Bipolar disorder is generally characterized by episodes of mania and depression. A person with bipolar disorder experiences extreme shifts back and forth between these moods. According to FamilyDoctor.com, bipolar disorder can inflict any age group and either sex. Bipolar disorder tends to run in families and can be attributed to a chemical imbalance in the brain, notes FamilyDoctor.org.
Basics
There are several forms of bipolar disorder including bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder and cyclothymia. According to HelpGuide.org, bipolar I disorder is characterized by at least one manic episode and an episode of major depression; it is the most severe form. Bipolar II disorder involves hypomania, a less severe, more functional form of mania, and an episode of major depression. Cyclothymia appears when a person has episodes of both mild hypomania and mild depression; these people are at higher risk of developing bipolar disorders I or II.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of mania can include getting no sleep, thinking and talking faster than others can follow, feeling very powerful and important, inability to concentrate, feeling irritable, spending lots of money, abusing drugs and alcohol and engaging in risky sexual behaviors, notes FamilyDoctor.org. Depression symptoms can include inability to find pleasure in things previously enjoyed, feeling sad or numb, crying for no reason, lack of energy, changes in sleep and appetite, inability to concentrate, feeling worthless, physical pains and thoughts of death or suicide, reports FamilyDoctor.org.
Significance
According to 2006 statistics cited by the American Psychological Association, four percent of the general adult population has had some form of bipolar disorder during their lifetime. Bipolar disorder occurs on a very individual level, with some individuals experiencing rapid changes in mood swings and others going years without a shift in mood, notes the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Complications
People with bipolar disorder can experience many other complications including anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance abuse and health problems such as heart disease, thyroid problems and obesity, reports MayoClinic.com. In order to cope with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, a person may begin abusing drugs and alcohol as a way to self-medicate, which could cause symptoms to worsen, making them harder to treat, notes MayoClinic.com. Suicide can be an increased risk for people with bipolar disorder; therefore, they should be closely monitored for the risk.
Treatment
Treatment for bipolar disorder usually includes a combination of behavioral therapy and medication. Medications such as lithium and anticonvulsants, such as valproic acid, have demonstrated their effectiveness at stabilizing the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder, reports MayoClinic.com. Physicians find the correct medicine to treat a person’s bipolar disorder through trial and error because everyone’s unique form of the disorder responses slightly differently. According to HelpGuide.org, cognitive-behavioral therapy helps change thought patterns, manage symptoms, avoid triggers, prevent relapse and find solutions to the problems associated with bipolar disorder.
