general signs of depression are excessive worry, sadness, crying spells and social withdrawal. Some major symptoms of depressive phase are as follows:

• Hopelessness
• Sadness
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Guilt
• Appetite problems
• Fatigue
• Problems in concentration
• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Chronic pain due to unknown reason

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are serious and can affect entire life of a person. Bipolar depression may result in damaged relationships, marital problems, poor performance in school or at job, and even suicide. Hence, it is very essential to seek an appropriate treatment immediately. Bipolar disorder can be diagnosed on the basis of signs and symptoms. Bipolar disorder treatment focuses on stabilizing mood swings and managing the symptoms. It can be treated with different medications such as lithium, carbamazepine, valproic acid, etc. Various therapies such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy and group therapy are found to be helpful the people with bipolar disorder.

By Reshma Jirage
Published: 11/13/2008

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All About Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Bipolar disorder treatment is not new. Men of medicine were treating for it before they even knew what it was. Yet every year new medications and methodologies are added to the bipolar disorder treatment.

Although first recognized in the second century A.D., bipolar disorder has struggled as a diagnosis to become accepted. Bipolar disorder treatment up to and through the 1960’s, if any, was usually comprised of either locking the patient away or leaving him or her to fend for him or herself.

In the 1970’s manic-depression, as it was then called, began to become seen as an accepted diagnosis and therefore, bipolar disorder treatment began in earnest. At that time, laws were enacted and standards set to help those who sought bipolar disorder treatment.

In bipolar disorder treatment, the first thought may be the use of medications. They are, actually, a powerful tool in the management of the disorder. One only needs look at the vast array of medications that is available to see that medication has been extensively used in bipolar disorder treatment.

Lithium carbonate was the first major breakthrough in the medications for bipolar disorder treatment. It belongs to a class of medications called "mood stabilizers". These medications help to prevent or ease manic episodes. They also help to ward off the extremes of depression, such as suicide.

Bipolar disorder treatment may also include the use of other mood stabilizers that were originally used as anticonvulsants. These have been shown to have a great effect on mood. Some of these, such as valproic acid and carbamazepine, are tried and true. Lamotrigine, gabapentin, and topiramate have also been used for this purpose but not conclusively proven effective.

Caution must be taken in the use of antidepressant therapy as a part of bipolar disorder treatment. Mood stabilizers are usually tried first, because antidepressants can trigger manic episodes or rapid-cycling. If an antidepressant must be used, there are certain ones which are less likely to cause these problems. One of these is bupropion.

The treatment of psychotic symptoms has evolved quickly in modern times. At first, there were powerful anti-psychotics. The first of these were said to put the mind in a "mental strait-jacket". They virtually stopped all thought. They also had an intense side effects known as tardive dyskinesia. This causes permanent neurological damages. Researchers, then were trying to find alternatives that would cause less, or even no, damage in bipolar disorder treatment.

Other anti-psychotics were tried, and found to have fewer neurological effects. The newest of these medications are actually relatively safe when used as prescribed. They are also very helpful in bipolar disorder treatment both in psychotic episodes and even in simple mania. Some of the newer ones are risperidone and olanzapine.

Talk therapy is also used in bipolar disorder treatment. It can be useful to help a person to recognize and deal with symptoms of the disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help a person to identify destructive patterns of thinking and behavior, and help him or her to act in ways that will have a positive influence on his or her disease process.

Other types of talk therapy are used in bipolar disorder treatment to help a person to deal with the devastating consequences of the illness and to explore the history of that person’s disease. Talk therapy has been used successfully in bipolar disorder treatment.

All of these components constitute a lifelong process. Medication and talk therapy can contribute to effective bipolar disorder treatment today. No one knows what science will bring to bipolar disorder treatment in the future.

By: Li Ming Wong

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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What Is Bipolar Disorder And How Do You Treat It?

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a diagnostic category describing a class of mood disorders where the person experiences states or episodes of depression and/or mania, hypomania, and/or mixed states. Left untreated, it is a severely disabling psychiatric condition.

The difference between bipolar disorder and major depression is that bipolar disorder involves "energized" or "activated" mood states in addition to depressed mood states. The duration and intensity of mood states varies widely among people with the illness.

Fluctuating from one mood state to another is called "cycling" or having mood swings. Mood swings cause impairment not only in one’s mood, but also in one’s energy level, sleep pattern, activity level, social rhythms and thinking abilities. Many people become fully disabled, for some period of time, after being diagnosed, and during this time may have great difficulty functioning.

