Manic depression or bipolar disorder is a mental condition, which causes the extreme type of mood swings that include emotional lows or depression and emotional highs or mania. When you suddenly become depressed, there is a big possibility that you may feel hopeless or sad. Furthermore, you may also lose your interest or pleasure in most of your activities. When your mood abruptly turns to hypomania or mania, then you may feel unusually irritable or full of energy. These uncontrolled mood swings may affect behaviour, ability to think properly, judgment, activity, energy, as well as sleep. These sudden changes is really a disturbing thing to experience, thus the treatments for bipolar disorder is necessary to learn. For the condition to relieve and for a better living.
Bipolar Disorder: What is this?
Bipolar disorder is often called as manic depression illness. It is a severe brain condition, which may affect adults. In equal percentage, both men and women are getting affected by this condition. furthermore, the condition is being diagnosed in the early adulthood. Even though the signs and symptoms of the bipolar disorder and its severity may vary from one patient to another, its impact on individuals and to those whoa re around them is almost the same and significant.
The term bipolar disorder in point of fact refers to two different conditions –the bipolar I disorder and the bipolar II disorder. Moreover, the condition is also commonly referred to as the bipolar spectrum disorder.
- Bipolar I disorder: this is characterized by some episodes of extreme elevation of mood or mania, as well as depression.
- Bipolar II disorder: this is often characterized by some episodes of hypomania or the mild form of mood change or elevation, as well as depression.
Those who have bipolar disorder may experience risky variation in their mood. This is commonly known as the mood swings. This ranges from depression to mania. The mood swings can be terrifying for those who have bipolar disorder, and to those who are close to them (family, relatives, friends, etc.). This is mainly because they frequently are being associated with some behaviours that are high risk. This includes violence, excessive spending, sexual unchastity, as well as substance abuse.
During the event of their manic episodes, they tend to fleetingly lose their ability to relate to some other people or even to know how their words, as well as actions, may affect others. They tend to sleep less, and they often have a strained relationship.
Bipolar Disorder: Causes
The main cause of the bipolar disorder is actually the same as depression. Furthermore, it is caused by complex changes in the brain’s chemistry. Furthermore, there may also appear to be some inherited or genetic components to the disease. Researchers still work to discover the real reason behind these imbalances that arise suddenly.
Scientists do know that those who have bipolar disorder are quite more sensitive to both the emotional and the physical stress. Hence, anything that happens to them may cause them or may trigger a depressive episode or attack.
Bipolar Disorder: Signs and Symptoms
In the event of a depressive attack or episode, the symptoms are quite identical to those who are experiencing unipolar depression. This may impact the individual’s feelings, physical condition, behaviors, as well as the thoughts. These include:
Feelings:
- Loss of interest
- Outburst of anger
- Moodiness
- Guilt
- Hopelessness
- Sadness
Thoughts
- Having thoughts of harming yourself
- Hallucinations and delusions
- Remembering troubles
- Hard to make decisions
- Trouble in concentrating
Behaviors
- Attempting to harm yourself
- Missing commitments in school or in work
- Abuse of some substances
- Withdrawing from people
Physical problems:
- Sexual problems
- Changes in sleeping pattern
- Weight gain and weight loss
- Changes in the appetite
- Unexplainable pains and aches
- Lack of energy or tiredness
Furthermore, here are some of the symptoms of having hypomanic or manic episodes:
- Hallucinations and delusions
- Change in appetite
- Talkative
- Trouble sleeping
- Racing thoughts
- Hard time concentrating or paying attention
- Irritability
- Euphoria
Treatments for Bipolar Disorder
The treatments for bipolar disorder aims to help in minimizing the occurrence of depressive and manic episodes. Moreover, it is also to reduce the severity of the symptoms to have a more productive and normal life.
Here are some of the best treatments for bipolar disorder;
- Mood stabilizing treatments: the lithium carbonate is the most recommended medicine or drug in treating long-term episodes of mania, hypomania, as well as depression.
- Antipsychotics: behavioral disturbances is curable with this medication.
- Anticonvulsants: these are recommendable by professionals in treating mania episodes.
- Psychotherapy and hospitalization: this aims to alleviate and help the management of the condition’s symptoms. Furthermore, this is beneficial in maintaining a more positive relationship not just at work or school, but at home as well.
- Exercise: this as well is beneficial in treating the condition. In this treatment, the patient will be able to enjoy their leisure time and get productive, thus boosting their self-esteem and
