1. It's Not Cut and Dry
Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness that causes people to suffer from severe mood swings. If you have bipolar disorder, you may experience episodes of extreme sadness and depression, but then you may jump to a state of complete hyperactivity, called mania. Some use the term manic depression to describe bipolar disorder. While experts haven't named one single factor to be the cause of bipolar disorder, they do believe that a combination of factors is responsible for causing the disease.
2. An Unhappy Brain
Certain imbalances in your brain may be one of the bipolar disorder causes. Neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine, are chemicals in your brain that control brain function. When your neurotransmitter levels are too low, you may experience the sad and depressed state that characterizes bipolar disorder. When the levels are too high, you may go into the manic, hyperactive state.
3. It's in the Family
If you're suffering from bipolar disorder, chances are high that someone else in your family has suffered from either bipolar disorder or major depression at some point. While you do run a higher risk of developing bipolar disorder if someone in your family has the disease, this doesn't necessarily mean that you will develop it. If you have an identical twin with bipolar disorder, you run a much higher risk of developing the disease, but again, it's not definite that you will develop it.
4. Stress is a Trigger
If you're genetically predisposed to bipolar disorder, stressful situations such as a family crisis, problems at work or a serious illness can trigger its onset. If you're already suffering from bipolar disorder, stress can cause you to go into either a depressive or manic state of mind. Another environmental factor that triggers the onset of the disease and worsens its symptoms is excessive drug and alcohol use.
5. Be Aware of Your Moods
While you don't have control over the biological and genetic causes of bipolar disorder, it's still helpful to be aware of the various causes and symptoms. If bipolar disorder runs in your family, for example, you should pay attention to any possible signs of the disease in yourself so that you can seek treatment early on in case you do develop the illness. Make sure to get help in stressful situations so that the stress doesn't overwhelm you, and avoid abusing drugs and alcohol.
