Bipolar Disorder Highlights

People experience extreme mood swings,from deep depressions to phrases of mania, are not just unpredictable people. They might be suffering bipolar disorder.

In manic episodes people suffering this disorder tend to be in a euphoric mood, be overactive and restless, with reduced need of sleep. They often spend large amounts of money, which can result in severe financial problems. In a depressive episode, people feel sad, hopeless, guilty and/or worthless and have a low energy level.

Bipolar disorder is a disorder that puts a heavy burden on family and caregivers.

Do you know that this condition can be diagnosed and treated very well by a doctor.

Exploring Bipolar Disorder

Everyone has good days and bad days, happy moods and sad moods. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mood disorder that causes people to have extreme mood changes ranging from depression to mania.

While there is no known cure for bipolar disorder, some medications have been proven to treat certain phases of bipolar illness..

This section explores what bipolar disorder is, who it affects, what bipolar episodes are, and current theories concerning the cause of the illness.

What Bipolar Disorder Is
A Disorder that Affects Moods

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes episodes of depression (sadness and hopelessness) and episodes of mania (severely elevated mood). These episodes commonly affect your energy level, behavior, ability to function, and your ability to think clearly or make sound decisions.

While there is no known cure for bipolar disorder, some medications have been approved to treat the different phases of bipolar disorder

A Range of Moods

It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in bipolar disorder as a range:

• At one end of the range, there is severe mania. Mania is characterized by periods of elated mood, which can include racing thoughts, extreme irritability, or reckless behavior
• In the middle, there is the normal or balanced mood state. This is a time during which you are relatively free of the signs and symptoms associated with bipolar disorder
• At the other end of the range, there is depression, which can be mild to moderate or severe. Depression involves overwhelming feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and hopelessness The episodes of bipolar disorder can interfere with your daily life, making it more difficult to accomplish and enjoy the things you normally do. However, by working with your health care provider you can receive treatment that’s appropriate for you.

Who Bipolar Disorder Affects

By now, you know bipolar disorder can have a significant impact on your everyday life. What you may not know is that more than three percent of the US adult population have bipolar disorder.1 Genetics may play a role, as many people with bipolar disorder have at least one close relative with the disorder or with depression (major depressive disorder).2 Bipolar disorder usually appears in late adolescence or early adulthood, but it can also appear in childhood or later in life.3

Women and men get bipolar disorder equally, but there are some gender differences. Women with bipolar disorder may have more depressive episodes than men with bipolar disorder. Men are more likely to start with a manic episode, whereas a woman's first episode is usually a depressive one.

The Impact on Family and Friends

Although you are the one who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, others are often affected as well. Symptoms of the illness can place unusual stresses on relationships with family members and friends. In many instances, even if you are following a treatment plan and are steadily improving, you may realize that some relationships have been damaged and need healing as well. Reaching out to your loved ones and working together to build deep, meaningful bonds is critical to helping you work toward your treatment goals.

What Bipolar Disorder Episodes Are

As someone who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you have probably experienced both depressive and manic episodes. And you know first-hand the impact these episodes can have on your day-to-day life and the goals you have set for yourself.

A common misperception is that bipolar mood changes are usually quick and drastic. In reality, mood shifts are often quite gradual. An episode—whether depressive or manic—can last for weeks, months, or even years.

People with bipolar disorder are not always depressed or manic; they can go for long stretches of time in a "normal," balanced mood. The typical person with bipolar disorder has an average of four episodes during the first 10 years of the illness.1

Depressive Episodes

• Depressive episodes are characterized by overwhelming feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and hopelessness. Symptoms may include
• Sadness
• Excessive crying
• Loss of pleasure
• Abnormal sleep
• Low energy
• Restlessness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Loss of appetite or overeating
• Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Manic Episodes

Manic episodes are periods of elated mood, which can include racing thoughts, extreme irritability or reckless behavior. Symptoms may include

• Inappropriate sense of euphoria (elation)
• Racing thoughts; talking too much
• Extreme irritability
• Reckless behavior
• Abnormal sleep
• Excessive energy
• Out of control spending
• Difficulty concentrating
• Abnormally increased activity, including sexual activity
• Poor judgment
• Aggressive behavior

What Causes Bipolar Disorder

Researchers are still trying to fully understand the causes of bipolar disorder. There are many different theories, some of which relate to brain biochemistry.

In people with bipolar disorder, research shows that there may be

• Imbalances of certain brain chemicals (too many or too few)1
• Interruptions in the way messages are carried between brain cells or within brain cells1

At least 100 brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) have been discovered inside the human brain. These chemicals carry messages (signals) between brain cells (neurons). There are also ways that messages are carried within brain cells. These brain activities are important because they affect thought, emotion, memory, and learning. Bipolar disorder can impair these functions and make it more difficult to go about your day-to-day routines.

Although the exact causes of bipolar disorder may not be known, remember that it may be due to a chemical imbalance. Bipolar disorder is not your fault. It is not a character flaw or weakness—it is an illness that affects your brain and requires appropriate treatment to help manage.2

Treating Bipolar Disorder

A good relationship with your doctor, which includes open and honest communication, can be helpful in finding the best treatment plan for you. It is important to understand there is no "one-treatment-fits-all" strategy for treating bipolar disorder. Your treatment plan has to address your individual needs.

This section describes two important treatment options: medications and talk therapy. There is also information about the types of health care providers who treat bipolar disorder.

When talking with your health care provider about your treatment plan, keep in mind that you both have a common goal: helping you get back to living a healthy, stable life. Your health care provider is there to support you. Work together to discuss and resolve any concerns and issues you may have.

Now you can discover:

• How to quickly and easily handle your loved one's anger, rage and mood swings
• How to get your loved one into treatment even if they won't go and deny they have the disorder
• Why people with Bipolar Disorder get WORSE after going to a psychiatrist or therapist
• The shocking truth about Bipolar Disorder and medication that nobody ever talks about
• How to talk to your loved one about their bipolar disorder WITHOUT them getting mad at you
• WARNING: The #1 deadly mistake that people make trying to help someone with Bipolar Disorder