The vast majority of people diagnosed with suffer from depression. In fact, there is at least a 3 to 1 ratio of time spent depressed versus time spent in a normal mood or hypomanic or manic during the course of the bipolar I subtype of the illness. People with the bipolar II subtype remain depressed for substantially longer. Up to 37 times longer than bipolar I.

A 2003 study by Robert Hirschfeld, M.D., of the University of Texas, Galveston found bipolar patients fared worse in their depressions than unipolar patients.

In terms of disability, lost years of productivity and potential for suicide, bipolar depression is now recognized as the most insidious aspect of the illness.

Severe depression may be accompanied by symptoms of psychosis. These symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. They may also suffer from paranoid thoughts of being persecuted or monitored by some powerful entity such as the government or a hostile force.

Intense and unusual religious beliefs may also be present, such as patients’ strong insistence that they have a God-given role to play in the world, a great and historic mission to accomplish, or even that they possess supernatural powers. Delusions in a depression may be far more distressing, sometimes taking the form of intense guilt for supposed wrongs that the patient believes he or she has inflicted on others.

Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Currently bipolar disorder cannot be cured but it can be managed. The emphasis of treatment is on effective management of the long-term course of the illness, which can involve treatment of emergent symptoms. Treatment methods include pharmacological and psychological techniques.

A variety of medications are used to treat bipolar disorder. Most people with bipolar disorder require combinations of medications.

Relapse of Bipolar Disorder

Even when on medication, some people may still experience weaker episodes or have a complete manic or depressive episode. The following behaviors can lead to depressive or manic relapse:

* Discontinuing or lowering one’s dose of medication without consulting one’s physician.

* Being under or over medicated. Generally, taking a lower dosage of a mood stabilizer can lead to relapse into mania. Taking a lower dosage of an antidepressant, may cause the patient to relapse into depression, while higher doses can cause destabilization into mixed-states or mania.

* Taking other psychotropic or recreational drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. These can cause the condition to worsen.

* An inconsistent sleep schedule can destabilize the illness. Too much sleep can lead to depression, while too little sleep can lead to mixed states or mania.

* Excessive amounts of caffeine can cause destabilization of mood toward irritability, dysphoria and mania.

* Inadequate stress management and poor lifestyle choices. If unmedicated, excessive stress can cause the individual to relapse. Medication raises the stress threshold somewhat, but too much stress still causes relapse.

Disclaimer
The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you or someone you know is suffers from a bipolar disorder, please seek professional medical advice for the latest treatment options.

By: Heather Colman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

This article is Copyright 2006, Heather Colman. Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as no changes are made, and this entire resource box is included. Find more bipolar disorder resources at bipolar-disorder-press.info.

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History of Bipolar Disorder

The history of bipolar disorder dates back many centuries although it has only been in fairly recent times that the term ‘bipolar disorder’ has been used.

The documented history of bipolar disorder dates back as far as the time of ancient Greece, over 2000 years ago. Even then the extremes of mood – melancholia (depression) and mania were clearly identified – as remitting fluctuating illnesses.

It was Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a celebrated Greek physician, who first put forward that these extremes of mood were a part of the same illness, but it is not until much later that this view gained momentum.

In Paris during the 18th Century there were significant changes to how people with a mental illness were being cared for. With more compassionate treatment, the importance of observing and documenting illnesses was also emphasized, and the connection between mania and depression was again revived. This only occurred due to detailed clinical records that enabled some important
re-connections to be made.

In the 1850’s the French psychiatrist Jean-Pierre Falret noted bipolar disorder as a "folie circulaire" – highlighting the circular nature of bipolar disorder, with changes from mania to depression. "Folie" in French refers to mania, madness, craziness or insanity, with the literal translation being ‘circular insanity’.

Around the same time Jules Baillarger a French neurologist described these extreme mood changes as being merely different phases of the same illness "folli a double forme", translated as ‘dual-form insanity’.

The German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in 1899 first used the term manic depressive illness to describe these phases. However, it wasn’t until much later that another German, Karl Kleist, in 1953 separated out unipolar depression where there are no periods of mania or hypomania, and the term bipolar disorder was born.

For more articles on Bipolar Disorder and for an Online Bipolar Self Help Program visit MoodSwings.

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Published: 8/22/2008

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